Facebook has been taking advertising more seriously than ever recently. Now it’s taking things to the next level — by using its data to sell targeted ads on third-party sites.
Re/code reports that Facebook is rolling out a new advertising scheme that “lets advertisers buy ads, via Facebook, on properties Facebook doesn’t own.” In other words, ads on third-party sites will be targeted using Facebook data. It’s not exactly clear how it will work in practice, although Re/code does provide some insight.
First, Re/code reports that the system will use Atlas, the ad platform that Facebook bought from Microsoft last year, to track effectiveness of ads, both on Facebook and the rest of the web. More than that, it will allow marketers to buy ads on non-Facebook websites using Facebook targeting data.
Facebook apparently makes a point of explaining that these aren’t “facebook ads” — but they will be using Facebook data to provide better targeting. So ultimately it doesn’t really matter that much: your Facebook data will still be used to target ads at you elsewhere on the web. So far, ad holding company Omnicom — which is huge — has said it will buy ads using the new scheme.
Really, it’s unsurprising extension of current Facebook practice. It’s not clear exactly when this will roll out, but privacy activists, you may start shouting… now. [Re/code]
Picture: Spencer E Holtaway/Flickr