Josh Lawson | @JoshKLawson

Social media has become a huge part of society in the past few years, with 78 percent of Americans possessing at least one social media profile. Since these services are free for all users, how do the companies that create them make money? Most, if not all social media platforms have integrated ads into user’s feeds to stimulate revenue. Facebook is one of the most notorious culprits, by compiling user data to tailor ads. In a new wave of social media innovation, Facebook has begun to publish ads on their Messenger app.

The ads are positioned below “recent conversations” and feature prominent thumbnails with a “learn more” link, similar to how Facebook Pages can create a call to action for their followers. The ads in Messenger will appear “below the fold”, but users will still have to scroll past them to use the app’s main features. As of recently, the Messenger ads only appear for users in Australia and Thailand as a way for the company to test how users respond.

Don’t worry though. Facebook has said in a blog post that ads will not appear in individual conversations within the app unless users interact with brands. The company can then choose whether or not they want to send a promoted message to them. Businesses will also have the opportunity to select their target audiences and even publish delivery times if they offer that service. On the plus side, all clicks or taps will open the ad directly within the app instead of taking users to a web browser.

Social media is growing exponentially, so it can be hard to stay current on every platform and updates. Let us help you understand the ins and outs! Follow us on Twitter: @SocialMediaDel