Facebook Inc.’s IPO filing offers a glimpse into why the company has been attracting advertisers like bees, and why its online advertising rivals, such as Google Inc., are working to target users better by dipping into more of their personal data.

The social network, which has 845 million monthly active users, allows advertisers to accurately pick a subset of users to send their ads to. The users can be chosen by demographic characteristics such as age, location, gender, education, work history and special interests, the filing said. The approach works: Procter & Gamble Co. advertised its Secret deodorant to females on Facebook. In the 26 weeks after the campaign ran, Secret’s U.S. sales rose 9 percent, the filing said.

Facebook’s secret? The company’s user data is more accurate than the industry average, the filing said. So advertisers that want to target a narrow demographic segment, such as females between the ages of 25 and 34, can reach the desired audience with 90 percent accuracy on Facebook vs. the industry average of 35 percent, the filing said.

Original post is Facebook’s Secret? Accurate Data by Facebook Unleashed.