Facebook testing ads in Groups tab

Facebook is trying out ad placements it the Groups tab where users can view content from all the Groups they belong to. The test includes a very small number of advertisers who will have access to the new inventory within the Ads Manager, making it possible for them to extend mobile News Feed campaigns to the Groups tab.

“We’re running a small test to place ads in the Groups tab and will evaluate whether these ads are beneficial for people and businesses before deciding whether to expand it further,” said Facebook Product Manager Melisa Tokmak in an email to Marketing Land.

To take advantage of the ad placement, advertisers with access must select Facebook Feed and Group Feed placement options. Targeting capabilities for Groups tab ads remain the same as other ads. There are no additional options to target users based on their Group memberships.

Why we should care

Facebook’s test to put ads in the Groups tab is one more example of the company finding every possible opportunity it can to increase ad inventory. And with the added emphasis it has put on Groups this year — making Groups the “heart” of the Facebook experience and bringing the platform to the center of of the app — chances are good the ads being tested in the Groups tab will get exposure.

Many brands have found Facebook Groups to be advantageous in terms of organic reach as the News Feed has all but removed branded content that doesn’t have dollars attached to it. Facebook Groups offer brands the chance to build an engaged community with users who want to interact with their business on the platform. It’s not a stretch to hope those same users will be responsive to the ads inserted between the content they have opted-in to see by joining a Group.

More on the news

• The format for Facebook Groups ads is similar to News Feed ads, with the same headline, image and copy text layout. At this time, though, only single image ads are being tested.
• Ad campaign options include: Reach, Offsite Conversions and Link Click objectives.
• All ads will include the “Sponsored” label and come with the same transparency and controls, such as the “Why am I seeing this ad?” information for users.