Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, and this is due to its many convenient features. However, Facebook is also known for having a lot of ads.
If you are wondering why Facebook has so many ads, you are not alone. Keep reading to learn more about why this tech giant has so many advertisements when you use it.
Why So Many Ads On Facebook?
1. The Ads Make Money For Facebook
Facebook is wildly popular, and its popularity means that advertising companies will gain exposure to a lot of people if they post ads on the platform.
Companies are willing to pay Facebook huge sums to have their ads distributed across Facebook. For them, they see it as an excellent investment.
On the other hand, Facebook also benefits as they can gain a lot of money from the transaction. This revenue is vital to keeping their standing as an incredibly successful company.
2. Facebook Is Free
Facebook does not charge its users, and so it must use ads to generate income. If Facebook did not have ads or had an ad-free option, it would have to charge its users.
We can see this phenomenon with other services that offer premium subscriptions to avoid ads. Facebook does not do this as it prides itself on being a free social media platform.
3. The Ads Are Personalized
Facebook is one of the most technologically progressive companies, and this means it uses algorithms to know what your interests are.
Once it knows what your interests are, it shows you ads that are relevant to you. In this way, it knows that it is only showing you things that you might click on.
These ads can be corresponding to the following things:
- Your hobbies
- Recent internet searches
- Your job
- Other aspects of your identity, such as children or pets
This might seem a bit creepy, and many people take issue with the platform’s lack of transparency and privacy.
However, some also find this convenient as you can find more personalized ads with information that interests you.
4. Facebook Can Learn More About You
Similarly, Facebook may be able to learn important information about you based on your interaction with ads that they can factor into their data collection and algorithms.
Although Facebook already knows a lot to begin with based on tracking across other websites, it is always looking to learn more.
Ads are extremely reliable in predicting this. Of course the accidental click always happens, but it is known that you are more likely to click on an ad if you are interested.
This information that they collect can then be sold to advertisers or other forms of data collection, increasing the revenue for the company. This is an extremely controversial practice.
Even though you can block cookies to regulate the extent that Facebook can track you on other websites, clicking on an ad on Facebook is a sure way to give them information.
5. You Are Not Using An Ad Blocker
If you have a true hatred for internet ads, you have probably heard of an ad blocker. These can be installed on your browser and will prevent ads from showing up.
These will increase the speed of your computer and also give fewer distractions. Many people like them because they preserve the flow of looking at a website without interruptions.
Facebook may continue to use ads because they figure if you really hate it, you can purchase or download an ad blocker.
For this reason, it does not factor into their customer service requirements.
6. They Can Generate Good Publicity For Facebook
Facebook has been known in recent years for its controversy surrounding ads. In addition to privacy, its lack of regulation on the truthfulness of political ads is also noted.
Though these might sound like bad things, anyone in marketing knows that any press is good press. Facebook is continuing to get attention with its content.
7. They Know You Will Continue Using Facebook
This last one is a little more speculative, but as one of the most popular and pioneering social media platforms, Facebook can reliably count on people still using it.
Facebook has endured controversies since its inception, and it knows that it offers valuable services like the following:
- Connection with friends
- A free platform
- Marketplace and vending opportunities
- Event organization
This social media is valuable not only for individuals, but companies and organizations to reach followers across the world.
Essentially, Facebook knows that it offers an excellent product. It counts on this upside to offset the potential annoyance caused by ads, and knows that its customers will keep coming back.
Conclusion
Whether you use Facebook multiple times a day or have only seen it once or twice in your life, you have probably noticed the numerous ads on all pages of the site that are very specific.
These ads serve an important purpose for earning the company money, and they are part of what allows it to be free and available for its users. Although they are annoying, Facebook needs ads.