In most advertising systems around the Internet, CPCs are interpreted as clicks on links inside the ad, which lead the user to another page. While the clickthrough rates that Facebook reports to marketers will look deflated because the social clicks no longer count, Facebook already breaks out non-social ad clicks into its own metric, so advertisers will be able to compare old and new campaigns on an apples-to-apples basis.
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The change is the latest step by the social network to shift from a platform that advertisers use strictly for branding to one that drives a direct response, such as a shopper clicking to buy a product or install a retailer’s mobile app.
The change is created to help advertisers better understand – and segment – their business objectives on Facebook, the social giant insists.
This means advertisers who care about link clicks are likely to see a better return on the spending because “they’ll be paying for the most valuable outcome”, Facebook stated. “Separating link clicks from engagement clicks (including likes and comments) means your budget will be spent more efficiently no matter if you bid for clicks or engagement,”.
“Over the last few years, Facebook’s ad offerings have become increasingly tailored to helping advertisers meet specific business objectives”, the spokeswoman said.
Facebook is changing how it measures cost per click (CPC) for advertisers.
“This update [is]… created to provide measurement that’s more closely aligned with how advertisers are bidding so they can better optimize their campaigns against their stated goals”, explained Facebook.
“If an ad has lots of likes and shares, that’s a signal of high-quality content being delivered to the right people”, it adds. Those buying through a Facebook Marketing Partner are urged to speak with that partner to get an idea of when they’ll be implementing the new API with the updated CPC.
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Those who buy through Ads Manager or Power Editor won’t have to do anything for the time being.
