Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, Twitter, LinkedIn, Match.com, EHarmony, Secondlife, etc.
Social networking is a marketer’s dream. Anyone can sell anything to someone who puts their name, location and hobbies/interests in one place. I mean, MySpace even allows for a person to specify the amount of money they make per year – how could anyone ask for more? While they may not know it, social networks are and have “sold out” by supplying user information for advertising dollars. Does this make you angry? It really shouldn’t. By posting your personal information on a public, social network – I feel as though you are, in a sense, opting in to pretty much anything. If a stranger from 3,000 miles away can look up your phone number on the internet based on the very PRIVATE information you decided to share on a very PUBLIC site, what’s the harm in having a tailored ad on your facebook page? I don’t understand the arguement that people put up saying that it is an invasion of privacy. WHAT privacy? Do people really think that because they click “Private” on their profile – that their information is safe? Hardly. Don’t be fooled, but I also say – don’t be afraid. So you get an ad pertaining to one of your listed hobbies – it’s better than having on there that isn’t, right?
This social network movement we’re in today is insane. With information like this out there, market researchers will be out of a job. Who needs a focus group when you have a network of millions of people putting their information out there? It’s absolutely insane. And, on behalf of every marketer out there, I would like to say Thank you. Our jobs are MUCH easier. It gets better by the day! Buffalo, NY now has a social network. Soon, every county, city, town will have a social network seeping with information on their inhabitants – making it much easier to reach them.
Say your local bar has a MySpace page. They befriend you – they get to see everything you do. If your hobby is dancing, don’t be fooled when you get a flyer for the 80’s dance party next Thursday night – that was planned. I can gaurentee that the 45 year old man who has “fishing” as his main hobby didn’t get that flyer. It’s all meticulously, brilliantly planned – and it’s working. And I say, Why not?
