Facebook embraces pre-roll ads on Watch tab

Facebook is bringing the six-second long, pre-roll ads on its platform. They will appear in videos streaming on Facebook’s Watch tab. The good news is that users won’t have to face it on their News Feed. However, as soon as they switch to the Watch tab, they will have the watch the entire ad first. The social media giant has previously shunned them, as an attempt to make the environment for video creators more sustainable.

Image Credit- Digital Trends

In an interview with Tech Crunch, Facebook’s Head of Video, Fidji Simo said that Facebook does not plan on renewing direct subsidies to Live News Feed video broadcasters. He also confirmed that the social media giant had halted payments (worth $50 million) for publishers and celebrities over this matter. “A lot of the deals were meant to be temporary,” Simo was quoted as saying. “We have been funding content for a while. We thought we’d launch a new type of format, and we tried to help publishers learn how to make that content work,” he added.

There is a new set of deals that content producers (for Watch shows) are expected to follow. This also includes all the “Live” section of videos. The company is encouraging Live News Feed video producers to use branded content sponsorships and mid-roll ads. This is where the six-minute pre-roll ad can play their annoying (for consumers) role.

The Mark Zuckerberg-led company also plans on “ranking” News Feed. This is to ensure that both their products receive consistent viewership. Watch videos will also be displayed on the News Feed. It appears like the company wants to develop flagship Shows as well. There are no details on how the company plans on carrying this particular activity out, at the moment.