Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 29, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
German advertisers wishing to reach their target groups through Facebook can contact the Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions sales team from February 4. Display formats such as skyscrapers and superbanners are available, marketed exclusively by Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions on the popular social-networking platform. They are delivered to Facebook users who log in to the social network with a German IP address. Through the Microsoft Direct Response bidding system, customers can place sales campaigns on a cost-per-click or cost-per-thousand-contacts basis at particularly economical rates. In parallel, various targeting options enable efficiently managed product launches, image campaigns or sponsorship packages with a high contact density.
“By marketing Facebook, we can give our advertising customers in Germany access to one of the most exciting social networks of all,” says Markus Frank, Director Sales & Trade Marketing Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions Germany. “Facebook’s international user community is an ideal fit for our cross-border marketing portfolio and Microsoft’s social-networking strategy. Through the partnership with Facebook, we can further expand and consolidate our strong expertise among the 18–29-year-old target group, which we gained through Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Spaces.”
Better advertising on social networks
Social networks such as Facebook offer advertisers ideal conditions for reaching a well-connected and highly active premium audience with broad sociodemographic coverage. Facebook users integrate the platform and the communities formed through it deeply into their everyday lives: on average, each Facebook user visits the social network nine times per month* to communicate with their 120 friends.* The average user generates around 115 page views*. Combined with the interactive communication and information services of Windows Live, Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions can deliver powerful cross-platform campaigns from a single source.
Facebook with dynamic growth
Facebook is one of the world’s most dynamic social-networking platforms, with around 34 million unique users* and growth of around 150,000 new members per day*. Facebook users spend an average of around 20 minutes per day on the platform** and generate around 40 billion page views per month*. Facebook users have uploaded around 1.8 billion photos* and are organised into more than 6 million groups*. There are currently more than 2,000 add-on applications for Facebook published by users or third-party providers*.
At the end of October last year, Microsoft and Facebook agreed a strategic partnership. Under this arrangement, Microsoft holds a 1.6 percent stake in Facebook, corresponding to a value of around 240 million dollars.At the same time as the current agreement with Microsoft, the offering will continue to be marketed centrally through Facebook itself.
*Source: Facebook
** Source: ComScore Media Metrix
