Facebook Inc plans to close the gap between stores and consumers via its mobile app. On Monday, the world’s largest social network announced that it will soon be testing a few new ad formats. The new designs will let its 1.23 billion active users buy products from businesses on their mobile devices. New features for Facebook’s mobile iOS app were also unveiled this week.
“On Facebook we’ve seen that people are coming to our platform not only to connect with friends and family but also to connect with brands,” the company writes.
Facebook Accommodates 3D Touch
Staying with Facebook. The social network’s mobile iOS app got a special update on Monday. It now flaunts new features which take advantage of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus’ 3D Touch capabilities. Pressing down hard on the updated app now produces a new set of shortcuts. Users can quickly update their statuses, upload and take pictures or videos without needing to open the app.
The update showcases Apple’s latest flagship 3D Touch feature and allows for a speedier interaction with Facebook. A number of default apps on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus already make use of 3D Touch. Third-party developers are quickly accommodating for it, too. Facebook has also incorporated 3D Touch features in its latest iOS Instagram app.
Shop on Facebook
Facebook will soon be testing out a Shopping section as an additional tab for its users. The new option will be placed under the app’s “Favorites” alongside the Feeds, Pages and Groups tabs. The firm says that this new tab will be set aside as a “single place for people to more easily discover, share and purchase products.”
The Shopping tab collects and houses the items listed on the Facebook Pages of selected brands. Referring to a conducted survey, the online entity wrote on its blog that it is giving in to the demands of its users. The survey suggests that around 50 percent of Facebook users use the platform to find products.
“This behavior gives us a chance to make people and marketers’ experiences better,” Facebook writes. The firm seeks to make it simpler for users to find the products they want on mobile, and for businesses to drive more sales.
Another format that is new to the Facebook platform is a feature called Canvas. This lets people browse between purchasable items while using the mobile app. It’s a nudge in the direction of Target, which utilizes the format. With Canvas, when people click on an ad, they will be offered a full page of items to look through. Once they have seen and chosen what they want, then can opt to purchase those items. However, users will still be directed to the relative website to finalize their purchase. Canvas will serve to help websites with slow pages and those without mobile versions.
Turning Shoppers into Buyers
2014 had Facebook roll out is carousel ad format for advertisers. The carousel package allows for the use of multiple images and links in one ad. However, gaining the most notice lately is the recent “buy” button that often appears in the ads found on users’ News Feeds.
But Facebook is hardly a trendsetter in this regard. The world’s largest social network is following hot on the heels of other social media platforms. The likes of Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr have all either recently set out to or already hold similar buying features. Even YouTube has shopping ads now.
“Turning shoppers into buyer is what all social networks are trying to master right now, and it’s to be seen if this will be a measurable success,” says eMarketer’s Krista Garcia.
Monday’s announcement is part of Facebook’s plan to take over the online shopping experience and drive ad sales in the process. Mobile ads account for 76 percent of the firms ad revenue. The social network is determined to be the number one online destination for all kinds of user needs. Facebook has made it clear that all of its recent ad formats, from the “buy” button to the “shop” tab, are still in their test phases. The entity says that it still trying out which features will best suit its users.
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