Facebook launches new ‘Sponsored Stories’

Facebook has launched a new user generated ad option, which allows marketers to use messages from their ‘likes’ community to push visible promotions.

The ads contain Facebook users’ posts, while appearing in the right-hand column with other paid promotions on the site.

A number of brands have already started using the new ads, including Coca Cola, Levi’s and Amnesty International.

The ‘Sponsored Stories’ will be available on Facebook’s self-service platform in a comparable manner to other ads, and will be purchased on a per-click basis.

However, as with other Facebook ads, the ads can only be targeted at users who have allowed it in their privacy settings.

There are four types of Facebook ‘stories’ – like, page post stories, app stories and check-in stories.

Facebook said Sponsored Stories will not increase the number of ads on the site, as they will displace ad messages that are purely promotional in favour of ads that report on user actions.