It's no secret that social media holds potential as an advertising platform but is also fraught with difficulty. Social media such as blogs, social networking sites, social news and bookmarking sites have struggled to find a successful advertising-supported model. Much of the problem is related to advertiser reluctance to relinquish control. If most (or all) social media is consumer-generated, advertisers fear abdicating control to consumers, lest they appear with "offensive" content or, even worse, brand critics. Until advertisers become more comfortable with less control, or believe the assurances social media companies are making, demand for social media impressions will remain anemic. The biggest barrier to transforming social media into a marketing platform is its newness. Put simply, advertisers are risk-averse with new marketing platforms.