When it comes to discovering new applications on mobile devices, it can be a jungle out there for most consumers, as both Apple and Google Play don’t provide any sort of “discovering” tool that makes it easy to find new apps, outside of a few highlighted ones from specific publishers. However, Facebook has taken a step towards allowing users to find new apps with ease.
On the company’s app, there’s a new bookmark on the mobile navigation menu labeled “Find Apps,” according to TechCrunch. With it, users can find a plethora of app install ads and engagement ads, enabling them to install new programs with a few simple clicks.
Facebook confirmed the feature, stating, “We’re always looking for ways to help people discover apps that are relevant for them, as well as opportunities for advertisers to reach these people, so we’re exploring a few new places to surface apps we think people will be interested in.”
The Find Apps feed works very similarly to the News Feed, with various games and other programs detailed, featuring descriptions, images and the necessary “Install Now” button.
Facebook based these ads on specific audiences for advertisers, as well as a News Feed-styled algorithm for ranking. With it, it charges the same amount to advertisers for them, including same cost per click (CPC), cost per install (CPI) or optimized cost per one thousand impressions (oCPM), with no additional charges beyond that.
It’s an optional tab, one that those who use AdBlock or a similar service don’t have to put up with. However, it’s a tool that could help those discover the next big program or game – and sometimes at no cost, as some of them are introduced as free-to-play releases.
Considering that Facebook made a huge profit from mobile ads this past year (to the tune of nearly $2 billion), it’s no surprise that it would introduce a service like this. Now it’s just a matter of time before it sees how successful it is – and how much its avidly social user base interacts with it.
