Facebook set to 'shake up' mobile market

Facebook used its f8 developer conference to officially launch a much anticipated mobile advertising network, called the Facebook Audience Network, which will support standard IAB banners, interstitials and native advertising.

The roll out of the Audience Network is highly significant move as it the first time Facebook will execute advertising on third party applications.

"Facebook has tested the ground for a mobile advertising network in the past but has preceded with caution, sensibly waiting until it built the requisite mobile app advertising expertise, audience and brand traction on its own properties," says Eden Zoller, Principal Analyst, Consumer Telecoms, Ovum.

Mobile advertising now accounts for 59% of Facebook’s total advertising revenues and Zoller believes the industry would expect the Audience Network to play a key role in driving further growth in mobile advertising going forward.

"But the mobile advertising network space is very crowed and Facebook’s will have to compete with more established players such as Google’s AdMob, Millennial Media and Twitter’s MoPub, to name but a few," Zoller adds.

"The entry of Facebook will without doubt shake up the market and keep at least some of these players awake at night."

Can Facebook "shake up" the mobile market?