Meta announced a variety of new commerce and advertising features across Facebook and Instagram, including live video ads, expanded affiliate partnerships, AI-powered shopping tools, and a new checkout system with virtual cards.
This update comes as social media platforms increasingly integrate shopping and product discovery into their content experiences. This change is designed to support creators, advertisers, and businesses as consumers increasingly discover products through videos, recommendations, and conversations.
Among the new features is Live Video Ads, which allows businesses to promote live video streams on Instagram and Facebook. The feature is rolling out globally on Facebook and will also be available on Instagram.
In the US, Meta works with live commerce platforms such as CommentSold, Firework, LiveMeUp, Sprii, and TalkShopLive to help sellers promote their targeted livestreams to a wider audience.
Meta is also expanding its live shopping tools on Facebook. This feature allows viewers watching live video ads to browse products, check prices, and explore available items for purchase without leaving the live stream.
Starting this summer, the company will introduce a new checkout option on Facebook and Instagram using virtual cards. The system uses a temporary, one-time card number generated from an existing Mastercard or Visa account, allowing consumers to complete purchases without sharing card details directly with businesses.
Meta is also expanding its affiliate commerce program. In India, we have added Flipkart as a Facebook affiliate partner and plan to expand our partnership to include Instagram creators in India.
Additional partnerships include Mercado Libre in Brazil and Mexico, and Lazada in Asia.
The program allows creators to connect their affiliate accounts to Facebook and Instagram, add links to affiliate products in their content, and earn commissions on purchases made through those links.
The company has also expanded its product tagging capabilities on Instagram. Creators in 22 countries will now be able to add affiliate links and tag products directly from business catalogs and feed posts in Reels, allowing users to discover and purchase products while browsing their content.
Meta also announced changes to its advertising system. Product data such as pricing, availability, and descriptions are integrated across all sales campaigns, allowing Meta’s AI system to automatically determine the most effective ad format and product combinations for each individual user.
Advertisers can provide product data and creative assets, while Meta’s advertising system assembles and delivers personalized ads in real-time.
Meta said its product catalog will play a larger role across its shopping ecosystem, including creator product tagging, business recommendation tools and AI-powered shopping experiences available through its AI products in the US.
