Facebook announced an update to its desktop app ads, enabling game developers to sell virtual goods directly from News Feed and right-hand column ads.

“A developer with a desktop game on Facebook can now promote the sale of a virtual good, such as an extra booster pack, and gamers can purchase the virtual good directly from the ad and start playing the game,” explains Facebook’s Pin Lu.

“Kixeye used these desktop app ads for virtual goods for their game Battle Pirates to reengage active players who were past purchasers, as well as active ones who had not yet paid,” Lu adds. “Kixeye offered discounts on their gold virtual currency and they saw over a 10 percent click-through rate and a 50 percent conversion rate for past purchasers. They saw a 14 percent conversion rate for those who hadn’t paid before. In addition, they targeted their highest value spenders with large discounts — for instance, $500 worth of gold virtual currency for $250 — and saw over 5,000 percent return on ad spend.”

The ads can be created through all Facebook ad interfaces, including Create Flow, Power Editor, or through PMDs.

Promotions that are of a $3 or less value are free to developers to provide to eligible people. This is part of Facebook’s Payer Promotion feature.

Image via Facebook