Redesigned Right-Rail Ads are More Effective than Older Ads, says Facebook
Facebook has made a few significant changes to the ads displayed on its platform, and after a series of assessments, the new, redesigned right-rail ads seem to be performing better than previous ad incarnations.
The social media giant revealed on December 15, 2014, that the revamped right-rail ads (which were first rolled out in April 2014), have seen enhanced performance. Millward Brown conducted an eye tracking test to help Facebook track ad performance, and the study yielded a number of positive results.
According to the tests, the new right-rail ads were 29% more effective at attracting views, 50% more effective at driving dwell time (which is the total period of time spent looking at the ad), and 46% more effective at driving reading behavior (with readers eyes focused on the ad; moving left to right, top to bottom).
Figure 1 (Source: Facebook for Business)
As shown in Figure 1 above, the redesigned ads are larger in size, making them more engaging and compelling. On the other hand, Facebook said that the revamp would cause users to see fewer of these right-rail ads.
For people, the new right hand column ads offer a higher-quality, more visually appealing experience, Facebook said, echoing Millward Browns findings. For advertisers, the new ads provide a larger creative canvas and the ability to use the same images used in News Feed ads.
With the new ad format, many advertisers say they have been seeing improvements with their conversion rates. TellApart, a digital marketing technology provider, reported that they saw over a 100% increase in click-through conversions across several leading retailers, while Brazilian fashion e-commerce firm Dafiti said they achieved a 52% higher ROI and 70% higher conversion rate compared to the old right hand column.
TellApart CEO Josh McFarland attributed the increase in their conversion rates to the larger ad format, saying it has enabled his company to build more engaging ad experiences. Likewise, Gabriel Porto Barbosa, Marketing Director at Dafiti, emphasized that their marketing message has become more appealing ever since Facebook redesigned its right-rail ads.
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