Outbrain Launches “Moments”: A Next-Generation Immersive Video Experience for the Open Internet

Rhea-AI Summary

Outbrain (NASDAQ: OB) has launched the beta version of Moments, a new immersive video experience for the open internet. This solution transforms static articles into engaging vertical video feeds, bringing easy swipeable navigation to trusted, professional environments. Moments aims to provide a social media-like experience on quality publisher sites like Fortune and Axel Springer.

Early tests show promising results, with users consuming an average of 3.2 videos per session. A 2024 MediaScience study found that Moments outperforms digital ads in several metrics, including brand recall (56% higher) and brand recognition (47% higher). The study also revealed that combining Moments with social formats led to an 87% lift in unaided brand recall.

Moments is currently being tested with selected partners in the USA, Germany, UK, Italy, France, and Spain, with a global launch planned for 2025.

Positive

• Beta launch of Moments, a new immersive vertical video experience for the open internet
• Users consume an average of 3.2 videos per session, with 40% watching between 3-10 videos
• 56% higher brand recall and 47% higher brand recognition compared to digital ads
• 87% lift in unaided brand recall when combined with social formats
• Planned global launch in 2025, indicating potential for expansion

Negative

• Currently in beta testing, not yet widely available
• Full impact on revenue and user engagement yet to be determined

Insights

Tech Expert

Outbrain's launch of Moments represents a significant leap in content delivery for the open internet. This new vertical video format aims to bridge the gap between traditional publishing and social media-style engagement. Key points:

• Transforms static articles into swipeable vertical video feeds, mimicking popular social platforms
• Early tests show promising user engagement: average of 3.2 videos per session, with 40% watching 3-10 videos
• Outperforms digital ads in brand recall (56% higher) and recognition (47% higher)
• Synergizes with social media ads, boosting unaided brand recall by 87% when combined

This innovation could potentially reshape user interaction with online content, offering publishers a new revenue stream and advertisers an alternative to walled gardens. However, its success will depend on widespread adoption and user acceptance of this format on traditional news sites.

Market Research Analyst

Outbrain's Moments presents a compelling case for both publishers and advertisers:

• Addresses the challenge of audience retention for publishers, competing with social media engagement
• Opens new revenue opportunities in the vertical video ad market, previously dominated by social platforms
• Significantly enhances ad effectiveness: 126% higher message recall than social ads alone when combined with digital ads
• Average user time of 14.6 seconds on Moments vs. 3.4 seconds on high-impact display ads

The beta launch in major markets (USA, Germany, UK, Italy, France, Spain) with a global rollout planned for 2025 indicates a measured approach. This strategy allows for refinement based on initial feedback. The potential market impact is substantial, but success will hinge on user adoption rates and the ability to scale without compromising the user experience.

New Solution Delivers Greater Engagement for Publishers and Opportunity for Brands to Drive More Attention

NEW YORK, Oct. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Outbrain (NASDAQ: OB), a leading technology platform that drives business results across the open internet, today announced the beta launch of Moments by Outbrain – a new way for users to interact with content, delivering the immersive experience of full screen vertical video browsing to the open internet. Moments enables traditional publishers and media owners to reimagine their online experience by transforming real estate on static articles into engaging vertical video feeds, bringing easy swipeable navigation to trusted, professional environments.

Audiences are spending an increasing amount of their time within walled gardens and social platforms. Moments marks the development of a true solution to bring similar algorithm-powered, visual exploration to the open internet. The new product offering brings the viral video and social media experience directly to quality publishers like Fortune and Axel Springer. With Moments, audiences have a new way to watch, read, and explore the vast amount of professionally-produced editorial content on the open internet in an environment not yet seen beyond walled gardens. In addition, Moments provides advertisers with a rich new canvas to extend the power of social formats to drive outcomes on the open internet, while offering publishers an entirely new channel to grow and engage their reader base.

“Moments is a truly exciting innovation that will enable advertisers and publishers to reimagine the way they interact with audiences on the open internet. Moments is more than just a video experience—it’s a bridge between the trusted content consumers love, and the brands they trust, creating a dynamic, immersive journey that turns casual viewers into loyal audiences," said David Kostman, CEO of Outbrain.

Moments Early Adopters Show Strong Signals of Deepened User Engagement

• A recent 2024 study by MediaScience found that vertical video ads delivered in the Moments environment were rated similarly to social formats in terms of being high-quality, engaging, seamless, and entertaining. In addition, they outperformed digital ads.
• Tests also showed that users consume an average of 3.2 videos per session, with 40 percent of users watching between three and ten videos.

“We are delighted to have such an innovative partner in Outbrain to test new immersive content formats for moving images for our news brands such as BILD. With Moments, we offer our users a digital experience that significantly improves the presentation of our mobile content and meets the expectations of modern users for interactive content," says Robert Blanck, General Manager for Advertising & E-Commerce at Axel Springer. "It promotes user interaction in a 'natural' way and helps us to better monetize our content. We look forward to working with Outbrain to further develop this promising solution."

Research Finds Moments Outperforms Digital and Enhances the Effectiveness of Social Formats

For advertisers, Moments provides a solution to diversify their media mix beyond walled gardens. According to the MediaScience panel study, Moments users engage positively with the experience and its ads have the ability to drive enhanced ad viewing time, advertiser brand memory, and ad message recall versus digital ads. Specifically:

• Users spent an average of 14.6 seconds on Moments experiences, in contrast to 3.4 seconds on high-impact display experiences in similar environments.
• Moments drove significant lifts in memory of advertised brands compared to digital ads, producing 56% higher brand recall than digital ads, and 47% higher brand recognition than digital ads.
• The experience amplifies the effectiveness and impact of digital and social strategies, and leads to significant improvements in brand recall and brand recognition when coupled with TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts ads. The research shows that:
  • Audiences who viewed both Moments formats and Social formats experienced an 87% lift in unaided brand recall.
  • Vertical video ads delivered in Moments environments drive greater message recall and purchase intent when combined with digital ads — creating even better effects than social and digital strategies combined.
  • Vertical video ads delivered on Moments environments, when combined with digital ads, drove 126% higher message recall than social ads alone and 167% higher message recall than digital ads alone.
• When compared to digital and social formats in news environments, ads delivered on Moments environments were rated as more informational and relevant than digital and social formats.
  

New Opportunities for Advertisers
For advertisers, Moments should open new opportunities to drive revenue growth. While vertical video budgets have traditionally focused on social networks, Moments by Outbrain will make vertical video campaigns available across its existing publisher platform and feed infrastructure. This will allow advertisers to leverage Outbrain's extensive reach to place their vertical video formats on popular online media and engage their target audiences in innovative ways. The Moments environment keeps ad density low to ensure a positive, premium user experience.

Moments Offers Solutions for Publishers' Challenges
Moments is expected to provide a compelling solution to spur new ad investment on the open internet, and helps publishers navigate the challenges of today’s digital media landscape by leveraging video content that mirrors the social media look and feel familiar to most users. The experience gives publishers the opportunity to more deeply engage and retain audiences.

Current Status and Future Outlook
Moments is currently in Beta and is being tested with selected partners in the USA, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, and Spain. A global launch is planned for 2025.

Forward-Looking Statements
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Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as an indication of future performance. We cannot assure you that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur, and actual results, events, or circumstances could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation and do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise, except as required by law.

About Outbrain
Outbrain (Nasdaq: OB) is a leading technology platform that drives business results by engaging people across the open internet. Outbrain predicts moments of engagement to drive measurable outcomes for advertisers and publishers using AI and machine learning across more than 8,000 online properties globally. Founded in 2006, Outbrain is headquartered in New York with offices in Israel and across the United States, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and South America. To learn more, visit www.outbrain.com

Media Contact
press@outbrain.com

FAQ

What is Moments by Outbrain (NASDAQ: OB)?

Moments by Outbrain is a new immersive video experience that transforms static articles on publisher websites into engaging vertical video feeds with easy swipeable navigation, similar to social media platforms.

How does Moments by Outbrain (OB) perform compared to traditional digital ads?

According to a 2024 MediaScience study, Moments outperforms digital ads, showing 56% higher brand recall and 47% higher brand recognition. Users spend an average of 14.6 seconds on Moments experiences compared to 3.4 seconds on high-impact display experiences.

When will Outbrain's (OB) Moments be globally available?

Outbrain plans to launch Moments globally in 2025. Currently, it is in beta testing with selected partners in the USA, Germany, UK, Italy, France, and Spain.

How does Moments by Outbrain (OB) benefit advertisers?

Moments provides advertisers with a new canvas to extend social formats to the open internet, driving better outcomes. It also enhances the effectiveness of existing digital and social strategies, significantly improving brand recall and recognition when combined with other ad formats.