Facebook gives app advertisers ability to target specific mobile devices

23 Jul 2014

Image via Neirfy/Shutterstock

Facebook is rolling out new mobile app advertising features which will allow marketers and developers to be more specific about who sees their ads.

Currently, advertisers can target their mobile app ads at users on specific operating systems and versions and those on a Wi-Fi connection. Over the next few days, device level targeting will be added to the mix, allowing advertisers to decide on which smartphones and tablets their ads will appear.

By adding device targeting, advertisers can increase their relevance and ensure their marketing budget is spent where it will be most effective. Facebook’s App Insights can be used to identify which devices work best for the app in question, allowing developers to filter out incompatible devices and focus on those that are optimal for their app.

An additional new Custom Audiences targeting feature will also allow advertisers to select specific users, such as their most active or highest value users, for campaigns. They can also create ‘lookalike audiences’ which will broaden their reach to Facebook users with similar attributes to those who already engage with their app.

Facebook has also offered some tips to advertisers planning to use these tools. While they offer the ability to narrow audiences, the social network warns that advertisers should not do this without a clear reason to do so and to aim for an audience of at least 500,000 users for each ad. The social network also recommends custom ads for each targeted audience, which, in this case, could mean an image of the app in use on the device being targeted.

Facebook app on iPhone image by Nierfy via Shutterstock

Elaine Burke is the host of For Tech’s Sake, a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network. She was previously the editor of Silicon Republic.

editorial@siliconrepublic.com