Meta Works on the “Basic Ads” Plan to Comply with New Privacy Policies

Everyone seems to know that Facebook has built its success on advanced targeting which made ads on it more relevant. But how can it go without it, forced by regulations and privacy obsession? The answer is called “Basic Ads”, and it seems to be the version of Facebook advertising that (as Meta puts it) does not use too advanced targeting technologies that come close to stalking.

The new product for marketers is advertised as “privacy-friendly”, the term that sounds contradictory as it refers to ads. But Meta seems to come up with the best of both worlds: the users get their privacy intact, and the marketers still may get the right audience. How will it function?

Well, it’s secret so far, but we know what it’s supposed not to do. According to the article by Business Insider, Facebook wants to develop a method of marketing that does not use any personal data from users even in the anonymized form that’s been so hyped about recently. The name of the new plan is “Basic Ads”, and it only uses the basic metrics like video views and overall engagement.

This will, in theory, motivate marketers to develop the new approach that makes their ads more engaging (read: viral), so the more engagement the ad generates, the easier it is for it to reach the audience. The price will vary too, though not too much. The main change Basic Ads will bring is shifting the focus to general brand awareness rather than specific products targeted to narrower audience.

The effect of these campaigns may be lower than that of those using targeting heavily. But this seems to be the most adequate response to the new policies around, like, say, Apple ATT update which allows users not to be tracked by apps they install on their iPhones and iPads. So, while lesser efficiency is recompensed by wider approach and reviewed strategies, it has a chance to succeed.

What do you think of this new product? If you are a marketer or an advertiser, how do you expect to use it relevantly? If you are just a user, don’t you think it will bring lots of unrelated ads to your feed? Let’s speak about it in the comments!