Facebook now lets brands use dynamic ads to drive mobile app installs

Facebook’s dynamic product ads are getting an upgrade. The social networking company is now letting brands use this marketing format to drive mobile app installs. Now, when users see these ads on a website or on Facebook, they may be directed to install the retailer, hotelier, or merchant’s mobile app.

“It’s really not just about discovery — it’s not that simple anymore,” said Christine De Martini, who heads up mobile monetization product marketing at Facebook. “It’s about discovery by the right people [who] will do valuable things in the app and engage over time.” She went on to explain that app businesses are focused on reaching the right users, those who will provide real value to brands.

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The unveiling during the holiday season is no coincidence. Facebook explained that when people get smartphones over Christmas, they’ll spend January and February installing apps and getting acquainted with the technology. This makes the mobile app install for dynamic ads particularly timely — brands eager to tap into the shopping season can immediately leverage this ad format.

When it’s enabled, consumers will be able to browse through different products from businesses and will eventually come upon an ad instructing them to download the brand’s mobile app. This is different from ordinary mobile app install ads, as Facebook believes these ads target users already interested in the product and brand. While the installs won’t drive immediate returns, they can deliver benefits over the long-term, as having an app installed on a shopper’s smartphone keeps it top of mind.

De Martini claims that brands will find this new offering particularly appealing because there’s been a recent shift in expectation. Companies are no longer interested in volume and discovery and now want a more inclusive experience and to know how much value is being driven. “This is a big focus area for Facebook,” she said, and for brands it’s “help me grow my business, be sustainable, find the right people versus the cheapest install we can get.” “This is a tool that will help app businesses get to their bottom line,” she concluded.

This is the latest update to dynamic ads, which have been seen by 440 million people in the three months ending in May. More than 2.5 billion products have also been uploaded to Facebook. And the company has since extended the ad format to Instagram and travel companies, building on its retail and ecommerce verticals.