Meta launches new ad formats and placements across platforms

Meta has announced new ways for advertisers to reach customers based on how they are spending their time through video, messaging, ad, or AI-enhanced experiences; and released updates on the ongoing efforts with industry partners.

The updates for advertisers on Meta platforms include new ad formats, and ad placements, more AI-powered tools to improve performance-oriented campaigns, and more.

Facebook Reels Ads & Video Ecosystem Updates

With the growing consumption of Reels that experienced a 30% increase in the time people spent engaging with reels across Facebook and Instagram, Meta is now focussing on driving engagement for brands through this format. To make it easier for businesses to create Reels ads, Meta is rolling out free songs from the Meta Sound Collection that can be added to Carousel Ads on Reels. Businesses can select a song from the library or allow the app to automatically choose the best music for an ad based on its content.

To help businesses connect with customers through Reels on Facebook, Meta is launching a test of post-loop ads, 4 to 10-second skippable and standalone video ads that play after a reel has ended. When the ad finishes playing, the original reel resumes and loops again. Meta is also testing image carousel ads for Reels starting today. These horizontally-scrollable ads can include anywhere from 2 to 10 image ads and will be shown at the bottom of Facebook Reels content.

AI-Driven Performance

Meta Advantage Suite, a tool for businesses looking for performance improvements, in a recent test of 31 advertisers, found that Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns led to a 17% improvement in cost per acquisition and a 32% increase in return on ad spend. Leaning into this advertiser inclination, Meta is rolling out Advantage custom audience, a new targeting automation product that leverages an advertiser’s Custom Audience to reach new and existing customers. This is similar to Lookalike audiences that find people who are likely to be interested in your business, except that Advantage custom audience goes beyond the 1%, 5%, or 10% similarity ranges, while also prioritizing the delivery of ads to people in the Custom Audience. This entire process is guided by AI and machine learning to help improve advertiser campaign performance with less manual effort.

Also Read: Meta introduces Facebook Reels API for desktop and web publishers

AI-Driven Messaging Conversations

Meta is also bringing AI to the business messaging and lead generation products to help businesses maximize their return on ad investment by making it easier to reach your customers.

Recently Meta launched conversion optimization for Click to Messenger ads. Typically, Meta shows Click to Messenger ads to people who are most likely to initiate a conversation with a business on WhatsApp, Messenger, or Instagram Direct. With this update, Meta is introducing the ability for advertisers to run Click to Messenger ads which will reach the people who are most likely to make a purchase in a thread.

The platform has also introduced a new ad format for lead generation that funnels customers to either Messenger or a form, depending on which one the customer is most likely to interact with. This personalization is a way to help lead generation advertisers acquire more leads, save time and, ultimately, reduce costs.

Video Measurement

Meta also recently received accreditation from the Media Rating Council (MRC), an independent nonprofit organization that administers accreditation for media research and rating purposes, for first-party reporting of 2-second viewable mobile in-app video impressions on Facebook and Instagram Video ads. This accreditation validates that Meta’s measurement of viewable video impressions is compliant with industry standards.