Facebook advertisers can now target you through your relationship status

I’m engaged! With that declaration Susan just opened the door to Facebook  marketers via their improved Core Audience targeting tool. The local wedding planner can hit her up, the travel agent can send her ads for a Hawaiian honeymoon, and Damian the divorce lawyer can send his contact information. . . just in case. There’s nothing like behavioral targeting to really help sell, sell, sell. Going forward, there will be four main targeting areas: Location, Demographics, Interests and Behaviors.

Facebook is upping its game when it comes to targeted advertising. The online networking service knows a lot about its users, and it’s putting that personal information to use. The new targeting features now include those who have updated their relationship statuses (e.g., in a domestic partnership, in a civil union). Additionally, advertisers can target by recently changed life events within specific periods of time (e.g., new relationship status, newly engaged and newlywed, the latter two within three or six months, or one year). “Trying to boost sales at your flower shop?” Facebook asks on its news page. “It’s now easier to reach people who have recently declared their love for someone on Facebook.”