Facebook Launches Targeted Ad Platform

Facebook is hoping to attract advertisers with Facebook Ads, an ad unit that automatically adapts to what Facebook users are writing about. If a user talks about the new Mazda CX-7 they just bought, for example, the post appears in their friends' news feeds along with a Mazda ad.

• Press Release: Facebook Launches Facebook Ads
• Press Release: Facebook Ads Kicks Off With 12 Partners

A user's profile can also specify the person's personal preferences. That information can also trigger a targeted ad.

Some of the advertisers who've already signed up for Facebook Ads include Sprite, CitySearch and Blockbuster. Not to be left behind, competitor MySpace.com launched Hypertargeting this week, an ad program similar to Facebook ads.