LinkedIn Offers In-Stream Video Ads
LinkedIn rolls out in-stream video placements for advertisers to reach its 930 million members as they watch content on video streaming services and other websites. The Microsoft-owned social network for business professionals made the announcement on June 23rd with vice president of marketing solutions, Penry Price, telling Reuters “in-stream video ads can change the way brands and buyers reach and engage their audiences.” Leveraging Microsoft’s own digital properties that form LinkedIn’s Audience Network, social media marketers will be able to reach users within video content and webpages relevant to their target audience. On June 17th, LinkedIn updated their Help page to focus on creating out-stream and in-stream video ads on the LinkedIn Audience Network through LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager.
AdParlor POV:
This update will allow brands to expand on their paid social campaigns with CTV as usage of online streaming services continue to rise. LinkedIn recommends video ads for outstream and in-stream to be 15-30 seconds long for the best viewing experience – and, of course, ensure branding is clear throughout the video.
TikTok Continues eCommerce Takeover with In-App Shopping
TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have seen wide scale success of in-stream live shopping in Asian markets, but the American market has yet to buy into the ecommerce trend. TikTok hopes that users in the U.S. and other Western countries will embrace its new in-app shopping experience which enhances product display and streamlines conversions without the user leaving the app. It’s safe to say that TikTok is all-in on in-app shopping, showcasing and selling their very own products through ‘Trendy Beat’. Trendy Beat looks to be TikTok’s position in the growing fast-fashion market that is currently dominated by Amazon, Shein and Temu. Products from popular videos are highlighted, such as tools to extract ear wax, brush pet hair from clothing and other viral products. Essentially, TikTok will capitalize on trends by producing its own products and selling them directly through the app. Users in the United States should expect to see the Trendy Beat feature on their TikTok app soon.
AdParlor POV:
Marketers and brands need to embrace the newly evolving landscape of social commerce, in which seamless in-app checkout experiences are preferred over traditional website transactions. Implementing a TikTok Shop should be a top priority for any brand looking to drive sales and increase ROI. Trendy Beat, however, is an interesting feature to monitor closely as advertisers and brands may find themselves competing with TikTok’s own e-commerce offerings. If you are interested in exploring opportunities on TikTok, reach out to your Account Manager or contact us here.
Holiday Planning and Shopping on Reddit
Online shoppers are no longer relying solely on Google for product reviews and recommendations, and instead are looking to social media to find authentic and trustworthy advice. Reddit, in particular, provides prospective buyers with trustworthy reviews from real users that influence the decision making process. An estimated 7 out of 10 Redditors make holiday purchases based on Reddit reviews and their research on the platform. Reddit’s June 20th report, “How community recommendations drive collective influence”, explores the ways in which the platform increases intent while reducing the path to purchase time, ultimately driving more action from its users who rely on recommendations and on-platform influence when making buying decisions.
AdParlor POV:
Brands and marketers know that effectively reaching a target audience during the crowded holiday season is tough. Activating a high impact campaign, such as a Category Takeover, on Reddit can help brands stay top-of-mind across relevant communities. Conversation ads can drive consideration by displaying ads within Reddit conversations that align with the brand. Combining a healthy variety of ad formats and placements with Reddit’s targeting make it a compelling platform for brands wanting to get in front of buyers in the shopping mood. More and more people are adding “reddit” to the end of their Google Search queries for a reason. With more AI-generated content coming online, this could become an even bigger trend – which is why Reddit could be a platform to watch.
Meta Expanding and Enhancing Ads on Facebook and Instagram Reels
Unveiling an array of new ad units and features for Reels during the June 20th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Meta continues to provide innovative ways for brands and creators to reach and engage their target audience. The 3 biggest takeaways from the Meta presentation were:
1.) New image ad units overlayed on Reels provide an additional ad placement for marketers to reach their audience without interrupting their video experience.
2.) App promotion ads are now available in a similar overlay-style, allowing advertisers to drive installs by reaching users on their mobile device.
3.) Adding further to the creator toolkit available on Meta, music optimization will help to make static image ads more entertaining by leveraging high quality music from Meta Sound Collection library.
AdParlor POV:
As users continue to spend more time on their mobile devices, reaching them through the mobile-only Reels placement will help brands and marketers stay top of mind and drive user action throughout the funnel. AdParlor clients have found that selecting the Reels placements whenever possible has increased overall reach while improving cost-efficiencies such as CPM and CPA. Additionally, Meta continues to boost its value as an entertainment platform by providing content creators and advertisers with free music to enhance images on site, boosting experience with sound and keeping users on the platform longer.
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AdParlor, an agency established in 2008 and now a division of Fluent (NASDAQ: FLNT), is a leading provider of data-driven digital media strategy and execution that unlocks explosive growth for world-class and disruptive brands. Through our GrowthFuel framework we offer proprietary performance marketing solutions that have scaled our clients’ programs profitably, with our clients’ success being our sole agenda. Our custom technology solves problems related to creative insights, creative production, real time cross-platform reporting and more. Brands choose AdParlor because our unmatched expertise in ecommerce digital media delivers impactful full-funnel performance campaigns for profitable growth.