Facebook recently announced new updates to its reels and ad formats as it seeks to balance user experience with monetization. These announcements while unique are also poised to benefit content creators.

The social media platform is testing 4 to 10-second skippable "post-loop" ads that play after a Reel has concluded; once the advertisement ends, the Reel will start over and loop.

It is also testing "image carousel" ads. These horizontally scrollable ads can include two to 10 images and will be shown at the bottom of Reels content.

Eligible creators will receive 55% of the revenue from both of these new ad formats, which is critical at a time when social platforms are competing to keep creators on their platform—and money talks.

Still in advertising, a new study by eMarketer shows that this year, mobile will claim more than three-quarters of digital ad dollars worldwide for the first time, exceeding $450 billion in spend. In 2023, that total will grow to about $515 billion, and for the first time, mobile will make up more than half of all media ad spend.

This comes as it emerged that advertising and related industries lost 8,700 jobs in September, a sharp reversal after growth during the summer and the category’s largest loss since January 2021, when about 6,000 jobs were shed, per monthly figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In appointments, WPP has announced that Juan Pedro Moreno has been appointed President of WPP’s business in Spain.

Juan Pedro joins WPP from Accenture, where he previously spent more than 30 years in regional and international leadership roles.

Kantar, the global marketing data and analytics company has announced the appointment of Steve Silvers to lead the newly combined Creative & Media Solutions business.

As Executive Vice President, Creative and Media Solutions, reporting to Chief Product Officer Ted Prince, Mr Silvers will be responsible for the growth strategy and product innovation of the business.

Elsewhere, RTL Group has announced that it has decided to keep its controlling stake in Groupe M6. The decision follows a review of strategic options after RTL Group received several financially attractive offers for its 48.3 per cent shareholding in Groupe M6.

The Public Relations and Communications Association Asia Pacific (PRCA APAC) has announced the launch of its PRCA APAC: Australia Network.

The group launch follows significant membership growth in the region and is the latest initiative aimed at providing events, information, support, and advice to practising PR and communications professionals in Australia.

And Outbrain Inc., a recommendation platform for the open web, has announced it has selected by dmg media as its exclusive recommendation partner.

Beginning this week, Outbrain will provide a discovery feed of organic and paid for content recommendations across web, mobile, and video formats to the readers of dmg media’s digital newsbrand portfolio, including: dailymail.co.uk, dailymail.com.au (Australia), dailymail.com (US), Metro.co.uk, Thisismoney.co.uk and the Daily Mail app; alongside Harmsworth Media’s inews.co.uk.

Bob Koigi is an editor at Marketing Report EU

www.marketingreport.eu