| Facebook. All the cool kids are doing it. Are you? | | | | Facebook is the latest in a line of platforms that are |
| For advertisers, it's a hard market to pass up. So | | | | trying to deliver the opportunity to receive targeted |
| many people in one place at one time. Marketers see | | | | advertising. Isn't that nice of them? We're going to use |
| something like this and it's as if their dreams have | | | | your personal information to deliver targeted |
| come true. It's got that glowing, shiny exterior that | | | | advertising, because we have to advertise, so it might |
| seems to say: come to us. We have numbers. | | | | as well be for things you've given us hints that you |
| Numbers are important in a marketing campaign. You | | | | actually like. Oh, and we might sell your information to |
| can't manage what you can't measure. However, in | | | | others, so they can share in this opportunity. |
| the Facebook world some of those numbers have | | | | But at least we've been given the opportunity to |
| gotten them in trouble. The reason being that in recent | | | | receive ads we want to see. |
| times Facebook introduced a new advertising platform. | | | | Wait. Ads we want to see? |
| A platform that gathered numbers that not everyone | | | | Personal information being used to determine out likes |
| was comfortable parting with. | | | | and dislikes? |
| Numbers and demographics. Demographics tell | | | | Let's face it. No one wants advertisements. And rolling |
| advertisers who and where their potential customers | | | | out an advertising platform and touting it as something |
| are. When millions upon millions of users register their | | | | beneficial to a user base isn't fooling anyone. And in |
| personal information on a social site, all of the sudden | | | | the wake of the backlash from this platform, |
| demographic research becomes far easier than it has | | | | Facebook has changed some of its policies and made |
| ever been before. | | | | it easier to opt in or out of the program. |
| But fail to notify your users or give them an | | | | So what about regular online advertising in social |
| opportunity to completely opt out of the platform, and | | | | mediums like this? Is it effective? Do the demographics |
| there will be a huge backlash of opinion. In the space | | | | reduce the dependence on impulse? Or are the users |
| of a month the site can go from "have you tried that | | | | of social sites so intent on the content that advertising |
| out yet" to "remember when everyone liked it?". | | | | doesn't even register with them? |
| Online advertising propels online development. We all | | | | Studies have shown that the tendencies of the |
| understand this, and, to a point, we all we've come to | | | | common user lean toward that last option. Click rates |
| accept this. So much so that we barely even notice it | | | | per page views on Facebook (and other social sites) |
| anymore. | | | | are extremely low. |
| Here's a quick thought experiment. Did you check your | | | | It seems people are too busy with socializing to even |
| email this morning? Do you check it everyday? It's a | | | | give into impulse clicks. |
| fairly common practice. Were you aware that there | | | | Does that mean you don't need to consider social |
| were advertisements all around your message? We | | | | media in your online advertising campaign? |
| all know they're there. Flashing, pretty colors or | | | | Not at all. While there are arguments flying around |
| creative titles in bold text. They're always nearby... just | | | | about the staying power of Web 2.0 applications and |
| in the periphery of our vision. | | | | whether we're on the verge of another bubble |
| Now, do you remember a single one? Do you even | | | | bursting, that is irrelevant to the current discussion. |
| remember what they were selling? | | | | In the here and now community works. |
| My guess is that you probably don't. | | | | Advertisements may not, but advertising isn't your only |
| Online advertising is the epitome of the in-the-moment | | | | option on these networks. |
| selling. If the pretty colors or particular text catch your | | | | Community works because users feel like you have |
| eye then and there, you might just click on it. But that | | | | their interests in mind, rather than just your own. |
| means the truth is there's as much reliance on pure | | | | Community is about communication, and that might be |
| impulse as there is on demographics. | | | | the best advertising you could hope for. |