Facebook Ads: Why Such An Oblique Approach Instead of Social Ads?
The recent foofarah about Facebook ads (see Brad Stone’s Ads Posted on Facebook Strike Some as Off-Key) led contributor David Gallagher to an experiment:
A look at Facebook’s “Create an Ad” page inspired an experiment. Facebook lets advertisers aim their messages at people in certain places or age ranges, but also at those who have particular keywords in their profiles. I realized I had posted almost no information about my favorite bands, hobbies and so forth, making it hard for anyone to target me. So I beefed up my profile with a keyword bonanza: Surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, knitting, cooking, Xbox, Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter and so forth. (Keywords are for experimental use only and do not reflect actual interests. Except maybe Star Wars.)
This produced some quick changes. Among other customized ads, I started getting the surfing- and cooking-themed campaigns shown above. In fact, foodies seem to be a big target for Facebook advertisers. But there were still plenty of junkier ads, like the Oprah one, which would seem to violate Facebook’s policy regarding the need for some connection between the image and the product being advertised. Unless Oprah is in need of debt relief.
So this begs the question: Why do this in such an oblique way? Why not ask Facebook users to state, explicitly, through keywords and other cues, as to what they would like to hear offers about?
Ok, so I am a foodie. I would like to receive come ons about food, like premium meats, new restaurants, and the like. I could restrict to certain geographies, certain cuisines, whatever. I could set limits in other inventive ways, like ‘only show me restaurant offers on places in lower manhattan rated very good and above.’ Yes, I want coupons, and discount codes, and invitations to happy hour.
Why all the subterfuge, sneaking around in the conversations I have with people, instead of just letting me set things up to make better proposals? Yes, by all means use my social network in smart ways, like ‘rate ads passed along by my friends as twice as interesting as those with no recommendations’.
Why can’t ads — good ones, ones that actually offer value for possessing them, like discounts or exclusive time-limited offers — become social objects that increase in value by being passed around? Why can’t discounts increase, for example, when many of my friends pass the same offer along to me?
Special offer today from Bottle Rocket: 15 of your friends have recommended Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha 2008: that’s a 15% discount for you!
Why is Facebook so old school? Why can’t they seem to be able to innovate in this area? Make the sharing explicit and give people simple direct incentives to share with each other. Social advertising is inevitable, but maybe not on Facebeek.
