 |
| Facebook tests poster-style ads with Stories |
Facebook today announced a test that will allow select creators to run poster ads throughout the story and generate some revenue.
Facebook said the first test was small, but it hopes to expand it as quickly as possible and then apply the technology to all of Facebook's short videos.
Facebook launched a Stories function on its platform four years ago to encourage users to post content.
“Poster ads are still in the early stages of the concept,” said Yoav Arnstein, Facebook's head of product management.
The bigger idea, he explained, is to give advertisers a natural place based on their poster content to promote local businesses when someone posts a video of Yosemite National Park.
Arnstein said contextual relevance could be the key to the success of these ads.
Announcing stickers is one of many updates to the creator platform.
Facebook regularly offers interstitial ads for shorter videos.
Previously, videos of three minutes or longer would benefit from these ads. Videos with a duration of 1 minute can now receive ads and place them in the content for 30 seconds.
To be eligible for these interstitial ads, your page must have had a total of 600,000 minutes of watch time in any combination of video uploads in the last 60 days and at least five valid video uploads or previous live videos.
At the same time, real-time video producers must not only meet VOD requirements for the past 60 days, but also show 60,000 minutes in real time to take advantage of interstitial ads.
Facebook also spent $ 7 million to promote the "Star" feature, which allows live content viewers to advise on virtual stars, and each star pays the creator a single cent.
The company provides free stars in some live shows that viewers can send to the video host, and the team also gives virtual gifts that viewers can send.
Facebook is expanding its paid live streaming events to 24 other countries / regions and offers fan subscription services in 10 other countries / regions. The company will have to wait until August 2021 at least to use both functions.