Facebook Updates Mobile Ads' Status to Separated

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Facebook marketers for the first time can buy mobile ads separately. The Menlo Park, CA-based giant revealed the development today while announcing more nuanced ways to buy sponsored stories. Brands can now purchase the social context ads within these parameters:

• mobile news feed only
• desktop news feed only
• mobile and desktop news feed
• mobile and desktop news feed with right-hand ad desktop placement
• desktop news feed with right-hand ad desktop placement

Simon Mansell, CEO of social media marketing vendor TBG Digital, told ClickZ that selling mobile inventory independently is a significant move for Facebook. It "opens up ads to businesses [that] have invested in building mobile apps," Mansell said. He said the development also creates opportunities for specifically targeting on-the-go consumers with products like suntan lotion and restaurant chain coupons.

In a prepared statement, Facebook said its latest ad-related iterations are a response to "requests from marketers to control the placement of their sponsored stories. As companies are promoting services more frequently on mobile, this option gives them the opportunity to focus on specific placements that will impact them most directly."

Facebook began testing sponsored stories in users' news feeds during December 2011. Before today, the ad buys weren't distinguished between news feed placement and right-hand-side page promotions.