Facebook Acquires Video Advertising Start-Up LiveRail

They Know What Users Want, Now To Sell It To Them

Facebook has acquired LiveRail, a start-up which develops ways for companies to focus video ads on their sites more directly to consumers. As the largest platform for the publishing of video adverts across a variety of sites, delivering over seven billion targeted video ads every month, the purchase of LiveRail marks a definitive move on Facebook’s part to further monetise the growing capacity of mobile devices in particular to integrate video into users’ News Feeds.

Source: mashable.com

The social networking site first trialled auto-playing ads at the end of 2013, and auto-playing videos were introduced into all users’ News Feeds in March of this year. This acquisition demonstrates Facebook’s commitment to this movement, and can be seen as a challenge to the growing threat of Twitter and that company’s long-term integration of corporately sponsored Tweets into users’ feeds. It also shows the impact which mobile browsing has had on the company’s business model; Snapchat’s recent introduction of sponsored Snaps suggests that Facebook is not alone in seeing video advertising as a significant aspect of the future of monetised mobile social media.

LiveRail’s reported purchase price of up to £291 million reinforces Facebook’s perceived commitment to targeted advertising as a large part of the company’s revenue stream. Targeted is the key word here; while the traditional models of advertising have prized volume above all else, LiveRail’s expertise in tailoring adverts to specific demographics and even to individual users is another indicator of the paradigm shift which mass engagement with social media has brought about.

Just as Tumblr have been careful not to disrupt or alienate existing users as they introduce advertising to their site by attempting to ensure that people only see ads which are of genuine interest, so too do Facebook hope to create an environment in which suggested content is almost indistinguishable from user-selected content.

Currently Facebook tracks the browsing history of users even outside of Facebook – a person searching for flights to Venice, for example, may then see ads on their Feed for hotels and restaurants in Venice. This extensive data mining, combined with the technology for tailored ads which LiveRail will bring, should attract advertisers who may previously have been concerned that their products were too specific to be worth dropping into the maelstrom of Facebook’s 1.11 billion monthly users.

Source: sify.com

This is not only a move to ensure direct profits. Next week Facebook will release its quarterly earnings, and with their share price still not as robust as some may have hoped by this stage their purchase of LiveRail could be seen as a move to reassure investors that the company is still focused on growing a more diverse array of revenue streams. Alongside their introduction of promoted posts earlier this year and their trialling of a ‘Buy’ button on businesses’ pages from last week, this latest move should suggest to shareholders that the company is at least open to experimenting with methods of monetising which consist of more than simply a string of ads down the right side of the page which are ignored more often than not.

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Facebook News Feed Update To Help Video Ads

New update to help with video campaigns

Well known for pictures of cats performing various extravagant activities, some Facebook users can't get enough of these viral videos whilst others despair at yet another dancing pet. Facebook is now finally recognising this divide and is planning to launch a new update on its News Feed to decipher once and for all who actually likes, and who adamantly dislikes, videos on their News Feed.

Source: firebellymarketing.com

The social media site is launching a new algorithm for its News Feed to discover how many of its 1.3 billion active users are engaging with video content. The algorithm includes a new video ranking system whichFacebook hopes will help them provide users with better and more suited videos.

The new format takes into account who is actually watching a video and for how long. In its blog, Facebook says 'people who tend to watch more videos in News Feed should expect to see more videos near the top of their News Feed'. They also add that 'people who tend to skip over videos without watching should expect to see fewer videos' - finally, relief for all those users being plagued with unwanted videos and images across their News Feed!

This launch comes as part of a new move by Facebook to understand its users and improve the service they receive; inline with plans to launch a new video and image based advertising campaign, this update will help the company to understand just who that audience would be.

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Updating your facebook and twitter accounts

Everything you post on your blog gives you everything you need to keep your facebook and twitter updated with all your information.

You should follow people and pages who are interested in your niche.

When people start seeing what you have to offer (make sure your content is good quality and relevant) they will start visiting your blog on a more and more regular basis.

This is how the social media marketing works for you.

You need to have content that people want, and you want to be engaging your readers enough so that they start believing in you as their source for whatever niche you have decided on.

I would never try selling people anything until they know you are the type of person that can be relied on when they are searching for the knowledge they require.

I personally like to give away quality products first to let people see what type of things you provide for free so that when you do eventually find something worth selling, then your customers can be assured it is going to be of the highest quality.

As I have said in previous posts - I do not like to promote or sell anything that I have not personally tried and tested because I stand by the old saying - my word is my bond.

Giving away (and eventually selling) products is where your autoresponder and opt-in/squeeze page comes in.

For those of you who do not know, autoresponders are where you collect and store your customers email addresses and can set up your email marketing campaign.

Opt-in/squeeze pages are how you collect the email details for your autoresponder.

Check out my current opt-in/squeeze page here

Check out www.aweber.com for details about autoresponders.