JupiterResearch: MySpace, Facebook need different approaches

If you think all social marketing applications and platforms are the same, think again. According to a recent report from JupiterResearch, users on MySpace and Facebook interact - and react - to the platforms differently and advertisers should take note of that when beginning a social campaign.

by Kristina Knight

In the US, MySpace has twice as many users as Facebook, however, three times as many marketers prefer Facebook according to their 2008 spending plans. In fact, the report finds that 53% of consumers prefer to use MySpace with only 28% preferring Facebook.

Because users prefer MySpace, the report suggests using MySpace to house branded campaigns. For Facebook, researchers suggest sticking with viral campaigns.

Facebook users, however, have a bigger dislike of ads but once they find a product to back, they are more likely to become brand advocates. Facebook users also approach the social space differently; these users prefer to use social networks to stay in touch (64%), while only 52% of MySpace users do the same.

One area of consumer interest is similar on both platforms, however. That is how users interact with ads. Researchers found that 11% of MySpace users forward information about products to their friends to help them make buying decisions; 10% of Facebook users do the same thing.

Tags: Facebook, JupiterResearch, MySpace, social marketing, social network advertising

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