Facebook seems to be planning an ad platform that would use a system similar to those already used by other search properties, such as Google, to show targeted ads on its pages. Basically, marketers will be a chance to show ads based on the information users reveal about themselves on the Facebook site. This is a priority plan for Facebook, and the first basic version of this system is to be unveiled late this fall. The plan itself is still in a very early stage though.

Facebook hopes to refine the upcoming ad system to allow it to predict what products and services users might be interested in before they have actually mentioned an area of interest in their profile or actions on Facebook. Facebook acknowledged the plan but didn’t specify any details about the new system. There are indications from people familiar with the plan that the company is aiming to create a similar system to Google’s AdWords, allowing advertisers to place ads next to regular search results.

There has been a lot of hype about Facebook, with opinions ranging from “it will only get bigger” to “the hype will die down”. This new move by Facebook clearly shows the way the company is aiming to go. Indeed, with the number of new subscribers growing every day, and with some 33 million users already, Facebook has something to look forward to with the new ad plan. There is a lot of revenue potential, and with proper targeting, meybe some really good results for future advertisers on Facebook.

Via Wall Street Journal and Reuters.

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