Google, Snapchat, Facebook and the rest reshape the industry
Instagram Sponsored Video
It wasn't long ago when social media advertising just meant Facebook
and digital advertising only reached desktop computers. Well, 2014 saw
an explosion in the Internet ecosystem, which has become increasingly
mobile with more media-rich formats than ever.
The largest players like Facebook and Google innovated and newcomers
such as Snapchat offered ad space that theretofore didn't exist. So
here's a look back at a year where fresh ad units routinely emerged onto
the scene.
The search advertising giant showed that it wants to take on
Amazon as much as any of its other rivals, and it developed its
e-commerce platform to do just that, not only with services like home
delivery but evolved search ads that more seamlessly include retail. In
early 2014, Product Listing Ads, which show up in certain searches directing users to retailers online, were now rolled into campaigns. The
new shopping campaigns give retailers more control over when their ads
show up in searches and for what products. Google even has tools that
let retailers indicate what products are available at the nearest
physical store.
In September, Google also launched AdSense for Shopping,
which shows product ads on third-party websites. It's all very Amazon,
and all part of Google's one-stop shop to track everything from ad
served to product delivered.
Snapchat's Sponsored Updates
The youth-focused messaging app didn't take long to get into
advertising with sponsored snaps ("snaps" are what Snapchat legions call
their momentary messages on the platform) that show up in users'
inboxes. The Universal Pictures movie Ouija was the first to buy the new mobile video format, which opens a new channel for social media marketing—especially in terms of reaching young people.
Also, its live feed, which crowdsources Snapchat messages at events
like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, now features commercials mixed
in with the snaps from everyday users. For instance, Amazon sponsored
Black Friday on Snapchat.
Instagram Sponsored Video
Now with more than 300 million users, Instagram had its first full year
of advertising in 2014. Its newest ad product introduced autoplay
sponsored videos, and brands from Disney to Electronic Arts to Banana
Republic were the first to try them out.
The video offering comes on top of sponsored photos, which were first served in 2013. CEO Kevin Systrom
is trying to cultivate a stylish advertising vibe not unlike the glossy
pages of a magazine only this is digital, mobile and multimedia, and he
still apparently approves all of the marketing on a case-by-case basis.
Read full article at - Adweek.com
Read full article at - Adweek.com
