Twitter's new ad unit targets video placement

Twitter has launched a new ad unit called, 'First View', that guarantees a brand's video is the first thing that a users sees when they land on their Twitter feed via mobile and desktop. Research has shown that the prime slot on mobile is the second tweet down, so this is where the ad will sit. Last week, Twitter trialled the ad unit with Samsung Australia and the brand found a 39% pick up in video views compared to a standard video ad on Twitter.  

Samsung trialed Twitter First View

Twitter has launched an ad unit that guarantees a brand's video ad is the first thing that users see when they arrive at their Twitter feed on mobile and desktop.

On mobile, the ad will be the second tweet down, after research found that this is actually the most prominent slot.

Twitter sales director Angus Keene says the 'First View' ad unit offers advertisers “premium placement and maximum reach” over a 24-hour period.

It trialled the ad unit with Samsung Australia last week and the brand found 30% reduction in cost per video and a 39% increase in video views compared with a standard video ad on Twitter.

The platform was unable to specify exactly what those numbers were, however.

“The benefit to advertisers,” Keene claims, is the premium nature of the video placement. “We're adding more scale and more cost efficiency from premium products.”

Twitter is selling the ad unit as part of a package alongside promoted trends and advertisers can measure the same data points including impressions, engagement and video views.

Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were criticised earlier this week in a Fairfax media article quoting marketing professor Mark Ritson who claims that social media marketing is “massively over-rated”.

In the AdNews February feature 'The big social fallacy” we explored Ritson's clarion call that marketers (and the trade press) aren't questioning digital and social enough, and are misspending their budgets and their attention on social.

Keene, however, attempted to rebuff those claims emphasising that 300 new advertisers came on board with Twitter Australia last year, adding that the APAC region is the growth market for Twitter globally.

“That's certainly not the feedback we're getting from advertisers,” he says. “Advertisers are enthusiastic to learn more about Twitter and the innovations. We're focused on delivering solutions and ROI for advertisers and there are a number of great successful partnerships we can share locally and globally.”

He adds that the launch of First View was delivering “what advertisers want”. Namely reach and premium video spots.

Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop me a line at rosiebaker@yaffa.com.au

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