Facebook launched more ways advertisers can entice Facebook users to click their links -- and give the social network at least three more opportunities to charge for ads based on user actions.
The opportunities are called "Sponsored Stories," and the seven types are outlined in its third-party guidelines, according to InsideFacebook. "Sponsored Stories" sounds like ad content masquerading as editorial, but it's actually a little simpler than that. A sponsored story, according to Facebook, is as simple as taking someone's "Like" on your page and sharing it with their friends on Facebook.
The three new ways to use those sponsored stories include "Page Post Like," much like the one described above except users "Like" new posts or content; "App Used and Game Played" where games promote app or game usage to friends of users; and "Domain Story" where a user will share a link, photo or story and the advertiser can share that information with other friends.
Facebook is very clear not to call these items "ads," hence the name "Sponsored Stories." AllFacebook has a better view of the new guidelines, which it says Facebook "has been sending out to large advertisers."
Facebook has realized that its users don't like ads all over the social network and are increasingly making their circle more inaccessible to third parties. Instead of trying to make users change their habits, it's actually found a way to charge for something as innocuous as a "Like" and to call it an advertisement. It's actually ingenious. But will advertisers pay 60 cents for each item?
