Facebook Launches New Business Discovery Test in U.S. News Feed

This morning, Facebook revealed it is initiating a trial of a novel method for users to locate businesses directly within their News Feed in the United States. The upcoming feature will allow users to tap on subjects of interest appearing beneath posts and advertisements. This action will then lead them to explore associated content originating from various businesses.

Context of the Announcement

This development occurs amidst Facebook’s assertions regarding the potential impact of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency update on its small business clientele. While many have characterized these claims as potentially misleading, they did prompt some smaller enterprises to voice anxieties about the consequences for their ad targeting capabilities.

The new test exemplifies Facebook’s capacity to readily modify its News Feed. This allows the platform to gather additional user data as needed.

How the New Feature Will Function

Facebook anticipates users encountering this change under posts and ads from businesses specializing in areas like beauty, fitness, and apparel, among others.

The core concept involves directing users to relevant businesses through a News Feed function. This is triggered when users actively seek out related content. Consequently, Facebook could compile a new dataset detailing user clicks and engagement with specific businesses.

Over time, this feature could evolve into an advertising opportunity. Businesses might then pay for enhanced visibility.

Facebook’s Official Statement

“Currently, users already find businesses while browsing the News Feed, and this will streamline the process of discovering and evaluating new businesses they might not have otherwise encountered,” the company stated in a concise announcement.

Future Plans for the Test

Facebook has not disclosed detailed future plans for this test. However, it indicated that the experience will be broadened to encompass more users and businesses as insights are gained from user interactions.

Additional Tools for Business Owners

Alongside the announcement of the test, Facebook revealed it will introduce further tools for business owners this month. These include the ability to create, publish, and schedule Stories across both Facebook and Instagram.

Business owners will also be able to modify and edit Scheduled Posts. Furthermore, the platform will soon enable the creation and management of Facebook Photos and Albums directly from the Facebook Business Suite.

The Business Suite mobile app will soon support the creation and saving of Facebook and Instagram posts as drafts.

Updates to Ad Products

Facebook has also updated features within its advertising products. These updates focus on facilitating connections between businesses and potential customer leads. This includes enhancements to Lead Ads, Call Ads, and Click to Messenger Lead Generation.

Recent Changes to Facebook Pages

Earlier this year, Facebook unveiled a redesigned Facebook Page experience. This provided businesses with enhanced capabilities for engaging on the social network using their business profile. These capabilities include posting, commenting, and liking, as well as access to a dedicated News Feed.

The platform also removed the Like button, shifting the focus to Followers.

Strategic Timing of the Announcement

It is noteworthy that Facebook is emphasizing its tools for small businesses at a time when concerns are being raised – notably by Facebook itself – about the potential for its platform to become less valuable to small business owners. This potential decline stems from reduced ad targeting precision as users opt out of tracking via Apple’s iOS prompts.