Starting this week, businesses wanting to post Facebook Offers to their customers will have to purchase $5 worth of targeted advertising. The move is an indication of the social network’s need for new revenue streams, as well as its desire to localize its advertising.
Under the Offers program businesses (with 400 or more friends) can push out an offer through their fans’ newsfeeds. It’s hoped that sending out offers through this medium will both increase the company’s profile and build up social shares.
Facebook has been offering the Offers program all summer at no charge and recently declared that testing period a success. Now that the testing period is over, businesses will need to spend at least $5 in targeted advertising in order to push out an offer.
Tying Offers to targeted ads insures that users will only receive offers that are valid in their part of the country.
Company officials are using a recent offer from the Aria in Las Vegas as an example of the program’s success. The hotel sold 1,500 room nights by tying a two-night reservation to a $110 resort credit and VIP club pass.
There’s no word on whether the Offers would be available to gambling operations.
Will you be using Facebook Offers to promote your sites? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.