| According to Facebook, a social networking | | | | As the line between work and play gradually becomes |
| site,"Young adults are the primary trend drivers in our | | | | thinner and as entertainment becomes more of a |
| society," and "marketing to young adults on their own | | | | need than a pleasure, it's obvious that teens and young |
| terms is critical for [online business] success."1 | | | | adults are placing entertainment on the top of their list |
| If you produce services or products for teens or | | | | of priorities. |
| young adults you might have considered online social | | | | In fact, according to emarketer.com, "More than any |
| networks to be prime Internet advertising space for | | | | other age group, Millennials spent time online searching |
| your company. After all, sites like MySpace and | | | | for and downloading music. More than half of Millennials |
| Facebook boast thousands--even millions--of users | | | | also consumed user-generated content online, and |
| between the ages of 13 and 25 and isn't that the | | | | visited online gaming and TV sites" and "When |
| veritable gold mine you've been waiting for? | | | | members of the Millennial group found a worthy TV |
| Maybe... but probably not. | | | | show or Web site, they told an average of 18 people, |
| Internet Advertising the Easy Way or the Smart | | | | compared to only 10 people for all age groups. In fact, |
| Way? What will it be for you? | | | | word-of-mouth was the main reason Millennials visited |
| If you want to advertise with MySpace or Facebook it | | | | Web sites, followed by TV ads."4 |
| certainly won't involve any amount of rocket science. | | | | Does this mean you should hire a singer/songwriter to |
| With MySpace for instance you simply fill out a short | | | | mention your product or service in his or her songs? |
| online form2 and a MySpace representative will give | | | | Probably not, but by creating entertainment that |
| you a call and discuss your options. Facebook offers | | | | associates itself with the humor, music, TV or Internet |
| options such as Facebook flyers ($10/flyer), polls | | | | content that teens and young adults enjoy, you are |
| (minimum $26/poll), and additional options for | | | | actually investing in Internet advertising that matters to |
| companies who want to discuss other options.3 | | | | teens and to young adults. |
| The Internet advertising flyers, banners and polls via | | | | You might try for instance, creating humorous videos |
| MySpace and/or Facebook may prove somewhat | | | | on low budgets and posting them on YouTube and |
| valuable but they defeat the main advantage that a | | | | other video content sites. Make sure to associate |
| social networking site provides and that is | | | | keywords like "teens" and "young adults" (along with |
| word-of-mouth (valid) Internet advertising. After all, | | | | the names of your products or services) with the |
| teens and young adults go to MySpace and Facebook | | | | video. You might also try finding creative Internet |
| to see what people their own age are doing, using and | | | | advertising minds who can create music, humorous |
| choosing, and it is the recommendations of these | | | | commercials or other types of entertainment that can |
| people that they will trust more than any banner ad or | | | | be associated with your products. Once you have the |
| Facebook flyer. So, how can you get these young | | | | content, you can contact Facebook or MySpace to |
| online users to like your product or service enough to | | | | see how much it would cost to produce your own |
| mention it to others? | | | | customized entertainment, which may be a far more |
| First, you have to find our what teens and young | | | | effective method of Internet advertising than a |
| adults are sharing (what matters to them) and second | | | | Facebook online flyer or a MySpace banner ad. |
| you have to find out how you can integrate your | | | | The trick to better Internet advertising via social |
| products and services with that content. | | | | networks is to set aside the revenue and the time to |
| It is then that your Internet advertising campaign can | | | | find creative individuals who can produce the kind of |
| begin to transform itself into Internet word-of-mouth | | | | Internet advertising entertainment that makes teens |
| advertising which may indeed be the best type of | | | | and young adults laugh, cry, etc. |
| Internet advertising available. | | | | 1. |
| What are teens and young adults sharing? | | | | |