Facebook Now Allows Direct News Feed Sales of Virtual Goods for Desktop Games

Facebook has updated its desktop app ads to now allow game developers to sell virtual goods directly from an ad in the news feed or the right-hand column. 

A developer with a desktop game on Facebook can now promote the sale of a virtual good outside of the app and gamers can purchase the virtual good directly from the ad and start playing the game.

As part of desktop app engagement ads, developers can use virtual good promotions and sales to convert players into payers, or reengage and build loyalty with existing payers. Using desktop app ads for virtual goods, developers can choose to promote a set of in-game currency or a virtual good at a discount, and people on Facebook will see this ad and be able to purchase the promotion right in the news feed or in the right hand column.

This type of ad uses calls to action "Buy Now" or "Get Offer" and allows the user to purchase the item or currency and return to the app to play and use it immediately. The "Get Offer" can only be used when promoting a discounted virtual good or set of currency.

In order to accept these payments and reengage players, an app has to be properly configured and the app’s server should be prepared to fulfill the orders. To create a desktop app ad for a virtual good, use the Facebook "App Engagement" objective, and choose either Buy Now or Get Offer as the call to action. Developers will be prompted to provide a Virtual Good Link which is the Open Graph link for the item or currency to promote.

Promotions at a value of $3 or less will be free for developers to provide to eligible people as part of Facebook’s existing Payer Promotion feature, just as they are within all desktop apps.