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New Facebook advertising option for retailers and brands [@SmartInsights alert]

Author's avatar By Dave Chaffey 20 Feb, 2015
Essential Essential topic

Dynamic Product ads bring product retargeting to Facebook

Importance: [rating=4] For Retailers looking to retarget their audience on Facebook

Recommended link: Facebook announcement of Dynamic Product ads

Facebook announced Product Ads this week. Here's an example to show why they're dynamic:

Product Ad Gif example

 

In their post announcing product ads, they explain:

“Product ads, a solution designed to help businesses promote multiple products or their entire product catalog, across all the devices their customers use. With product ads, businesses can showcase more products and people on Facebook can discover more relevant products”.

So this ad option extends Custom Audiences which can already be used for targeting to reference individual products. While it’s of most interest to retailers and all of Facebooks ads show this, it does look as if manufacturers or brands could use the service too.

Given the popularity of Google's PLAs this is likely to be a popular ad option amongst retailers.

What marketers need to know about Dynamic Product Ads.

  • 1. Availability. Product ads will not be available in Power Editor for “several weeks”, but are available via partners now, for example via Criteo, who already offer retargeting for retailers where they serve product ads where people have browsed a product or category on their site.
  • 2. Setting up retargeting. Ads are triggered after customers have viewed a product on a website or in a mobile app using the Facebook Custom Audiences advertising pixel as explained in this guide to setting up Dynamic Product Ads.
  • 3. Catalogue uploaded for products to display. Ads are populated by uploading a product catalogue.
  • 4. Ads then automatically displayed in a standard format. The example ad Facebook gives shows how merchandising like couponing and discounts can be promoted.


    Facebook product ads

  • 5. Cross-platform retargeting possible. A benefit of these ads is that they are cross-device, Facebook say you can Reach people with ads on any device they use, regardless of their original touchpoint for your business.
Author's avatar

By Dave Chaffey

Digital strategist Dr Dave Chaffey is co-founder and Content Director of online marketing training platform and publisher Smart Insights. 'Dr Dave' is known for his strategic, but practical, data-driven advice. He has trained and consulted with many business of all sizes in most sectors. These include large international B2B and B2C brands including 3M, BP, Barclaycard, Dell, Confused.com, HSBC, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, M&G Investment, Rentokil Initial, O2, Royal Canin (Mars Group) plus many smaller businesses. Dave is editor of the templates, guides and courses in our digital marketing resource library used by our Business members to plan, manage and optimize their marketing. Free members can access our free sample templates here. Dave is also keynote speaker, trainer and consultant who is author of 5 bestselling books on digital marketing including Digital Marketing Excellence and Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. In 2004 he was recognised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing as one of 50 marketing ‘gurus’ worldwide who have helped shape the future of marketing. My personal site, DaveChaffey.com, lists my latest Digital marketing and E-commerce books and support materials including a digital marketing glossary. Please connect on LinkedIn to receive updates or ask me a question.

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