Facebook Ads: Taking on Google AdWords and Analytics with Conversion Tracking

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February 11, 2010 | BY Brad Wellman
  


Brad Wellman
Spyder Trap Online Marketing

News has just been released that Facebook is rolling out its new Ad Conversion tool for Facebook advertisers to track not only how ads are performing, but also to “track activity that happens on your [the advertiser's] Web site as a result of someone on Facebook seeing or clicking your Facebook Ad.”

Sound familiar? If you answered “yes,” you’re correct!

This is all-too-similar to Google Analytics and AdWords. By allowing advertisers to assign specific values to actions on their Web sites, advertisers can get a deeper understanding of a user’s involvement with a particular ad, optimize ads more effectively and determine ROI more effectively.

Currently the tool is in Beta form, but will steadily be rolled out to everyone. This is huge for Facebook, as this will allow it to compete more toe-to-toe with Google in the multi-billion dollar online advertising market.

How do you think this will affect Google?

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  • http://www.aaronweiche.com Aaron Weiche

    I don’t think it will effect Google, but it will increase the allure of using FB ads even more. Until G looses it’s volume of searches, it won’t suffer from anything. FB isn’t search advertising and Google isn’t social or display ads yet/rightnow/maybeintbeta.

    Good feature on a great new feature though!

  • http://www.twitter.com/bradwellman Brad Wellman

    Thanks for the comment/thoughts Aaron. I too don’t think it directly affects Google, but it is interesting to see Facebook adding a conversion tracking method to more accurately monitor and optimize ROI.

    I think what it DOES do is help solidify Facebook as the key player in the social advertising realm. If Google chooses to enter this market, Facebook would have a much harder time controlling their market share without this tool.

    Just my $0.02

    -Brad

  • http://www.thedeets.com Ed Kohler

    I stick Google Analytics tracking codes on the Facebook ads I place for my projects and client’s ad buys. Personally, I find consolidating my tracking in one consistent interface more valuable than adding a ton of tracking codes from various ad networks.

  • http://www.twitter.com/bradwellman Brad Wellman

    Thanks for the comment, Ed. That makes sense, and from a convenience standpoint it does make things easier. It will be interesting to see how the Facebook Conversion Tool catches on.

    Thanks again!

    -Brad

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