Facebook is testing playable game ads so you can try before you buy

If you've played any free-to-play mobile games recently, you'll be familiar with the playable ads that let you try a little bit of gameplay while waiting for the advertisement to time out. Google Play has been trying out its own "try before you buy" instant app concept with a handful of developers lately, too. Now Facebook is testing similar technology in playable ads on Facebook so that people can try out a game without installing it first.

The company is testing these new ads in the News Feed with a "couple dozen" game developers; and it plans to roll out playable ads to its Audience Network (Facebook's off-platform ad network) next, then to all advertisers later this year. Facebook says that people pay more attention to interactive ads over non-interactive ones, spending 47 percent more time with the former ad type, making it a popular choice among advertisers that have tested it, including Gram Games and Miniclip.