Search engine style ads don't work because people login to see what their friends are up to, not because they're open to buying something. Ultimately, the answ

Search engine style ads don't work because people login to see what their friends are up to, not because they're open to buying something. Ultimately, the answer may lie in some kind of customized event sponsorship: e.g. you're planning a poker game with your friends, and facebook allows its clients (beer and snack companies for this example) to offer you a deal on those products. Or something else entirely. Either way, I agree with the blog post that they haven't found that something yet.