Facebook goes the Google way, introduces search result ads
Facebook on Wednesday officially launched a new type of ad that shows up when you use the social network’s search bar.
The new ads, called “Sponsored Results,” to a degree follow in the footsteps of one of Facebook’s biggest rivals: Google.
The ads show up when you search for a person, page, app or any other thing. To check them out, type in the word “Battle” and you may see an ad for a game called “Battle Pirates” show up. Zynga, Match.com and Marvel are also reportedly using the ads.
The ads show up before other search results, which may bug users, but you can get rid of the ads when you see them by clicking on a small x located toward their top right corner.
The ads were reported by TechCrunch, which also reported they were being tested last month.
Facebook confirmed the ads, saying in an email statement: “We recently started rolling out Sponsored Results more broadly.”
The company formally announced the new ads in a note to marketers sent Wednesday, saying Sponsored Results gives brands distribution across one of the social network’s most used features.
“Sponsored Results gives brands the ability to buy ads in search results, bringing more awareness and traffic to your App, Page, or Place,” the note said.
Facebook said Sponsored Results will be available to marketers on its Power Editor feature at some point Wednesday. But the company said the new ads will only direct users to pages within Facebook.
No word on when or if the ads will come to Facebook’s mobile apps.
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