Facebook's Social Ads

So Facebook announced their Social Ads concept today...you can find info on the press conference and the concept all across the internet.....As you do that, you'll likely go to Google, type in a couple of keywords like "Facebook Press Conference" or something like that and the results will be returned accompanied by a text advertisement.....if i understand the Social Ads concept, the integration of advertising will be completely different in many ways, from how Google has monetized their inventory.

Facebook will use the news feeds function to allow its users to recommend brands and has also launched "Pages", which sounding similar to Myspace, will allow brands, products, etc.. to launch its own pages for users to interact with. Ads will also be targeted to users based on info in their profile...a no-brainer,and of all the items they announced, the one that sounds most in the interest of the facebook end user.

I have tried to come up with a POV on the announcement, and after thinking about it, will have to take a wait and see approach...On an emotional level, it feels wrong....i use Facebook, but do not anticipate myself recommending brands to others...Unlike the Google business model, which enhanced user experience (more targeted advertisements relevant to your search), this Facebook announcement, on the surface, will detract from end user experience, cause we don't come there to interact with brands, we come there to interact with people.

I understand that brand interaction is really key for marketers, but as a mass marketing strategy, I am not sold. As an example, I've used Yahoo's Avatars application for a few months, and while I am presenting with opportunities to create branded avatars each time i visit the site, up until today, when I tested out my pepsi avatar, haven't really felt compelled to associate myself with Pepsi in this way. (By the way, check out the picture when I set up my pepsi avatar, was served a Dr. Pepper Ad - Nice! )

Maybe I am not the target audience? Possibly, but again, there in lies a crack in the foundation of Facebook's revenue model....When my mom, my dad, my aunts and uncles searche google, they ALL see more relevant text ads as a result of Google's ad technology...If Facebook is banking on increased interactions with brands to bankroll their operation, I think there will be substantial challenges.

But, what do i know? Right? Time will tell...