The new formats include native autoplay video ads, as well as interstitials like carousel ads that can showcase up to five images, dynamic product ads for retargeting consumers and click-to-play video.
Publishers have been clamoring for auto-play video ads since Facebook rolled them out.
Facebook has seen an almost 500% increase in the number of publishers using native ads since the start of 2015. That may be because native ads have a CPM seven times higher than display ads within the Audience Network. Up from 60% in March, native ads now represent about 80% of the Audience Network’s impressions.
The Audience Network allows Facebook to use information from a user’s profile to sell personalized ads on apps within the network. Developers don’t have to get a sales team, and Facebook gets a percentage of the profits.
When the Mobile Audience Network launched in 2014, only static native ads and display banners were available to publishers. Until now, mobile hasn’t seen very many of the updates that Facebook has made on its other properties.
Publishers that want access to the new features will have to update their SDKs, except for those that already use full-screen interstitials, which will have access to carousel, dynamic product and click-to-play video ads.