Meta rolls out new features for Facebook and Instagram Reels ads

Meta is updating the capabilities of Reels to help improve the performance of ad creatives.

The tech giant has announced a string of new features designed to boost engagement and optimize campaign performance, including:

• Collection ads
• Multi-destination Reels carousel ads
• Swipe left functionality

Why we care. Meta’s new functionalities for Facebook and Instagram Reels ads can help simplify the campaign creation process, saving time and potentially resulting in a higher-quality, more engaging ad. The new tools have also been designed to improve the user experience, increasing the likelihood of potential customers making purchases by ensuring a seamless and easy shopping process.

Collection ads. This ad type, which is already available on Instagram, is now being tested on Facebook Reels. The format consists of one large video or image, alongside smaller images. Users can swipe through these images to find out more about the products they’re interested in.

As it’s still being piloted, Collection ads is not available to all marketers just yet – but Meta has confirmed plans for a wider release imminently.

Multi-destination Reels carousel ads. Meta has rolled out multi-destination call-to-action features for Reels carousel ads on Facebook and Instagram across iOS and Android devices. This allows brands to direct potential customers to multiple product pages via the images displayed, helping them people to find items they’re looking for more easily, which could potentially increase sales.

Swipe left functionality: This feature, which is now available on Facebook and Instagram Reels ads, enables people to swipe to find out more about potential products they’re interested in, making shopping easier and improving the user experience, which again could help boost sales.

Advantage+ creative suite. Meta also announced that is has been investing in its Advantage+ creative suite with the introduction of new automation solutions for Reels ads, such as:

• Creative optimizations: Meta has added several new automation elements to it Advantage+ creative in Ads Manager, including:
  • Automatic templates that convert non-9:16 media to 9:16 media.
  • 3D motion and depth.
  • Aspect ratio variance.
  • Image and video enhancements, including filters to sharpen color and improve video resolution.
• Music: All Facebook and Instagram advertisers now have the ability to source, select, and add music to their single image Reels ads during the campaign creation process to help improve engagement and conversions.

Brand suitability. Finally, Meta is also rolling out its brand suitability Inventory Filter control and its third-party brand suitability verification solution with Meta Business Partner, Zefr, to Facebook and Instagram Reels. This tool will give advertisers an extra layer of reassurance that their campaigns will not be placed next to offensive content that does not align with its brand values on these platforms.

What has Meta said? A Meta spokesperson said in a statement:

• “As people spend more time watching Reels on Facebook and Instagram — Reels plays exceed 200 billion per day across Facebook and Instagram — we are building ways to make Reels ads more engaging for people and more effective for advertisers.”
• “Ads using creative built for Reels see better campaign performance. For direct response campaigns, Reels ad sets including vertical sound on video creative had 4.8% lower cost per action, 5.1% higher click-through rate and 2.9% higher conversion rate compared to other types of video.”

Deep dive. Read Meta’s Reels ads update announcement in full for more information.