Users of Facebook's apps -- for Android, iPad and iPhone -- may begin seeing ads as soon as early March, as the company looks to gain an addition revenue source before it goes public.
Sources close to the matter say Facebook has already discussed proposals with advertising agencies, according to the Financial Times. Facebook began running sponsored stories in December 2011. Featured stories will appear in the mobile news feed -- similar to Twitter's promoted tweets -- mixed in with posts from your friends.
[More from Mashable: How Social Media Could Improve Public Safety]
In Facebook's paperwork for its Initial Public Offering, filed Feb. 1, the company pointed to mobile as a potential revenue source -- and warned that the lack of mobile revenue was one of the things that could harm it. Nearly half of Facebook's 845 million users access the site via mobile device.
One source told FT Facebook would incentivize advertisers to link within Facebook, rather than directing users off-site.
[More from Mashable: Fed Up With Facebook Changes? Try Friendio [VIDEO]]
Facebook will hold an event for marketers in New York Feb. 29, so we can expect announcements of new ways they can use the social network. Facebook is yet to unveil Timeline brand pages, although that move is anticipated in coming weeks as Facebook rolls out Timeline for all users.
Will ads on Facebook mobile deter you from using the service? Is a smartphone screen too small for promoted stories? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Additional Facebook IPO Coverage
- Facebook Files for $5 Billion IPO
- Facebook IPO Reveals How It Made $3.71 Billion in 2011
- 10 Giant Things Less Valuable Than Facebook
- Zuckerberg to Potential Shareholders: Facebook Is on a Social Mission
- Facebook IPO Filing Flings Open the Social Network Kimono
- Facebook: Zynga Generates 12% of Our Revenue and We Need Them
- Sheryl Sandberg Was Facebook’s Best-Paid Employee in 2011
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, franckreporter
This story originally published on Mashable here.
