'Sponsored Stories' could make marketers love Facebook 'likes'

Facebook has launched a new ad format, called “Sponsored Stories,” that turns consumers' actions on the social network into marketing content. However, the big question is whether consumers will accept that.

Mashable's Ben Parr notes that Facebook has “been timid about new ad formats after the spectacular failure of Beacon.” However, he added that “Sponsored Stories seems to be a simple and logical way to introduce new forms of advertising into Facebook's system.”

In 2007, consumer outrage stopped Facebook from receiving information from third-party websites to enhance targeted advertising on site.

However, “Sponsored Stories” might be good news for social media marketers, according to Business Insider's Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry. “It's obvious that likes related to commercial action have commercial value, and that Facebook can monetize that value,” he reported. “It's a simple way for Facebook to make money, and we're sure social media advertisers will love this.”