Focus on tools, not networks
Social networks are proliferated with distractions and it will be more difficult here than anywhere else to get lost in the shuffle. Just to give you an idea of the clutter, take a look at my MySpace home page.
The blacked out section on the left is my personal information. All of that stuff on the right is advertisement. There is no reason for me to ever look to that side of the screen because, for one, it's ugly, and secondly, I know what is there and I'm not interested.
Marketing on social networks is a lot more about giving Millennials tools to use and then share on those sites than it is about flashing information at them. You barely even notice the T-Mobile ads at the top of the page (I'd say that's money well wasted); instead use a customized MySpace page as another forum where you can represent your brand or product.
Cherry Coke and Cherry Coke zero incorporated MySpace in their coke rewards program by creating a very well designed MySpace page, inviting users to be their friends and even hosting a page design contest where friends could design their own Cherry Coke themed MySpace pages.
This is a win-win situation for Cherry Coke. Not only is the brand engaging users with the product, but by allowing them to create their own Cherry Coke themed pages, the company turns users into spokespeople for the brand. As of the writing of this piece, Cherry Coke had over 40,000 friends on the network.
Cherry Coke has succeeded in marketing on MySpace by creating a community within a community. Once the users interact with Cherry Coke on MySpace, they can continue onto Coca-Cola's MyCokeRewards program, which steps up the level of user interactivity and gives consumers rewards for participating with the brand. It's all about what you have to offer them, and once you've engaged the user it's all about taking the lead in the relationship.