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- Paid Media News & Opinion #103
Paid Media News & Opinion #103
đ Metaâs âViewsâ metric updates & changes: explainedđ Google introduces new âConversation Startedâ conversion action đ TikTok launches AI video generation tool
Todayâs highlights:
đ Metaâs âViewsâ metric updates & changes: explained
đ Google introduces new âConversation Startedâ conversion action
đ TikTok launches AI video generation tool
Metaâs âViewsâ metric updates & changes: explained
> Whatâs happening
Meta have announced that âviews will now be the primary metric on Facebook for reels, videos, posts and stories.â, which means that any impression for organic or paid activity on Facebook is now measured in the same way as Instagram.
For reels and videos, âplaysâ are being renamed âviewsâ. For non-video formats, like posts, âviewsâ are effectively impressions (and therefore can be repeated). The measurement across these different metrics are staying the same though.
Similar metrics, such as ThruPlay and 3-second Views, will still exist and the new âViewsâ metric will be available for everyone in the coming weeks.
Additionally, Meta is also updating the âwatch timeâ metrics to be âminutes viewedâ, which will round up total view/play time to the nearest minute.
> Why we care
The truth is, this update is actually far more superficial and cosmetic than you might initially think. If you are already measuring total impressions across all organic and paid campaigns, as most do, you will see no change. We see this as a naming update and advertisers should not be worried about the impact on historical data.
However, if you are tracking watch time metrics, be aware of the new rounding (to the nearest minute) that will take place soon. This is obviously an unfavourable update given that data will be less accurate, even misleading in some cases. Keep this in mind for your next monthly report.
We would encourage all advertisers to double-check definitions for Metaâs metrics, both existing and new, to ensure you are actually measuring what you think you are.
Google introduces new âConversation Startedâ conversion action
> Whatâs happening
Google has released a new conversion action called âConversation Startedâ, which will be especially interesting for lead generation, service provider and ecommerce based businesses who use live chat features such as WhatsApp Message Assets.
Having an online chat facility is commonplace now, and without that facility - or a poor version of it - thereâs a risk of losing potential customers unable to clarify a question they need answering to consider moving forward. Currently the closest action you could get would be a form submission or a phone call, which is to miss out a potentially crucial step in the customer journey.
> Why we care
To be able to accurately track how many customers are initiating those conversions, and how many then result in a higher value action such as a sale or a form submission, will give marketers a lot more information to improve and enhance their campaigns.
It will help highlight if there are certain products or areas that have more of a requirement for an online interaction before proceeding, and how effective that step currently is in moving those customers a step closer to taking a commercial action. Marketers can then track a custom âconversion rateâ between âinitiating conversationâ and âpurchaseâ or âsubmit lead formâ to monitor and understand how effectively they are serving their customers, and can measure improvements to that service.
TikTok launches AI video generation tool
> Whatâs happening
TikTok have now fully-launched Symphony Creative Studio, âan AI-powered video-generation tool that can generate a video in minutes from minimal user input.â designed to help users easily generate high-quality branded content.
To create a video, users enter their website, some key details around the brand and products, any assets they wish to include. Licensed assets, cleared for commercial use, are used in the video generation, meaning they are available for use on ads too.
Once the asset is generated, tweaks and edits can be made, and the video will also be translated into several languages if you require that. Content produced is marked with âAI-generatedâ for transparency.
Alongside this tool, Symphony Digital Avatars generates a realistic person to be the face of your video from a combination of your preferences, such as their gender, clothing style, scene, and even body gesture (e.g. sitting upright). You can follow the steps here to get started.
> Why we care
Only a year ago, AI-generated video was exciting but lacked consistency and quality, particularly for people (and their hands!). Now, through the ease of TikTokâs own platform, users can generate high-quality, hyper-realistic videos in a matter of minutes. This presents a huge opportunity for many brands and advertisers, particularly those with constrained budgets and limited time.
The question of authenticity still stands, and AI-generated content may put off sharp-eyed users. Therefore, weâd recommend using these tools if you want to test the waters with TikTok, perhaps to prove itâs value, but are struggling to commit budget and time to it.
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