Meta is continuing to prioritize short-form video as it announces its latest slate of new ad features for Reels.
Announced in a company blog post Tuesday morning, the features include the ability to turn organic image and video posts into Facebook Reels ads through Ad Manager, including the option to add a call-to-action button to the post.
In addition, the company is rolling out a new click-to-messenger format for Reels, which it says is in response to the fact that half of users in a recent survey messaged a business after seeing a Reel. The company is also adding the ability for advertisers who use sales, engagement or traffic objectives for their ads to give users the option to start a WhatsApp conversation directly from the ad.
On the performance front, the company has added post engagement as a campaign objective, which lets advertisers measure reactions, comments and likes, then compare them to engagement from other ads or campaigns and extend their reach via Reels ad placements.
Meta has made Reels a major business priority. The company has had a harder time monetizing the format, and pushing audiences to short-form video and its lower ad load has meant lower revenue from other sources, but the growth in engagement Meta has seen thus far has convinced it that it is better for the company long-term.
As part of the focus on short-form video, Facebook will be winding down its In-Stream Reserve program. First launched in 2018, Reserve ads were a premium, invite-only version of Facebook’s in-stream ads that allowed brands to buy placements in advance on content from the most engaging publishers, creators and categories.
“We’re focused on building products that help advertisers to reach consumers where they are and optimizing our ads system to deliver ads to the right placement based on each advertiser’s goal – whether that be in Reels, Stories, Feed or In-Stream,” the company’s announcement read.
The service will be wound down by the end of 2023, when all existing advertiser deals are expected to be completed. Meta said the auction version of in-stream ads will remain unchanged.