Facebook Launches Video Ad Format Option For Mobile News Feed

Facebook have announced that they will be supporting video in their mobile advertising slots, allowing marketers and publishers to target Android and iOS mobile viewers with video ad creative. The new ad type, aimed at companies who want to promote mobile apps, will provide consumers with the ability to watch a promotional video before deciding whether to go ahead and download the app. It’s not autoplay driven and viewers have to actively tap on the video to make it play. The upgrade, which will allow advertisers to promote their products using the mobile app ad follows on from the introduction of new deep linking features on mobile apps which Facebook introduced at the beginning of the month.

The new feature isn’t to be confused with the auto play video ads that are currently still on the backburner while user experience issues are being ironed out.

Facebook seem excited about the upgrade stating that “video creative has proven to be an effective way to drive engagement in News Feed”. John Clelland from DoubleDown Casino, one of the early testers of the video in mobile app ads said of the new format:

In our early tests, we found that using video in our mobile app ads resulted in increased install rates and decreased costs per install. We’ve seen tremendous success with mobile app ads and are looking forward to using video to make them even more engaging with rich media like video.

Facebook are also introducing a brand new ad pricing structure that allows advertisers to bid on a Cost Per Action (CPA) basis. This means they can set their budget per install rather than by impressions or by clicks.