A document leaked to TechCrunch reveales Facebook will be integrating advertising into its Messenger app starting in the second quarter of 2016. It's not the advertising you'd expect, though. Rather, advertising messages will be sent to users who have previously initiated chats with the company.
"Our aim with Messenger is to create a high quality, engaging experience for 800 million people around the world, and that includes ensuring people do not experience unwanted messages of any type," a Facebook spokesperson commented, neglecting to confirm or deny the news.
One could take that to mean it considers messages received from companies previously engaged are not unwanted.
The types of ads currently suggested by Facebook include sales news, product launch news, videos, GIFs, and more.
It appears part of this change is a new URL for businesses -- fb.com/msg/CompanyName -- which customers can use to instantly chat to companies, like a 1-800 number except not horribly inefficient. This could be promoted on social media and web pages in the name of promoting good customer service as well as Messenger advertising.
