Facebook Stories hits the 300 million DAU mark & opens up for ads

Facebook is subjugating Stories, with the layout’s 300 million Daily Active Users as revealed by its research manager in a recent event in New York City in addition to plans of opening Stories for ads.

The count of Daily Active Users was a combined number from the native app and messenger as both support the stories format and didn’t involve illicit counts like one user would be counted as one if Stories by them are posted on both apps.

Facebook Stories had a combined count of 220 million active users, 150 million on the app and 70 million on the messenger until last September. On the other hand, Snapchat is losing it’s user-base, as it came down from 191 million to 188 million.

Facebook Stories is also open to ads now. As Facebook never fails to monetize each aspect of the platform, this step’s not a shocker. So, stories would soon show ads in their format. This news is a bonus for advertisers and marketers but not for the users as they are already seeing ads before & mid-video along with other facets, and now on stories too. Although they have made efforts towards its conception.

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Facebook uses an app built only for employees called Blink to test new formats, like the one being evolved now which can detect audio beats and show synchronized visuals. The development team comprises of filmmakers and cinematographers. With the rise of users and with new formats in development, the count might rise higher in the coming quarters depending on the formats being relished, as the platform already has 2.24 billion monthly users and they might give it a try. Instagram recently launching new filters for stories would also have some competition.