Facebook has reportedly expanded its test of mid-roll ads in video to all forms of video content, after initially only trying them out within selected live-streams, in addition to them being available within publisher or Facebook original content.
As reported by AdWeek, Facebook has confirmed that the mid-roll ads in the new trial will be non-skippable for the first five seconds, then users will be able to tap a ‘Skip’ button to go back to their video. AdWeek provided this example of how the skippable ads will look.
Facebook will allow video ads of up to 15 seconds in length during the test, though it hasn’t specifically noted how long the video needs to be to qualify for inclusion.
On YouTube, only videos of at least 10 minutes in length are eligible for mid-roll ads – which, incidentally, is why most YouTube influencers create consistent 10-12 minute episodes on their channels. You would assume Facebook would implement a similar limitation on its content.
Facebook provided a basic statement confirming the test:
“We’re testing skippable mid-roll in-stream ads and evaluating whether these ads are beneficial for people and businesses before deciding whether to expand it further.”
As noted, Search Engine Land reported last month that Facebook was trialing mid-roll ads in selected live-streams, which would provide streamers with more ways to monetize their Facebook content.
Ads in live-streams, as per SEL, are being trialed in three formats:
- A pre-roll ad that runs before the live stream
- An image ad that appears below the live stream
- A mid-roll ad that plays in the main video player during the live stream while the broadcast continues playing in a shrunken window
It seems that Facebook may now also be testing the same options in more video types, which could provide more impetus for creators to publish more often to Facebook, along with game streamers.
