Changing Course, Facebook to Test Pre-Roll Ads, States MediaPost

Changing course, Facebook will test pre-roll ads in front of videos streamed in its Watch service, reports MediaPost, which added that the decision — first reported by AdAge — “comes just months after Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg told investors that pre-rolls weren’t in the company’s future.

“To date, mid-roll ads have been Facebook’s preferred video monetization model of choice.

“Amid the rise of Watch, however, analysts say Facebook is smart to be reconsidering its video ad strategy.

“Testing pre-roll for Watch content makes sense,” Forrester analyst Melissa Parrish said on Friday. “From a user’s point of view, it’s a totally different type of content and experience … From FB’s point of view, it’s a totally different strategy.”

“Unveiled in August, Watch represents Facebook’s more ambitious video effort to date. It was designed to complement the various videos that users find in their News Feeds.”