Facebook working on location-based mobile ads
updated 05:04 pm EDT, Mon June 18, 2012
New product to target users with real-time location data
Facebook is preparing a new advertising product that will allow companies to target users with location-based ads based on real-time data. Speaking with Bloomberg, representatives from the social network said that the new advertising feature has been in testing for the past several months, though the company has not provided any details on when the service may be rolled out.
The mobile ad platform will take advantage of the geo-positioning capabilities common to most mobile phones on the market today. Facebook has reportedly been showing off almost a dozen location-based advertising models to a client council made up of ad executives and corporate chief marketing officers. Use of real-time, location-based ads would allow Facebook to quickly route relevant ads to users, who often update their statuses and share information including their location.
The move is aimed at monetizing the increasing number of Facebook users that access the site from mobile devices. The mobile sector has historically given Facebook problems, as the smaller screens common to mobile devices are not as well suited to display ads from the social network. The company recently opened up its mobile ad platform to third-party ad sellers, and executives have noted in the past that the mobile sector remains a high priority.
