Facebook is now testing ads in search results, which are available to businesses in the automotive, retail, and e-commerce industries.
The ads will be displayed to users in the United States and Canada.
Facebook search ads may be expanded to more countries based on the results of this initial test.
Facebook vs. Google
It’s fair to say that Facebook is now offering an ad product that competes with Google’s search ads.
Although Facebook search ads will obviously be limited to appearing on Facebook, they are still competing for the same advertising dollars.
Businesses now have to ask themselves if it would be more beneficial for their ads to show up in Google search or Facebook search.
How Facebook Search Ads Work
When creating a campaign in Facebook Ads Manager, businesses in eligible categories will see ‘Search Results’ as a placement option.
The search results option can be selected as an additional placement when creating news feed campaigns.
Businesses cannot run search ads without also running news feed ads.
The ad format itself will look similar to news feed ads, containing the same headline, image, and body text.
Facebook search ads will appear either as a static image or in a carousel format. They will be clearly labeled with a “Sponsored” tag.
Unlike Google ads, there is no option to select specific keywords or phrases for Facebook search ads.
Ads will be eligible to appear in searches for terms related to the business’s offerings, in both the primary Facebook search function and Marketplace searches.
