Meta · 2025

Pushing in-stream ad format innovation in Facebook Reels — redesigning mid-roll and post-roll experiences with a new indicator system and ad formats that improve conversion and engagement while keeping viewer disruption low.

In-stream ads are the most disruptive format on Reels — they cut into videos mid-flow, breaking the viewing rhythm at the moment people are most absorbed

Inconsistent ad indicators across skippable and non-skippable formats left viewers with no way to predict what came next, making every ad feel like a surprise interruption

Viewers immediately look for the skip button, which tanks engagement and kills conversion

The core tension: ads need to perform for businesses without feeling like a punishment for people just trying to watch a video.

We hypothesized that by isolating the post-ad deferred card into a standardized, elevated single-card footprint and freezing the underlying organic video, we could protect a high-performing conversion window while eliminating interaction safety issues.

A consistent indicator systemA unified indicator system aligns pre-ad and during-ad states across both skippable and non-skippable formats. By applying a single, coherent visual language to a complex multi-format problem, viewers always know where they are in the ad experience — reducing confusion and perceived disruption.

Deferred card designThe redesigned architecture optimizes the post-ad experience by relocating the layout, prioritizing interaction safety, and streamlining data presentation.

Elevate location: Anchors the card higher in the viewport, aligning with standard banner ad formats to improve visibility and utilize a familiar, recognizable layout.

Stable organic content: Keeps the underlying organic video and its metadata completely static in their original positions, eliminating the disruptive layout shifts that previously caused accidental dismissals while scrolling.

Scalable metadata control: Strips away secondary organic data points to declutter the UI, replacing tight text truncation with an internally scrollable container that handles rich marketing copy without expanding the global card footprint.

A direct comparison of the experience before and after the redesign, illustrating the improvement in consistency, clarity, and viewer experience across both ad formats.

Before

After

Indicator system +0.15% Total revenue lift +3.05% In-App Browser clicks +1.86% Conversion rate

Deferred card +1.48% Incremental revenue -1.21% Bounce rate +1.47% Conversion rate

Other explorations and alternative directions tested to improve in-stream ads revenue and viewer experience.

More work Zillow\Concierge Web App\View case study → Zillow\Builder Dashboard\View case study → Meta · Facebook Monetization\End Frame System\View case study →

©2026 Iris Li · Irvine, California

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