Facebook now offers a desktop chat application for Windows. Like the company’s standalone mobile app, it is called Facebook Messenger, but the Windows client includes notifications and Ticker to drive users back to the site.

Ticker, a lightweight version of News Feed, has included Sponsored Stories since November. A Facebook spokesperson has confirmed Ticker in the Windows application will function as it does on Facebook.com. Though whether these ads are shown on the website or a desktop client could have different effects on clickthrough rates. As Facebook reviews adoption and engagement of the new app, it will also have to consider ad performance.

The social network is continuing to make its messages product available wherever users might want it. By developing a means of communication that works across devices, Facebook can become the default service people choose to contact each other.

In November 2010, the company began to integrate Facebook messages, chat, SMS and email in such a way that all the conversation between two people, regardless of medium, shows in a single thread. For instance, one user can send a message from the mobile Messenger app that will reach another user who is using chat on Facebook.com. That person can reply from there and the other user can later access the message from the web or mobile inbox. The new desktop client adds another element to this ecosystem.

Messenger for Windows is in a trial period for a small group of people, according to the Help Center where the download link is available.