Facebook’s new Instant Articles platform is about to get more ad-heavy.
After listening to complaints from publishers enrolled in the program, the social media site is amending its advertising policy, the Wall Street Journal reports. The policy originally stated that a company could insert one ad for every 500 words, and it’s now being reduced by 150. Additionally, Facebook will automatically insert advertising content into the Instant Articles for every 350 words, and publishers can now use Facebook-only ad campaigns within the template.
Publishers will now also have the ability to utilize the “related articles” section that follows an Instant Article to link content from their own websites, including sponsored content that cannot be distributed through the platform, according to the Journal.
There are currently 300 publishers enrolled in the Instant Articles program, 100 of which generally use it on a daily basis. Many were discouraged from using it because the previous limitations made it difficult to generate revenue.
Instant Articles, which are posted directly to Facebook, load quicker than links posted to the publishers’ pages and provide a more interactive experience. Michael Reckhow, Facebook’s Instant Articles product manager, told the Journal that the company is seeing high user engagement, particularly in regard to Instant Article shares.
Though the template has the potential to reach a wider audience, it may have been less lucrative than posting a link redirecting readers to a website. “Based on feedback we’ve had from publishers,” Reckhow explained, “they need additional ads in Instant Articles to match the number of ads they have on their website.”
These modifications will likely encourage more publishers to utilize the platform. LittleThings.com co-founder Joe Speiser, whose website is enrolled in the Instant Articles program, told the Journal, “This is a big enough change that we feel comfortable testing a bigger percentage of our content.”
