Facebook expands video offering across 90 second clips & Facebook Live

Facebook has announced a fresh focus on shorter videos that could step on the toes of TikTok and convince creators to leave everyone’s favourite short-form content provider.

Mark Zuckerberg’s behemoth has also unveiled plans to broaden monetisation options for creators, who will now be able to earn money from videos as short as one minute via an advert at the 30-second mark. Previously, only videos longer than three minutes could show in-stream adverts.

Yoav Arnstein, Director, Facebook App Monetization

“Video creators can now earn money from videos as short as one minute long, with a minimally interruptive ad running at 30 seconds.

For videos three minutes or longer, an ad can be shown 45 seconds in. Previously only three-minute or longer videos could monetise with in-stream ads, with an ad shown no earlier than one minute.”

In-stream payouts to content creators grew by 55% between 2019 and 2020, and it’s clear that Facebook is trying to take advantage of TikTok’s embryonic monetisation policies to lure the best creators of its platform.

Videos shorter than one minute will not be eligible for monetisation. Still, this drop from a three-minute requirement to a one-minute one shows Facebook is prepared to be flexible in its thinking. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see it lower requirements again as it looks to elbow in on TikTok’s territory.

The move will be good for creators and brands because it’ll give the former more chance to earn the money they deserve, while the latter will be able to connect with a larger and more diversified audience in more creative ways.

Facebook testing rewards for product interaction

Alongside the shortening of ad breaks, Facebook has announced trials for boosting ad engagement.

Yoav Arnstein, Director, Facebook App Monetization

“Looking ahead, we’re exploring in-stream ad formats that increase engagement through rewards or product interaction — intending to help content creator payouts grow.

While also providing a good viewing experience for people and a way for advertisers to reach relevant audiences.”

Facebook did add that it was ‘especially focused on short-form video monetisation’, while further tests will be run on how it can monetise Facebook Stories.

Not content with just that, Facebook also wants to transform how creators earn money through Live videos – but more on that later.

Facebook has lowered participation requirements

More creators than ever before, will be able to monetise their work after Facebook relaxed requirements. It’s trying to get as many people as possible in its monetisation program, which is good for its bottom line and advertisers.

To be eligible, accounts must:

• Have 600,000 total minutes viewed from on-demand, Live or previously Live videos in the last 60 days.
• At least five active video uploads, or previously Live videos. These videos must comply with Facebook’s content monetisation policies. They must also be published, not deleted.

Facebook only considered three-minute-long on-demand videos before the changes, but now short-form and Live videos will be considered eligible. There are a few other criteria creators need to meet:

• Creators must publish from a Page and have at least 10,000 followers.
• Creators must be 18 years old.
• The Page must be located in a supported country and must pass, and remain compliant with, Facebook’s partner monetisation policies.

Adverts in Live videos are also being tinkered with.

Previously, only invited content creators could make money from in-stream ads in Live, but now anyone with 60,000 live views in the past 60 days and meets the on-demand requirements can qualify.

What about brand safety?

Facebook’s democratisation of in-stream video adverts should cause some nervous moments in regards to brand safety.

The digital ad giants have questionable track records regarding policing who they let into their extended ad networks. Let alone the content which they allow ads to run against.

A notable example was Google allowing Muhammad Jibril Abdul Rahman, known as Prince of Jihad, to end up on the Google Display Network.

In 2016, the Islamist extremist accused of funding the 2009 Jakarta suicide bombings was selling ad space on his website to international brands, including Citigroup, IBM, and Microsoft. Google Adsense ads were delivered to his website, Arrahmah.com, which included images of beheadings and hanged men.

And to think brands were anxious about ads ending up next to Black Lives Matter content recently…

To allay similar concerns within Facebook, earlier this year, Facebook started testing a feature that’ll give advertisers more control over what content their adverts are shown next to. Meaning brands will be able to block selected topics and avoid potential reputational damage.

As things stand, the only way advertisers can control brand safety around in-stream Live video ads is to opt-out, which can take two forms:

1. You can opt-out of a specific category (gaming, news, politics, religion and spirituality)
2. You can opt-out of in-stream video ads for Live.

In-stream ads across the rest of Facebook can be controlled via blocklists and inventory filters. Blocklists prevent ads running on content produced by specific creators within Instant Articles, in-stream videos or on the Audience Network.

Inventory filters let brands control the content adverts appear within but don’t block any URLs at the moment, which is a bit annoying.