| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
Facebook Pauses Placing Mobile Ads In Apps; May Charge For Messages
Facebook sure is desperate to monetize its business. It only recently announced the launch of auto-play video ads that will appear in the news feed. Earlier in April, it launched Facebook Offers in a bid to help brands connect with consumers and earn revenue via sponsored ads. Now, Facebook has announced that it will start charging for messages.
First, let’s understand how the revamped Facebook inbox works. I visited my Facebook inbox and saw that the settings have been changed. As you can see in the picture below, by clicking on the ‘Other’ option you can choose who can send you messages. There is the ‘Strict’ setting which ensures that you see messages in your inbox from friends only. The ‘Basic’ setting ensures messages from friends and people you may know enter your inbox.
As per the newly launched feature, if you want to send a message to someone who isn’t in your circle of friends, you will have to pay 1$ to ensure that the message is routed to the person’s ‘inbox’ for certain and that it does not get lost in the ‘others’ folder. These charges are only applicable to US citizens.
While fine-tuning inbox settings is fine, I think levying a fee on the same is unnecessary. In a day when sending messages and connecting with ‘strangers’ is getting easy and free, I don’t understand how Facebook thinks it is feasible to charge for messages. Also, stalkers and marketers will have a field day ensuring their messages reach the inbox for sure!
In other news, the social media giant has decided against rolling out ads in smartphone apps. With this decision, users can be sure of having an ad-free app experience. Though this move does renew questions about how Facebook will make money from apps from where most of its users are active. Any app ads will be removed by the end of the year and Facebook will focus on optimizing the news-feed sponsored/featured ads which are often shared among friends.
I feel right now, Facebook is as confused as a headless chicken. It knows that it wants to make money but has no idea how to. All these constant changes to policies/TL and rolling out of plans without testing them enough is sure to harm the Facebook brand. I think it is time for Facebook to decipher which direction it wants to proceed in and then stick to it. Wouldn’t you agree?
Image Courtesy | weeklyworldnews
Looking For A Social Media Agency?? – Contact WATConsult – India’s Leading Social Media Agency
WATBlog is India’s Best Blog Of 2009 and is owned and managed by WATMedia Pvt Ltd a Digital Media Company that aims at being the thought leader in the space by Connecting the Web, Advertising and Technology (WAT) Industry in India.
2012-12-21 02:46:54
Source:
