Facebook today launched a new feature for advertisers: cross-device reporting for ads. In short, marketers can now see where users saw an ad and where they converted, across mobile apps and the Web.

To view cross-device conversions for campaigns, go to Facebook Ad Reports, click Edit Columns, and select Cross-Device in the left-hand menu:

You might be wondering which part is new here. While Facebook targeting, delivery, and conversion tracking has always worked across devices, this new reporting shows how users are moving across devices before they convert.

Let Facebook paint you a picture:

Imagine seeing an ad for a product on your mobile phone while in line at the bank. Do you immediately make a purchase on your phone? Probably not. But perhaps you go back to your office later that day and buy on your desktop computer. Such cross-device conversions are becoming increasingly common as people move between their phones, tablets and desktop computers to interact with businesses.

People are increasingly using multiple devices throughout the day. It thus follows that some are starting activities (like shopping) on one device and finishing it on another. Users might be tapping ads on their smartphone and then buying a given product on their desktop, or clicking ads on their laptop and then making a purchase on their tablet.

In a recent analysis, Facebook found that of the US users that were interested in a mobile Facebook ad, over 32 percent converted on desktop with 28 days. That’s definitely something brands want to be able to track, because it means their mobile ads are leading to conversions even if it’s not happening on mobile.

➤ Facebook Conversion Pixels

See also – Facebook launches Ads Manager for Android, iOS, and the mobile Web and Facebook starts testing Buy button on News Feed ads and Page posts, currently limited to select US businesses

Top Image Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

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