Facebook is introducing Sponsored Stories as a new form of advertising. Sponsored Stories are stories that your friends have published in your News Feed. These stories show up on the right hand side of pages on Facebook. The types of stories that can be presented include Page Likes, Facebook Applications interactions, Facebook Places check-ins and normal Page posts.
When your friends interact with businesses and organizations on Facebook (for example when they like a company’s Business Page or check-in to a business using Facebook Places), stories about their activity are generated in your News Feed. When the same stories appear again as Facebook Sponsored Stories it’s more likely that you’ll learn about the things your friends like. Unlike Sponsored Stories Facebook Ads on the other hand contain custom messages from advertisers. They are sometimes paired with news about social interactions your friends have taken such as Liking a Page or doing an RSV to an event.
Kris Olin, MSc (Econ.) * Editor in Chief at Social Media Revolver * Web Designer * SEO Specialist * Author of the Facebook Advertising Guide. Follow Kris on Twitter and LinkedIn. See his photos at Flickr.