"One of the value propositions of BT," Accipiter's Geoffrey Alexander is quick to point out, "is extending premium inventory. But unlike a mainstream news media site in which the main sections are likely sold out, on a SN site it's harder to define a main page. There is not necessarily any 'rallying' content. Instead, there are likely to be many distinct content areas.

"People on the SN realize there has to be some monetization of the community," Alexander continues. "They just don't want it intrusive. If it becomes too much, they will abandon the offending SN for another one. But within these limits, BT is going to work well with many SNs because the content changes frequently and is difficult to categorize. It's easier for advertisers to track behavior going into the SNs."

According to Darian Patchin, VP of Advertising with Tribe.net, "A number of things are different with SN sites. On other sites, you may be viewing a basketball page and they'll serve you a basketball ad. But even when a SN member is looking at information on basketball, the SN operator can know he's also interested in cooking and can serve a cooking ad."

"Depending on the demographic," muses iCrossing's Noah Elkin, "it's possible that a portion of people at a SN site might be turned off by the commercialization aspect of BT. But there is a fair amount of evidence that shows that people are interested and willing to accept advertising if it is more targeted. As it becomes a larger part of SN, people might see BT as a plus."

"In terms of using BT based on search patterns," adds Jorie Hutchings, iCrossing's Market Research, Client Strategies Director, "if you are aware that consumers tend to search for furniture by type, color, and upholstery when you look at the overall search volume, you can begin to ensure that your site is answering a question that consumers are asking, in the same format they are asking it. Basically, you can use your research to optimize keywords and to help design a site, both the content and the design, to ensure that the site presents information people are actively seeking within the Social Network.

"The truth is," says Hutchings, "by providing more of the information they are predisposed to like, advertising could maximize the experience of the user on the SN. If the ads are done creatively, the ads themselves could become the topic of discussion, particularly among the younger demographics."

Tribe.net's Jan Gullet reminds advertisers that "telling isn't selling. The real key to advertising is to be persuasive and credible. Remember TV ads with real-life testimonials. That's a highly effective form of advertising. On SNs, you can have real people talking about real products, talking from their heart, including the pros and the cons. So they're highly credible."