Meta is rolling out new generative-AI tools for advertisers, including image and text generation.
The new features can be found in Meta’s Ads Manager through Advantage+ Creative in limited markets and will be available globally by the end of the year.
For small and medium-sized enterprises in particular — which make up the majority of Meta’s business — the new features will offer the ability to generate new creative ideas within Meta’s platform without needing to seek third-party assistance. According to a study by the World Federation of Advertisers, three-quarters of marketers are already using AI for content ideation.
With Meta’s new tools, marketers will now be able to use AI to generate image variations with text overlay capabilities based on a given brand’s ad creative. For example, a brand wanting to show off its product can use AI to generate different backgrounds or scenery around which the product may sit in an image.
A text-prompt feature is in the works to allow marketers to provide direct inputs to help tailor creative variations being offered.
In addition to generating images, marketers will be able to apply “text overlay” and “image expansion” to images. The former enables marketers to produce AI-generated text atop images; the latter allows for the adjustment of aspect ratios so ads placed across Instagram and Facebook can have their formats adjusted.
Meta, Google and Amazon growth suggests further concentration in online ad market
Apart from image generation, Meta is also rolling out a new text-generation feature to allow marketers to create variations on headline and text copy.
A Meta spokesperson said the company is “currently testing” the ability for AI-generated text to “reflect your brand’s voice and tone” such as through highlighting selling points based on previous campaigns and text input.
Meta is currently only rolling out the feature in English, with other languages planned. It will also soon be built with Meta’s Llama 3 next-generation large language model, which the company expects will further enhance AI-generation effectiveness and therefore ad performance.
Other Advantage+ updates
Meanwhile, Meta has also provided updates to other Advantage+ products, including creative optimisations and new catalogue ads, which can deliver product recommendations to people based on their interests.
According to a recent report in The Verge, Meta’s Advantage+ programme, once heralded as the company’s answer to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency policy change, hit a snag in the first quarter, with advertisers complaining of a drop in effectiveness despite a rise in CPMs.
Nevertheless, according to Meta’s Q1 results, ad revenue grew 24% in the period.
“The new version of Meta AI with Llama 3 is another step towards building the world’s leading AI,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said of Meta’s AI developments.
