Facebook is continuing to expand an advertisers’ ability to control where their ads appear. Four tools have been expanded as of yesterday, specific to the in-stream ad placements brands can run on as a placement option.
What Are Facebook In-Stream Ads?
These ad types are specific to video creative, letting advertisers place ads before, during, or after video content a user watches.
It can be chosen or excluded as a Placement type when setting up an ad group. There is a specific section for “In-Stream” with a sub-checkbox for Facebook In-Stream Videos.
The specificity of the “Facebook” piece when there are no other options yet has led to speculation this will continue to grow into other options as Facebook continues to push video.
Viewing Brand Safety Controls
A redesigned Brand Safety Controls interface is rolling out, which houses all of a Business Account’s ad accounts, along with the status of their brand safety controls.
It can be viewed within a user’s Business Manager in the Brand Safety section.
A left-hand margin provides navigation options, including access to the main Overview screen, Inventory Filters, Block lists, and areas to review Publisher Lists and Reports.
Publisher & Content Whitelists
Advertisers can specify the third-party publisher options ads can run on for Facebook Audience Network.
Similarly, advertisers can also utilize content whitelists if they’re working with Integral Ad Science, OpenSlate, or Zefr. This provides video-level whitelisting options, allowing brands to review and customize videos for in-stream campaigns.
Delivery Reports
Long a want from Facebook Ad buyers, delivery reports let advertisers see impression from both the publisher and content perspectives.
This gives clarity into what the actual pieces of content were that their ads were shown within.
Livestream Exclusions
Particularly relevant in the age of COVID-19 and the glut of video and streaming occurring, there are now exclusion options specific to Livestreams. Advertisers can opt out of the testing occurring for in-steam ads.
Those placements are only showing in vetted partners, but still, advertisers have the option to forego showing there altogether.
Facebook Catching Up in Transparency
Many brands have lamented the lack of transparency on non-Newsfeed placements.
Both In-Stream and Audience Network have been approached with caution by many ad buyers, ranging from concerns over where the ad is shown, to the “all or nothing” nature of choosing to run there.
Buyers used to other platforms, most notably in areas such as display and YouTube, are accustomed to a level of transparency. Google has long allowed placement exclusions and inclusions in its targeting.
How This Helps Future Ad Buys
Facebook’s lack of transparency in this regard created concerns around where ads might be showing and with what type of content, along with the inability to optimize the ad buy if the Placement performed well.
This will help advertisers better understand what’s going on behind that in-stream curtain, with the hope there will continue to be more control over this ad type in the future.
Facebook has been at the forefront of pushing video for years, which means there will be more inventory as time goes on – but demand will not keep up if advertisers can’t take full advantage of it as a platform option.
Image credit 1: Susan Wenograd
Image credit 2: Facebook
