We are a little into the year now and there are already so many ad updates that you need to be aware of for the year ahead. Join us as we take a look at all of the Meta, X and LinkedIn updates coming to the advertising platforms that you need to be aware of.
Meta is removing more ad targeting options from its audiences
A common occurrence each year, Meta is yet again removing detailed targeting options from its ad campaigns. This is due to the removed options either being too granular, including topics Meta feels are sensitive or targeting options that are not widely used. Not all of the targeting options are being removed however, some are to be consolidated into other similar targeting options so it is not all bad news.
This happens year after year and is likely to drive people to using Meta’s AI, Advantage+, which is suggested by Meta itself to allow the AI to do the targeting. We have previously written a blog all about Advantage+ and how it can help your campaigns.
Meta expands partnership with DoubleVerify for advertiser assurance
To help with the authenticity of ad placements, Meta has expanded on its already existing partnership with DoubleVerify. The expansion comes as an assurance to advertisers as DoubleVerify’s services now extend to Facebook and Instagram Feeds and Reels.
This partnership essentially assures advertisers that ads ran through Meta are actually being delivered to the placements they should be through third-party verification. DoubleVerify is here to maximise brand safety and ensure Meta is delivering the results where it should be.
New Meta API update to improve its Advantage+ targeting offering
Meta has released a new update to its API, meaning more campaigns will now automatically set to the Advantage+ targeting. The AI targeting option came into action late last year and is already having a positive impact to campaigns across Meta. The update is said to include revisions and changes to campaign performance.
Campaigns that have been set-up for impressions, video views, reach, engagement and ad recall will now have the option to opt in for Advantage Detailed Targeting for all users. This is where Meta’s AI works along with your own ad targeting to reach the best possible people with your own ads.
Meta released ‘Engaged View’ attribution setting for video ads
Another positive change has been made for tracking data – following the iOS 14 update, Meta has struggled to find ways to allow advertisers to track across third-party websites. A new change to the attribution settings for video ads will now allow advertisers to track an ‘Engaged View’, measuring any conversions that happen within a day of a video ad play. An ‘Engaged View’ counts as a 10 second view or 97% of a video ad.
This isn’t quite to the same standard as pre ad-pocalpyse, however a positive step for advertisers wanted to track data across platforms outside of Meta.
X: Advertisers can now target premium subscribers in X ads
Moving over to updates on X, it has released an update to its targeting where advertisers on the platform can now target premium subscribers directly. This could be a strong targeting option for those looking to target those with more expendable income as those are the most likely to be premium subscribers on X.
X is trialling a dedicated video tab for its app
One of Elon Musk’s big changes for X was making X a video first platform, following this X is now trialing a dedicated video tab in the lower function bar of its app. This change is likely to try and get advertisers to run more video ads on the platform (similar to what Reels has done for Meta).
Along with this possible change, X has also expanded on a partnership with IAS to increase brand safety for vertical video ad placements. This expansion is very similar to Meta’s expansion with DoubleVerify, giving advertisers a way to authenticate that their ads are being delivered in the way they should be and where they should be.
LinkedIn is releasing a new CTA button option for articles
A new sponsored post option has been released to LinkedIn articles. Advertisers can now promote an article with a CTA button to ‘Unlock Article’, this will essentially work similar to lead generation where the user being delivered the ad will have to sign up to read the rest of the content.
LinkedIn lead generation ads can be a little expensive depending on your campaign, so this is a new way to try and generate leads, giving the user an incentive that can instantly be accessed once they input their details.
Lookalike audience targeting to be removed from LinkedIn
A strong factor of LinkedIn advertising was its matched/lookalike audience offering. Users could previously input a list of names, job roles, company names and other details into a spreadsheet where LinkedIn would then generate a lookalike audience to be used when advertising. However, the lookalike audiences are now being removed meaning that advertisers will need to use other targeting methods such as its predictive audiences or the audience expansion setting.
Check out some other social media advertising blogs:
- The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising
- How to Get the Most Out of your Targeting for Social Media Advertising
- Why Have My Social Media Ads Stopped Working?
At Prohibition, we work with a range of B2B and B2C brands across all sectors to create engaging social media marketing strategies that allow brands to stay up to date with the latest trends and updates. Get in contact today to find out how we could help you.
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