The internet is the haven for subterfuge. It is not the sites' faults; but if you are going to be advertising on these sites, pay attention. Step back; question. See how people actually use these sites to figure how you can incorporate yourself. Just speaking "at" this audience with display advertising will not engage them.
What's your MySpace age?
Can you speak to their alternate self-- who they aspire to be instead of who they are? What is the social connecting point between them, the site and their friends? Is your product relevant to that experience, or is there a way you can make it be? Those questions are not just nice things to ask, they are crucial, for they determine how, and if, you can engage someone in your brand.
A new friend
"X-Men 3" was an example of that success on MySpace. The profile ended up with more than three million friends, and more than 7,000 user postings on the "X-Men" profile page. Almost 20 percent of those attending the film had indicated that they heard about it through MySpace. It didn't matter that the film was a typical third-sequel disaster.
Media view entrenchment within social networks
I spoke last year about what I believe is a serious societal issue that we are contributing to. Because the internet is not based on geography, we are all not forced to listen to opposing viewpoints. People are naturally gravitate to social situations, finding those pockets of like mindedness that make them feel comfortable. It’s a natural flocking instinct, but now, unbound from the normal physical constraints, it is causing people to live in media isolation bubbles that prevent their understanding those with opposing viewpoints. Everyone they know is like this, so why would you think that?
The smaller the niche, the more tightly bound that group is. Never has this been more evident than with social networking sites, where within the sites, micro-communities and clichés further splinter and become more entrenched.
This creates problems for advertisers and marketers in the age of mass reach. Often, the mass message is no longer appropriate. Merely smoothing over aspects that could offend certain groups may cause a cascade effect. In other words, by making your ad appeal to everyone, it appeals to no one. Be cognizant when going social, and do not seek to appeal to everyone.
Do not point to other people's campaign successes on those sites, copy them, and then question why yours failed. Look to your product, your brand and your consumer. What does your brand aspire to be, and will they believe it?