Meta Explores Long-Form Content On Instagram
Meta is testing long-form content on Instagram, allowing creators to share content up to 90 minutes long, as the company seeks to expand its presence in the TV landscape. This move may attract more advertisers to the platform, particularly direct-to-consumer brands.
Original reporting · adexchanger.com
Original: “Down To The Wire To Acquire; Meta Wants To Be TV, Too”
Read “Down To The Wire To Acquire; Meta Wants To Be TV, Too” at AdExchanger →
How this was written. Adtomix wrote this article with a language model from AdExchanger’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from AdExchanger’s report
- Meta is testing long-form content on Instagram, allowing creators to share content up to 90 minutes long.
- The company's move may attract more advertisers to the platform, particularly direct-to-consumer brands.
- Brand safety concerns continue to be a challenge for publishers, as evidenced by the recent controversy over the removal of articles from Jezebel.
- The TV landscape is evolving, with multiple players competing for advertisers' attention, including Meta, YouTube, and CTV ad platforms like Tatari.
- The rise of CTV spending among direct-to-consumer brands may lead to significant changes in the advertising industry in the coming months.
A convergence of factors may lead to an increase in mergers and acquisitions in the fourth quarter, according to AdExchanger. The Trump administration's relatively lenient stance on acquisitions, combined with the struggles of valuable businesses to attract risk-averse investors, may create opportunities for buyers. Companies like Duolingo, Coursera, and Zoom, which have lost investor support, could be attractive targets.
These companies have large user bases and valuable first-party data assets, but have not focused on generating ad revenue. For example, Zoom briefly tested a pilot ad program in 2021, but discontinued it a year later. If acquired, these companies could potentially be flipped to prioritize ad revenue.
Meta's announcement of long-form content on Instagram is part of its effort to establish itself as a TV platform. The company is testing content up to 90 minutes long, which may appeal to direct-to-consumer brands that are increasingly turning to TV advertising. This shift is driven in part by the limitations of social media platforms, where brands may be maxing out their ad spend.
CTV ad platforms like Tatari are also taking inspiration from Meta and Google by launching their own optimization engines. This trend suggests that the TV landscape is evolving, with multiple players competing for advertisers' attention. However, YouTube's established presence in the TV space, with its engaged and loyal user base, may pose a challenge to Meta's ambitions.
The debate over whether Meta can be considered a TV platform is ongoing, with some insiders questioning the wisdom of redirecting resources from YouTube to Instagram. Meanwhile, brand safety concerns continue to be a challenge for publishers, as evidenced by the recent controversy over the removal of articles from the feminist news site Jezebel.
The exact motivations behind the removal of the Jezebel articles are unclear, but the incident highlights the ongoing tensions between publishers and advertisers over brand safety. Jezebel has long struggled with monetization due to advertiser concerns over its coverage, and the site's new owner, Paste Magazine, has denied that brand safety concerns were the reason for the article removals.
As the TV landscape continues to evolve, companies like Meta and YouTube will likely play a major role in shaping the future of advertising. The rise of CTV spending among direct-to-consumer brands, combined with the growing importance of optimization engines, suggests that the industry is poised for significant changes in the coming months.
Questions and answers
What is Meta's plan for long-form content on Instagram?
Meta is testing long-form content on Instagram, allowing creators to share content up to 90 minutes long, as part of its effort to establish itself as a TV platform.
Why are direct-to-consumer brands turning to TV advertising?
Direct-to-consumer brands are turning to TV advertising because they have maxed out their ad spend on social media platforms and are looking for new ways to reach their target audiences.
What is the controversy over the removal of articles from Jezebel?
The controversy surrounds the removal of hundreds of articles from the feminist news site Jezebel, with former writers claiming that the site's new owner, Paste Magazine, removed the articles due to brand safety concerns, which Paste has denied.
