Advertising on Social Networks Needs Work

Just a thought.  Ads in social networks have such poor response because they target users when they’re not in the right frame of mind.  While tagging photos and making wall posts in facebook they’re in the socializing frame of mind, not in a browsing/shopping mindset.

Today’s smart marketers should be focusing on who saw their ad and how they engaged with it instead of simply the number of people that saw it.  I believe this change in attitude represents a huge challenge for social networks.  Instead of falling back on the same (old) standard advertising model, how can social networks better capitalize on their huge base of user data and interactions to deliver greater value to their advertisers? That is, if you think social networks can be monetized.

March 3, 2009 4 Comments , , ,

  • http://www.userinsight.com qualitative market research

    I agree marketers should be focusing on who saw their ad and how they engaged with it instead of simply the number of people that saw it. Many viewers isn't enough marketers should do something that will caught the attention of the viewers.

  • http://www.TechNestReport.com Alex Luft – TechNestReport.com

    Completely agreed! It's so often that I see companies simply place ads on sites – but (as Gary Vaynerchuk so eloquently pointed out at FOWA) – it seems like internet users these days have been outfitted with bullshit detectors. People know when they're being advertised to and when they don't want to be advertised to, will turn away and simply ignore that ad.

    Instead of forcing people to look at it, advertisers need to think of different ways to showcase their ads and interest users in them.

  • http://www.TechNestReport.com Alex Luft – TechNestReport.com

    Completely agreed! It's so often that I see companies simply place ads on sites – but (as Gary Vaynerchuk so eloquently pointed out at FOWA) – it seems like internet users these days have been outfitted with bullshit detectors. People know when they're being advertised to and when they don't want to be advertised to, will turn away and simply ignore that ad.

    Instead of forcing people to look at it, advertisers need to think of different ways to showcase their ads and interest users in them.

  • http://www.TechNestReport.com Alex Luft – TechNestReport.com

    Completely agreed! It's so often that I see companies simply place ads on sites – but (as Gary Vaynerchuk so eloquently pointed out at FOWA) – it seems like internet users these days have been outfitted with bullshit detectors. People know when they're being advertised to and when they don't want to be advertised to, will turn away and simply ignore that ad.

    Instead of forcing people to look at it, advertisers need to think of different ways to showcase their ads and interest users in them.