The Facebook Audience Network has shown great success in only two years since its introduction. In addition, retailers have more reasons now than ever to trust Facebook with their next ad campaign. Finally, digital advertising offers exciting opportunities to B2B brands, no longer just a B2C arena.

In October 2014, Facebook introduced the Facebook Audience Network. In just two years, they announced that more than one billion users see an ad through this platform per month -- we're talking people, not devices. Facebook's publishers have expanded to include brands from all over the globe, like the Washington Post, Daily Mirror, and ETToday. Advertisers who opt into the Audience Network can reach 16% more users on average than they could by advertising on Facebook and Instagram alone. So as advertisers and marketers, it's worth your time to check out the Facebook Audience Network if not already onboard!

Today, consumers have the power to shop anywhere and anytime thanks to their smartphones. We use our phones on our way to work, while in a store, and while watching TV. This has opened the door for retailers to reach consumers along the entire path to purchase. According to Facebook and Kantar Media, 2016 was the first year that Facebook saw more mobile conversions than desktop conversions for the entire Holiday Season. Today, a third of all retail shoppers in the United States have discovered a new product via Facebook. Additionally, a third said that Facebook and Instagram are good places to learn about new products and services. When planning your retail advertising campaigns, advertisers must make sure to think of these platforms first.

While B2C brands are clear beneficiaries of digital advertising, we can't fail to mention the opportunities that exist for B2B brands. B2B brands are increasingly shifting their budgets to programmatic advertising. Dun & Bradstreet released a report on the state of B2B programmatic advertising, detailing why advertising using real customer data (CRM data) is just as important for B2B brands. In fact, 65% of B2B organizations buy programmatic ads today (such as those bought on Google, Facebook, or any display advertising exchanges) and 69% also stated that they'd increase their spend on programmatic advertising in 2017, compared to 2016 with only 3% expecting to decrease their spend. These B2B advertisers have also discovered the benefits of opportunities such as lookalike targeting on Facebook, across devices and channels to find new, high-value customers. Facebook, a mobile-friendly and dominant platform, allows brands to reach customers across devices, meaning they can also reach customers when and wherever they are in their day. This means B2B brands can now be smart about the type of campaigns, the timing, and finding just the right audience when carrying out their ad campaigns.

To learn more about how Next Gen outruns their competition with personalized advertising and customer journeys, check out the full e-book.