Snapchat is further expanding its ad platform in a bid to become the next go-to marketing avenue for those looking to advertise.
According to AdWeek, Snapchat will still allow users to skip mid-roll ads as they have been doing since ads first came to the platform. However, advertisers will now be able to increase the length of their mid-roll videos, to up to 3 minutes in length. This will allow engaged viewers to watch for longer, making advertisers aware of users with higher interest.
Spokespeople from Snap Inc say that the option will provide more capacity for advertisers to utilise longer-form video assets, rather than being confined to 6 seconds. This option is similar to YouTube’s TrueView ads; the main difference, however, being that TrueView ads are pre-roll whereas Snapchat’s variation is mid).
Why the change?
It should come as no surprise that Snapchat is wanting to expand its ad platform and give advertisers more options. Along with the growth in MAU (monthly average users) seen last quarter and a rise in popularity for Snapchat’s ‘Snap Originals’ – Snapchat’s original or curated content – it makes sense to tap into the increased audience interest.
Snap Inc reported that daily time spent watching its Discover content has increased 40% YoY. There are now more than 100 Discover channels, each of which reaching on average over 10 million views per month.
Moving forward
The key objective for Snapchat moving into 2020 will be maintaining or increasing interest by launching more and more original content. This, of course, will come in conjunction with additional ad formats.
The longer mid-roll ads are currently in closed Beta. If you’re in the Beta, you can access the new ads in your Snap Business Manager, however, you can request access via your point of contact at Snapchat.