While retailers have had limited access to this data since 2018 through Meta’s Advanced Analytics, direct access to impression logs gives them the data themselves. Previously, third-party retail measurement firms provided this data.
“Now you can be hands-on and see the impression logs and query against them as you see fit,” the source told ADWEEK.
While Meta is giving more retailers impression data, the source expected the process to be very labor intensive, and suggested that Meta might need to hire more staff to do so.
“We’re always testing new measurement solutions with our partners,” a Meta spokesperson said, but declined to share details around impression logs.
Meta’s new connection to in-person commerce
In March, Meta introduced a way for retailers to run multi-product carousel ads on Facebook and Instagram, directing users to both ecommerce websites or physical stores. These carousels can use AI to send highly-personalized ads to specific consumers.
It’s part of Meta’s effort to enable “omnichannel optimization,” according to Karin Tracy, group lead for retail and ecommerce at Meta. Though still in beta, the ads aimed at driving in-store and ecommerce sales are driving a 21% higher incremental return on ad spend compared to ads only aimed at driving ecommerce sales, she said.
“With retail media networks, we’re here to be their partner,” Tracy told ADWEEK.
These product updates come at a needed time, as Meta is facing tight competition with other social media platforms to cozy up to retailers.
“Snap and TikTok have also shown up in the last three-to-six months in a way that they really weren’t, historically,” one retail media source said.
