Facebook is currently testing augmented reality advertisements on the social network's News Feed, which will allow users to try on the products through the technology.
Facebook said at its F8 developer conference in May that it was developing augmented reality advertising for Messenger and Instagram. The company is now bringing the technology to retail ads on the Facebook News Feed, ahead of the 2018 holiday shopping season.
Facebook AR Ads: Here's How They Will Work
Facebook revealed that it will be rolling out augmented reality ads that will allow users to try out sunglasses and makeup on their face as well as furniture in their homes, all from their News Feed.
Only users in the United States will be able to see the AR ads for now, which will work similar to the camera filters that were first popularized by Snapchat before finding their way into Facebook and Messenger. The ads look like traditional, static ones, but the augmented reality portion kicks in after tapping a button.
The first brand to launch augmented reality ads on Facebook News Feeds is Michael Kors. The fashion company will be advertising different sunglasses, which users can try on by using their smartphone's camera. If the users like a pair, they may then proceed with purchasing the sunglasses, all within the ad.
Other applications of the technology include seeing how makeup looks when applied on a user's face and how a piece of furniture looks when inside the user's living room.
"We know our customer is highly visual, and we are always looking for ways to deliver experiences that are not only unexpected but relevant, personalized and useful to her in her shopping journey," said Michael Kors in a statement to BuzzFeed News,
According to Facebook VP of product marketing Ty Ahmad-Taylor, augmented reality ads look to take customers straight from product discovery to shopping. The advertisements will not only make shopping more immersive for customers, but it will also help businesses improve sales.
The Future Of Augmented Reality In Facebook
Augmented reality advertisements are already generating interest from several high-profile companies. Bobbi Brown, Nyx Professional Makeup, Pottery Barn, Sephora and Wayfair will start testing AR ads within the summer.
With these brands all set to test the technology, Facebook users in the United States should expect to see more augmented reality ads on their News Feeds soon.
The AR ads are being tested by Facebook to study the pricing model for the advertisements and to see how users interact with them. If all goes well, Facebook will be opening up the technology to all advertisers by the end of 2018.
