Facebook has announced it will partnering with data and marketing companies to deliver more targeted ads based on people's buying habits.

Needle in the haystack

Facebook is teaming up with companies including Epsilon, Acxiom and BlueKai to power the project, which will allow brands to cross-reference Facebook Profiles with purchases made through retail loyalty programs. 

This data will help brands in two ways. They can either build a campaign based around these insights, or Facebook will create targeted categories such as “people who recently purchased baby products.”

For example, if the data shows a user has began buying baby products recently, a nappy brand would be able to direct ads via desktop and mobile to this user.

Privacy concerns

As Facebook-owned Instagram recently discovered, ad-friendly features can face a backlash if users have privacy concerns.

Facebook appears sensitive to this and released the following statement regarding the privacy controls for its new targeting.

“[Our] partners use a privacy and data-protective matching process. This process is specifically designed so that we don’t share private information about individuals with marketers.

“People will still have the same control over the ads they see on Facebook. They can learn more about the ads they see, give feedback, or opt-out using the controls we provide in the ads themselves or in the Help Center.”

Match made in marketing heaven

If the new targeting system is successful it could open up not only new revenue streams for Facebook, but give marketers access to a huge, tailoured slice of Facebook's 1 billion monthly active users.

Facebook's targeted ad service is now being rolled out in the US, with a global release expected in the coming weeks.

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