Advertisers could use social networks more effectively

Although millions of US users have signed on with one or more social networks, a new report from IDC indicates that advertisers are still not using those networks as effectively as they could. The study found that social networks made about $400 million in 2006.

by Kristina Knight

The report goes on to say that social networks could bring in more than $1 billion in 2007, but those numbers are both still small compared to the content, traffic and media attention that is currently generated by social networks.

The drawback for many advertisers is the lack of control in the content produced within those same networks. Because the networks themselves don't censor what types of content are created, advertisers are leery of signing on to have their brands associated with them.

"Advertisers don't want to see their ads displayed alongside illicit content, for example," said Karsten Weide, program director of IDC's Digital Marketplace: Media and Entertainment. "The dilemma for social networks is if they start to control what content users can post, they will lose popularity, which is what attracted advertisers in the first place."

For advertisers interested in social spaces the key is to do a little research. Find out which pages inside of the social networks gather the most attention from users, which bloggers have the best traffic and which video subject create the most interest. From there, researching those specific pages, blogs and vlogs for content will help advertisers find content that they are comfortable advertising beside.