Facebook is introducing a new feature to its self-serve ad tool to allow advertisers to create new page posts directly from the ads creation process.

When users select “promote page posts” from the ad dashboard, they will be given the option to create a new post. Previously, users could only select an existing post or choose to have its newest posts automatically promoted. Now, admins can post a status or photo update to their page without leaving the ad tool. This makes page post ad creation more efficient, especially when the person who manages ad campaigns is different than the person who typically publishes content to the page. Many third-party ad tools included this functionality, but this is the first time Facebook has offered it on its own platform.

For now, advertisers can only post text, links or individual photos from the ad tool. It is not possible to create a full album, offer, event or Facebook Question from this dialog. Posts will appear on a page right away, though the ad will go through the typical approval process before the paid campaign goes live.

A Facebook spokesperson tells us this began rolling out the last week of December 2012 and should be coming to 100 percent of users soon. AimClear was first to report the new feature on its blog.

AimClear also noticed that Facebook has brought back the option to create Sponsored Stories about fans liking and commenting on any post. After a recent redesign, Facebook limited advertisers’ control in this respect, and page owners using Facebook’s self serve ad tool had to indicate specific posts they wanted to promote fan activity for. Now, once again, advertisers can sponsor all page-post Likes and page-post comments by creating a single ad. To do so, they must select “see advanced options” and then “create a new ad about [your page].” The Sponsored Stories options are further down in the dashboard under “stories about your page.”