Facebook Advertising Resources: The 6 Types of Ads on the New Home Page

October 30th, 2008

By Justin Smith

When the Facebook redesign launched a few months ago, Facebook added a new ad placement on the right rail of the home page. This placement is constant in position but flexible in terms of the types of advertisements that advertisers can place there. While Facebook is still testing the performance of many of these ads with top advertisers, here’s a rundown of the 6 types of home page advertisements you can purchase (if not now, soon) on Facebook:

1) Event Ad

The Event Ad is integrated with Facebook Events and includes an “RSVP” call to action. When RSVP is clicked, full event details are displayed, including the number of Facebook users and friends attending. Friends’ responses are visible beneath the ad after they have RSVP’d.

2) Video Ad

The Video Ad is integrated with Facebook Video and can be played in line. Friends’ comments are visible beneath the video, somewhat like a “wall.”

3) Gifts Ad

The Gifts Ad is integrated with Facebook Gifts, and includes an in-line gift giving call to action. When friends give or receive gifts, it’s visible beneath the ad, along with any comments.

4) Page Ad

The Page Ad is designed to drive fans of Facebook Pages, and allows users to become fans of a Page in line. When users become fans, it’s listed beneath the ad for friends to see.

5) Website Ad

This is similar to any other web advertisement out there – clicking the ad just takes you to the advertiser’s website.

6) House Ad

Facebook backfills the home page inventory with house ads to invite friends and check out Facebook features.

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24 Responses to “Facebook Advertising Resources: The 6 Types of Ads on the New Home Page”

Maria Reyes-McDavis Facebook Says:
October 30th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Great information here, thanks for making it simple I’ve found Facebook ads on the old FB worked lousy, hoping the new structure changes things
facebookSpin Says:
October 31st, 2008 at 4:51 am
sponsored ads are really bad for Small Business owners and in time of economic crisis for big companies too because they cost a fortune!

self served ads are a a much better way to use facebook ads.

http://www.FacebookSpin.com
Che tipo di pubblicità possiamo fare in Facebook? | Social Semantic NewsBlog Says:
November 5th, 2008 at 12:58 am
[...] Via: Inside Facebook [...]
Carlos Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 10:20 am
I did not know all those changes.
Need go there to see. Thanks!
Bill Says:
December 5th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
You forgot to mention the skyscraper ad that runs on some of the pages.
dj enso Says:
December 20th, 2008 at 6:39 am
thanks..

but for a long time i have tried to advertise my facebook “page” in the way you list above as a “page ad”. i have a DJ artist page and i wanna drive people to it and let them become a fan right away in-line. but whenever i set up an ad to promote my page, it shows up as a basic kind of ad, with just the thumbs-up, thumbs-down logos, and no option to “become a fan”. does anyone know what i am doing wrong?

many thanks for your help..!
manu prasad » Social Advertising Says:
January 19th, 2009 at 1:24 am
[...] specific reference to Facebook, as part of its redesign earlier, Facebook had also categorised the different kinds of ads that can be purchased. Out of the 6 categories mentioned, #5 is akin to a first generation banner [...]
Why Facebook? Social Networking for Fun and Profits! by Mari Smith » Blog Archive » Engaging With Facebook Social Ads Says:
January 19th, 2009 at 8:06 am
[...] Smith wrote a great review of the Six Types of Facebook Ads which [...]
Car hire South Africa Says:
January 19th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Thanks for clearing the types of ads up for me
I am pretty new to facebook ads, but have found them to be extremely powerful, and much easier to setup than Google ads.
Greg Rau Says:
January 26th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Just found this Justin. Good write-up. We just had some good success with #4 Page (or Fanning) Ads with Tostitos. Here are some results: http://stepchange.typepad.com/blog/page/2/
Facebook Relaunches Polls as New Home Page Engagement Ad Says:
January 27th, 2009 at 10:01 am
[...] Facebook recently detailed the five types of Facebook home page “engagement” ads available to advertisers: event ads, video ads, virtual gift ads, page ads, and regular website [...]
Vincent Courcelle Says:
February 7th, 2009 at 6:13 am
Hello,

Do anyone knows which types performs generally better?
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March 29th, 2009 at 8:39 am
[...] vraiment toucher massivement les utilisateurs Facebook, Facebook propose une variété de publicités à engagement pour faire interagir des millions d’utilisateurs. Si votre budget est suffisant pour [...]
Experiments in Facebook Social Ads | Kunal Kripalani | Web Tales from the Trenches Says:
April 9th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
[...] http://www.insidefacebook.com/2008/10/30/facebook-advertising-resources-the-6-types-of-ads-on-the-ne... [...]
Facebook Experiments » Blog Archive » Facebook Experiment Number 1 Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:47 pm
[...] facebook-advertising-resources-the-6-types-of-ads-on-the-new-home-page/ [...]
Lord Bain Says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:14 am
Will these ADS be subject to click fraud or in any other fraudulant way like those that have been revealed recently?
ErnieDavis.me » Blog Archive » 10 Things All Businesses Should Do to Market More Effectively on Facebook Says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:56 am
[...] those who want to achieve the widest reach, Facebook’s variety of available home page engagement ads offer a simple way to engage millions of users. If you’re able to meet Facebook’s [...]
Experiments in Facebook Social Ads | Social Media Guidelines Says:
July 9th, 2009 at 2:47 am
[...] facebook-advertising-resources-the-6-types-of-ads-on-the-new-home-page/ [...]
Internet Marketing – Facebook | Struggling to Get Started Says:
August 11th, 2009 at 8:44 am
[...] engaging with ads is a powerful way to increase your visibility. Here is a great review of the Six Types of Facebook Ads which [...]
Facebook Testing New Direct Response Home Page Ad Unit Says:
August 31st, 2009 at 10:52 am
[...] Facebook has created a variety of home page “engagement ad” units for big brands, Facebook is now testing a new kind of home page ad unit that doesn’t drive [...]
Planner Reads » Blog Archive » Facebook Testing New Direct Response Home Page Ad Unit Says:
August 31st, 2009 at 2:13 pm
[...] Facebook has created a variety of home page “engagement ad” units for big brands, Facebook is now testing a new kind of home page ad unit that doesn’t drive users [...]
Facebook Ads Just Became The Biggest Lead Generation Network. « Facebook Ads Says:
September 1st, 2009 at 3:12 pm
[...] Facebook Insider is reporting on a new Facebook Ads ad unit. The new facebook ad unit is an extension of the homepage engagement ads it has been running for large brands. The homepage engagement ads it has been running was the following 6 ad units; Facebook Event Ad, Facebook Video Ad, Facebook Gifts Ad, Facebook Page Ad, Facebook Website Ad, Facebook House Ad (as explained here). [...]
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September 11th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
[...] interest, lifestyle & social graph be the future of advertising? Certainly! Will “engagement ads” change the game of online advertising after Google’s creation of “contextual [...]
Marketing Expert Says:
October 18th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
I have been trying to fine facebook skyscraper or facebook banner advertisment. Come to this website but didnt find a way out. anyone can help? appreciated! Thanks