In 2016 Facebook confessed to something that sent shock waves throughout the PPC advertising world.
They admitted to having too many ads in the News Feed 😱 .
The number of Facebook ads served to users is also known as ad load.
The platform monitors ad load to make sure it does not affect their experience on the social media site.
When Facebook feels like ad overload is impending, they limit the number that can appear.
And their announcement made it clear that the News Feed Facebook ad load is set to max out in mid-2017.
Well, folks, we are well within that mid-2017 date range; in fact, we’re well past it.
Before you shut down all of your Facebook marketing campaigns and try to find out if MySpace is still a thing, take a breath and relax because all is not lost.
You can explore the other Facebook ad placements the platform offers, from Messenger ads to Instagram Stories.
Take it from Dane Kragness, Senior Account Manager for Paid Media here at Taktical:
“Facebook is attempting to rapidly expand its placement offerings as currently the influx of advertisers to the platform seems to be outpacing the growth of the actual user base, which forces them to reach people on different placements rather than reaching more people. We’ll start to see that Facebook’s new offerings (Watch, Marketplace, etc) will begin to offer more options to advertisers, whether it’s video content, or advertisers creating their own curated “stores” within Facebook Marketplace.”
In this post, we’ll discuss your other options for Facebook ad placement and how to succeed at advertising on them.
The max out on News Feed ad load is far from being the demise of Facebook advertising.
Instead, it will provide additional sources of revenue and reinvigorate the marketing strategies of brands.
Facebook Ad Breaks in Longform Video Content
Mid-roll Facebook ads let you put your ad in front of users who are watching a video on the platform for 20 seconds or longer.
Think of it like a traditional commercial break you used to see on TV. The program cuts away for the duration of the ad.
The benefits of a mid-roll Facebook ad in a third-party video include:
- Greater dwell time, as the ad requires the user to sit through the entire ad in order to return to their program
- Video ads lift purchase intent on average 17%
- Videos can decrease the cost per lead, sometimes 30% or more
Currently, this ad placement struggles from too many restrictions and a lack of viewership.
Simply put, there aren’t enough people viewing long-form video on Facebook. . .yet.
Not only is Facebook introducing its own native content, but also its pivoting to rank long-form video content higher in News Feeds.
Facebook introduced Watch earlier this year. As a result, choosing mid-roll Facebook ad as an option for where you should advertise on Facebook will only continue to improve.
Messenger Ads on Facebook
Messaging apps have recently surpassed social networking apps as the most popular mobile apps, based on total number of monthly active users.
85% of Facebook’s ad revenue comes from mobile and there are over 1.3 billion users on Facebook Messenger.
With this in mind, you truly cannot underestimate the the power of messaging.
And because this is a platform used exclusively for direct interaction and communication, brands have a unique ability to engage customers like never before.
Sponsored Messages is one such Messenger ad option.
It allows a user to simply click a brand’s icon in their Messenger feed or click the “Send Message” CTA from their Facebook ad to begin a conversation with them.
Now, over 100,000 branded chatbots exist to nurture customer relationships and increase engagement.
Another option within Messenger ads for your Facebook marketing is to have it appear within a Messenger feed and direct people to the destination of your choosing.
Like a News Feed ad, this can lead to a product page, Messenger conversation, app download, etc.
A tip to keep in mind as your advertise on Facebook Messenger is to opt for Automatic Placement when setting them up.
This is not only what Facebook recommends, but also can help your content appear in the most relevant places and at the best times given your target audience.
Instagram Story Ads
There’s little denying the rise to power of Instagram.
Since releasing its Stories feature, the platform’s user base increased by 200 million users.
Now, it boasts over 800 million monthly active users.
Social media marketers have capitalized on this audience by launching Instagram Story ad campaigns.
Taktical’s Haley Preininger gives her insight into this Facebook ad option:
“This placement is definitely something to consider when avoiding ad overload in the holiday season. According the Instagram Advertiser statistics, 75% of Instagram users take action after looking at an advertisement post. With a [daily] audience of more than 500 million users, it is a good option to explore if your target audiences matches that of instagram users (18 to 29 year olds).”
And the facts support this:
- 60% of users discover new products while on Instagram
- 80% of people follow a branded account on the platform
- 1 in 5 minutes that people spend on their mobile device is spent on Facebook or Instagram
There are even more users attracted to Instagram daily.
As a result, your audience reach is nearly as wide and diverse as if advertising on the Facebook News Feed.
Keep in mind that the design specs for Instagram Story ads are slightly different than for other options of where to advertise on Facebook.
Your Instagram ad should be vertical, have a 9:16 aspect ratio, and more often than not be a video.
When done well, Instagram Story ads can yield a 24-point increase in ad recall and 8% lift in online conversions, like Tchibo.
The Facebook Ad Load is Near
It’s only a matter of time before Facebook News Feed ads reach their load limit.
When that time comes, prepare by exploring your other options of where to advertise on Facebook.
The social network is always continuing to launch new features and options for ad placement, and maintain its viability as a leading advertising platform.
Messenger, Instagram, and ads within native long-form videos all present Facebook marketers with excellent alternatives to News Feeds.
Discover where your audience is more likely to spend their time.
Then build your Facebook ad campaign in the right venue.
