Dive Brief:
- Facebook has formally introduced the new ad-free design for brand Pages on desktop, according to Marketing Land.
- The new design brings desktop Pages more in line with Facebook Pages' mobile experience, providing brands with a call-to-action button under the profile image and an upgraded tab navigation.
- “We’ve introduced a new design for Pages on desktop to make it easier for people to learn about and interact with businesses on Facebook, including a new column for tab navigation and a more prominent call-to-action button," a Facebook spokesperson told Marketing Land.
Dive Insight:
The news of the new ad-free Pages comes as users frustrated with poor ad experiences are adopting ad blockers on mobile and desktop. Although Pages are becoming ad-free, there is no indication from Facebook that the desktop homepage and user profile pages won't have ads. Removing ads could give Pages a cleaner look and feel, offsetting any loss of revenue from ads served.
The move has been coming. Last month, Marketing Land reported that Facebook was testing a number of different layouts for Pages, including several ad-free options. During the testing, it was speculated that Facebook was looking to improve the user experience on Pages, as well as offer businesses, publishers and celebrities a hub on the platform that did more to feature the brand without the distraction that ads brought to Pages.
Facebook was the first social media platform to use its news feed algorithm to push marketers to a pay-for-play model rather than building an organic audience of followers, which was the primary social media strategy for many brands just a few years ago. Rolling out ad-free Pages could be seen as appreciation for the brands that are active on the platform.
