Publishers, celebrities and brands are now able to share branded content on Facebook after the social media giant announced major changes to its ad policies. Facebook has also released a new tool to make it easier for these users to tag sponsored content, including Instant Articles, videos, photos and text, on the platform.
Prior to the latest update, it was against the rules for publishers to share branded content in this way unless they received approval from Facebook prior to posting. This type of content specifically mentions a third party such as a brand, product or sponsor.
Facebook’s new policy means that it now allows verified Pages to share some of this content, including promotions, endcards, sponsors’ logos and any photos or videos featuring third parties. To ensure that users know when promotional media is being shared, publishers must tag the marketer, which is an easy process with the new tool for iOS, Ads Manager, Power Editor and the Marketing API.
Engaging campaigns
“This update is something that media companies, public figures, influencers, and marketers have been asking for, as branded content is a growing and evolving part of the media landscape,” Product Manager Claire Rubin and VP of Partnerships Nick Grudin said in a blog post.
They added: “People will now be connected to more of the content they care most about on Facebook as publishers and influencers gain an incentive to share more quality content – of all kinds – with their fans. We know that many of our partners have existing partnership deals with marketers, and this update gives them the ability to extend their branded content business onto Facebook.”
Some forms of branded content are still prohibited, including pre-roll ads, sponsored profile cover photos and pictures and any persistent watermarks or graphical overlays, following feedback from users about their usefulness.
Facebook claims that the new policies provide brands with more in-depth insights about how their strategies are performing while also increasing transparency. It also believes that advertisers are now able to leverage branded content and actively engage in sponsorships as a means to delivering consistently interesting and engaging campaigns for their target audiences.
