Is Meta's New AI Video Platform Game Changing?

Meta is enhancing its advertising offerings with the launch of new Generative AI tools designed to help advertisers keep up with users' shifting preferences on Facebook and Instagram. With video consumption on the rise—Meta reports that 60% of users' time on these platforms is now spent watching videos—the company is providing solutions to meet this growing demand.

Expanding Video Capabilities

Meta is introducing a Video Expansion feature to capitalize on the increasing focus on video content. This innovative tool automatically adapts video assets by generating new pixels in each frame, allowing advertisers to modify the aspect ratio for a better fit. The goal is to create a more immersive viewing experience for users and make video ads feel more natural and engaging on the platform.

Transforming Static Images

Another exciting update is Meta’s Image Animation feature, which allows advertisers to transform a single static image into video content, especially for Instagram Reels. This is particularly beneficial for marketers who may not have original video assets but want to extend the reach of previously successful image ads. This tool maximizes the potential of past campaigns by giving older creatives a new life.

Results and Impact

Meta’s AI-powered ad tools are already showing promising results. Over 1 million advertisers have used these tools monthly, with 15 million ads created in the last month alone. According to Meta, campaigns using these AI features have achieved an 11% higher click-through rate and a 7.6% increase in conversion rates compared to those that did not leverage these capabilities. These stats underscore the effectiveness of using AI in ad creation to boost performance.

The Competition

Meta’s push into AI and video ads isn’t happening in isolation. Competitors like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and TikTok are all introducing their own AI-driven advertising solutions. For example, TikTok’s Symphony suite allows marketers to create videos with multi-language voiceovers from product images, while Google recently launched a range of AI ad updates.

Meta’s new video tools will be integrated into Ads Manager as part of its Advantage+ creative suite, with the full rollout expected early next year. By focusing on AI-enhanced video content, Meta is positioning itself as a frontrunner in the evolving world of social media advertising, giving brands powerful tools to create more engaging and effective campaigns.

Cate Bender, the author, is Project Coordinator of Marketing Keys