As more and more of today's consumers are choosing to opt out of cable in favour of more cost-effective and original content on the web, Facebook is using its new online video streaming service Facebook Watch to influence today's younger audience of buyers.

Introducing Facebook Showcase Advertising

Facebook showcase advertising allows advertisers to place their ads in some of the most popular videos on Facebook Watch to target US audiences. A first, in the field of plenty of online advertising options, to guarantee their placement in brand friendly programing.

What it does

Advertisers can choose what content they would like their ad to run with ahead of time. This allows brands to remain true to their mission by only appearing in content that rings true with their brand statement. Facebook is calling this In-Stream Reserve. Companies buy these spots in advance, at a fixed cost, and can estimate exactly which audiences their ad is reaching based on Nielsen scores. These ads are shown right before the video begins, or even during the program.

Companies can also choose to place their ads based on In-Stream Reserve Categories. This opens up ad placement to more programs which fall into a certain category. These include food, news, fashion/beauty, entertainment and sports.

Brands can even choose to sponsor specific programs. Sponsorships allow advertisers to have the exclusive rights to sponsor a program and to place their ads in these specific shows.

Why you need to get in on the ground floor

Facebook Showcase advertising is currently being marketed to big brand names who usually purchase ads for television commercial slots. But, as tv viewership is dwindling, Facebook hopes to help advertisers connect with people in a way that appeals to a new, younger audience. Since Showcase ads are all purchased at an upfront price, they can be guaranteed to be shown to a specific group of people. Because you can target your ideal customer, and only show your ads to this demographic, this is a great platform to get in with now, before placing ads with them becomes common place.

There is a clear opportunity here for companies to select the best programming in which to place their ads. Since they can be purchased in advance brands have the exclusive rights to pick and choose where to place their ads where they will be the most beneficial. Doing this now, before all the programming gets scooped up by competitors can give your brand a distinct advantage in the social medial realm.

How will Facebook Showcase advertising benefits your brand?

Increase brand awareness

Showcase allows you complete control and knowledge over what content on which your ads will show up. There are no mysterious formulas which will cause your ads to appear in any undesirable content, and you won't see your ads embedded into content that doesn't align with your brand's ideals. This is an extremely positive option for advertisers looking for security in your brand's mission.

Access to so many viewers

Facebook reports that nearly 100 million people in the United States watch their video content each month. This is a massive audience! Think about the potential reach of an ad seen by millions of people.

Additionally, Facebook audiences are extremely diverse so there is a likelihood of expanding your brand awareness outside your typical pool of consumers.

Appeal to millennial audiences

Showcase can help companies reach those audiences who have decided to opt-out of traditional cable sources. Millennials, especially, have begun the trend of declining cable companies high prices in favour of only having streaming services. Since traditional cable TV viewership is severely on the decline, Showcase offers a great alternative to earning some of that viewership back.

The end game

Facebook Showcase advertising is offering buyers the chance to purchase entire seasons of a show's advertising space on an upfront basis. This is great to plan for advertising cycles and to align your company budget in advance. The ability to predict the exact audience you can reach is also a stellar feature of the program.

Contact us to discuss other ways to boost your impact on social media this month.