Facebook video: escaping the News Feed

27 July 2017

Facebook video consumption - and video ad revenue - is still concentrated on the mobile News Feed, limiting engagement growth and appeal to brand advertisers in the interim period before VR and AR go mainstream

Features like a dedicated video hub and ad breaks have seen limited deployment, likely as a result of lukewarm user reception, but Instagram Stories holds promise

To attract long-form viewing Facebook is cautiously investing in original TV content and sports rights, but is late to the game over audiences on connected TVs

Recent reports

Roblox levels up: Entertainment, brands, and superfans are the new targets

8 January 2025

Roblox’s rapid redirection towards attracting brands and advertisers with new tools, including programmatic advertising, is a savvy and ultimately necessary strategy to position the company as a global platform for games and entertainment IP

Roblox will comfortably hit 100 million DAUs in 2025, as growth rates begin to run upwards of 25%, aided by aggressive geographic expansion. New content partnerships could accelerate it faster

For TV and film marketers, led by Netflix, Roblox is becoming a default option for immersive experiences and games, while actively avoiding indirect support for Disney through Fortnite

Access report

Classified advertising: Online 'one-stop' shops

7 January 2025

Classified advertising is estimated to have grown circa 7% in the UK in 2024, and forecast to grow 4% in 2025. Specialist platforms own these marketplaces, with both consumer and industry network effects the driving force behind platform strength

Online platforms are gradually becoming vertical-specific search providers, with dominant players Rightmove and Auto Trader looking for further growth through integrations up and down their respective value chains

The properties vertical is bouncing back as buyers adjust to ‘higher for longer’ interest rates, while recruitment sees ongoing polarisation amidst ongoing uptake of employer-facing AI. Autos, insulated from interest rates, grapples with the looming sector shift of EV quotas

Access report

Consumer Magazines: Entering the AI era

5 January 2025

Consumer, passion, and specialist publishing is developing business confidence: the industry now has a strategic clarity it has not collectively enjoyed over the last 15-20 years of scattered online traffic-based tactics

Audience payments are now being directly associated with outcomes, benefits and utility—publishers are adopting a collaborative product approach rather than a genius content mindset

AI experimentation is relatively nascent, but 2025 will be a game-changing year for production efficiencies and new product development. Given the print retail and advertising trends and risks, such opportunities cannot come too soon

Access report