Facebook Helps Publishers Monetize Content

Moving ahead with its aggressive video monetization strategy, Facebook plans to begin inserting ads into publisher partners’ fare.

The move is a win for everyone, according to Facebook’s Brian Boland and Maria Angelidou-Smith.

“We want to help our partners monetize their premium video content, both on Facebook and on their own Web sites and apps,” the company’s VP of publisher solutions and product manager note in a new blog post.

Going forward, all eligible publishers will be invited to share in the profits from in-stream video ads on their own sites, and apps through Facebook’s Audience Network.

On Facebook’s flagship property, the social giant is expanding the beta test of its ad breaks in Facebook Live to additional profiles and Pages.

On the topic of content, word is that Facebook has recently been de-emphasizing live video in its ongoing discussions with publishers. In its place, the company appears to be pushing publishers to create longer, professionally produced video content.

Facebook has also been reaching out to TV studios and other media companies about licensing its own shows, according to multiple reports. The discussions are being spearheaded by Ricky Van Veen, the co-founder of College Humor, who joined Facebook’s executive ranks in early 2016.

There is no underestimating Facebook’s video ambitions. As CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a recent earnings call: “I see video as a megatrend, on the same order as mobile.”

To be sure, Facebook doesn’t need Apple or other set-top-box makers to begin exploring new video monetization opportunities.

For publishers providing the content, Facebook is expected to give them 55% of the mid-roll ad revenue -- the same share presently offered by Google’s YouTube unit. That share, however, has yet to be confirmed by Facebook.

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