I’ve read the announcement about Facebook’s Social Ads. What are you thinking Mark Z? Did you ask your audience what they think about this? I know you asked your advertisers because they’re desperate to get real value out of the money they’re spending. (Full disclosure: Crimson posts ads on Facebook). I know you asked yourself how you can get more advertising revenue from your asset of 52 million members. But something is missing in this logic, and that’s value to the member.

I’d like to help address the question of: “Why would a member willingly help promote an advertiser?”.

Well I can think of four reasons, and I recommend that the advertisers who want to take advantage of social ads design their ads around these concepts:

1. Compensate members who forward ads. For example, “Earn Facebook points”,
2. Share the ad to help my friend. For example, “Here’s a job listing I thought you’d like”,
3. Share the ad to entertain. For example, “This is really funny, watch this”,
4. Share the ad to do some social good. For example, “Visit www.freerice.com and donate rice to the needy”.

To make this work, you have to provide value to your users. I sincerely hope that is a key part of your plan.