Facebook brings Mobile Ads for Apps

In an official blog post, Facebook has confirmed that it has begun testing new Mobile Ads for Apps. Facebook has begun testing the ad unit with a limited set of beta partners. Those interested in being a part of the beta program can sign up here.

Explaining the need for Mobile apps, the post on the Facebook developer blog adds that the social network has gone to become a way for both iOS and Android developers to grow their apps. Over the past 30 days Facebook has 146 million visits to the Apple Apple store and Google Play Store by way of clicks on news feeds, Timeline, bookmarks and the App Center. Mobile ads are emerging as an additional mode of bringing people to apps. When someone clicks on the ad for an app that is not installed, he or she is redirected to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

More from News Analysis

Facebook brings Ads for Apps

Designing, launching and monitoring of a mobile app ad campaign happens within the App Dashboard. Here, one has to pick the app and the audience for it. Then, one has to fix their budget and the payment method, and the campaign is good to go. It is then possible to monitor the performance of the ads. Facebook adds, "To help us provide you with information about the effectiveness of your ads and the use of your app, integrate with the Facebook SDK 3.0 for iOS. We announced the beta of the iOS SDK a few weeks ago and are releasing it today".

Last month, Facebook had announced the start of the global rollout of its App Center. At the beginning of this month, all of Facebook's users across the globe got access the App Centre, which is Facebook’s own app store. App Centre is loaded with Facebook apps and also social apps that leverage Facebook. The App Centre includes web apps that can be accessed directly from the desktop. In case of mobile apps, Android and iOS users can click on the app, which will allow downloading of the app from Google Play and Apple App Store respectively.

Facebook recently launched its mobile-only advertising platform. The social network had launched a feature called Sponsored Stories in January 2011, which essentially integrated the users' friends' activities into small ads. In December, Facebook moved the ads directly into users' Newsfeeds. Facebook then launched the Sponsored Stories ad platform, specifically for mobile apps. Reports then surfaced that marketers who advertise on Facebook had got the choice to place their advertisements in Facebook apps, the desktop website, or both. Marketers can choose to combine the ad placed in the Newsfeed with an ad on the right hand side of the desktop site.