The End Of Facebook Ads For Affiliates?

Posted on Mar 16, 2011 in Facebook Advertising | 21 comments

This post title is not an exaggeration. Affiliates may see a huge blow from Facebook in the next few months.

The Issue
Facebook may be replacing Keyword Targeting with Category Targeting. Meaning you can’t target people who like “Kobe Bryant”, instead you can only target “Basketball”. I don’t know the extent of the category targeting, i’m sure decently deep targeting will be available, but it absolutely will have a big negative impact on affiliates who use Facebook Ads.

Over the last month a limited group of Facebook advertisers (chosen at random) have had there keyword targeting completely removed, and replaced with category targeting. This is a very unusual way of testing out a new website feature, especially for paying advertisers.

“In an email to AllFacebook.com, Facebook’s Online Operations Team explains that the test among a limited set of advertisers uses “Broad Category” targeting “rather than individual targeting criteria -
While Facebook says this will make it “easier” for advertisers to reach their desired audience, it takes away the ability to drill down within categories. Many see this as a step backwards.”

Category Targeting Screenshot

What Does This Mean For Affiliates?
Overall it means your laser targeted campaigns (how many make great ROI from facebook) will be no longer. The ability to target trends, celebs, and many other specific things will be gone and you’ll have to adapt to targeting categories only. This will mean more people who aren’t interested in your ad will be seeing your ad whether you like it or not. Which usually will = lower CTR and conversion rates. Affiliates will have to adapt and think of how to use categories to their benefit.

Here’s Whats Forsure
- Facebook has chosen random accounts and replaced their keyword targeting options with category targeting options
- You can’t opt out if your account is seeing category targeting
- There has not been word whether they will be rolling out category targeting 100%, or if it will replace keyword targeting

Speculations
- They may remove keyword targeting altogether, It’s widely speculated this will be the case.
- Facebook may offer ‘keyword targeting’ to advertisers who hit a threshold of $30k+/month in spending.

Why Introduce Category Targeting
The main reason is it makes advertising easier for small businesses and that’s Facebook target client. Facebook wants small local businesses to advertise on their system, not affiliates. In the past small businesses would often skip keyword targeting because it’s way above their heads, but with category targeting it’s simplified for them to use.

Category targeting may open up some new opportunity’s for affiliates. I can already think of a few, but if keyword targeting is taken away completely then there are a lot more downsides to all of this.

It’s not a question of whether Facebook is introducing category targeting, it’s a question of if they’re taking away keyword targeting.