Meta is expanding its short-form video product Reels to Facebook as Facebook Reels to Australia, as well as 150 other countries.
As part of this roll-out, tests of Facebook Reels Overlay Ads are being expanded to all creators in the US, Canada and Mexico. Meta is looking to expand the ad formats to other countries in the coming weeks.
Facebook Reels
The ad format has two versions: a semi-transparent overlay at the bottom of a Facebook Reel and a sticker ad that can be placed by a creator within the Reel. By mid-March, these tests will expand to creators in nearly all countries where in-stream ads are available.
According to Meta, video accounts for almost half of the time people spend on Facebook and Instagram.
Where Facebook Reels are set to appear will change in the coming weeks, with Reels in Facebook Stories, in the Facebook Watch tab, at the top of user’s Feed and with suggested Reels in select countries.
Meta managing director Australia and New Zealand Will Easton said: “At Meta we know that video is key to engaging audiences, and short form video in particular is growing quickly in popularity. By launching Reels on Facebook, we’re meeting people where they are already sharing and connecting, and giving them even more options for how to express themselves. For businesses, the introduction of Reels is another innovative tool available on Facebook for them to engage more people in an immersive experience online.”