Facebook rolls out more ad targeting tools as it reaches 250m users

LONDON - Facebook has introduced additional targeting features allowing advertisers to increase engagement with users they have a relationship with and more easily branch out campaigns in multiple countries.

Three new targeting techniques have been added to Facebook Ads, most notably, Connection Targeting, which allows advertisers to target their ads only at users who are fans of their pages, members of their groups or users of their applications.

Facebook said Connection Targeting allows for increased engagement with the users advertisers are already connected to, using it as a paid notification of cross-promotion channel.

Advertisers can also use Multiple Country Targeting to reach users on an international level with a single campaign.

Previously, advertisers were required to create different ads for each country they were advertising in.

The company has also revealed Birthday Targeting, allowing advertisers to target users specifically on their birthdays.

The new targeting techniques accompany Facebook's announcement it has just reached 250m members worldwide, having had 50m new members join since April.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, wrote in a blog post: "Today as we celebrate our 250 millionth user, we are also continuing to develop Facebook to serve as many people in the world in the most effective way possible.

"This means reaching out to everyone across the world and making products that serve all of you, wherever you are -- whether through Facebook Connect, new mobile products and the other things that we are building.

"We're grateful to have all of you with us, and we look forward to helping connect the next quarter billion people on Facebook."