Facebook tests ad placements on Graph Search results page, not related to queries
Facebook began a small test today that inserts FBX and Marketplace ads between pages of Graph Search results, a spokesperson tells us. These ads are not targeted by a user’s search query.
Like the ads on the right hand column of Facebook.com and ads that appear in the lightbox view of photos, the ads on the Graph Search results page are targeted to an audience based on interests, demographics or data from the Facebook Exchange or Custom Audiences, for example. This test is simply one that opens new inventory, not a new ad type or targeting capability.
As seen below, two or three ads will appear horizontally between pagebreaks when there is more than one page of results. This happens only for Graph Searches, not for web searches where Bing results appear. Those pages have Bing ads at the top and to the right of organic results.
Facebook offers “Sponsored Results” ads that allow advertisers to promote their business in the social network’s drop-down search results. Rather than broad keywords, advertisers bid against specific pages, apps or places. For now, there is no way to bid on a Graph Search query such as “movies my friends like” or “restaurants nearby.”
