Facebook and Social Advertising

More on the Facebook front. I know, I know – we’re all sick of hearing/reading about FB, but at least this isn’t an article about Open Social! Here’s an article from TechCrunch  about Facebooks new “social advertising” plan: The Facebook Ad Backlash Begins

Within hours of Facebook’s announcement of its social advertising plans, the backlash began. What about privacy? What about relevance? (I know everyone is sick of hearing about Facebook, but there are some important business issues at stake here, so bear with me). As far as privacy goes, there is none on Facebook, in that any information you share is fair game for targeting by advertisers. So get used to it. You don’t want to be targeted, don’t share information on Facebook. Perhaps the more important question, though, is around the relevance of the ads themselves. 

Already, there’s been some insightful critiques on this front. Nick Carr started things off with his tart summary: “The medium is the message from our sponsor.” He goes on to point out that becoming a fan of a animated Sprite can is not exactly a revolution in advertising:

It’s a nifty system: First you get your users to entrust their personal data to you, and then you not only sell that data to advertisers but you get the users to be the vector for the ads. And what do the users get in return? An animated Sprite Sips character to interact with.

Henry Blodget asks, not unreasonably: Will advertisers pay people to recommend their products to friends? (That would be a bad idea, but you never know what Madison Avenue will try to do next).

Read more here:  http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/07/the-facebook-ad-backlash-begins/

and be sure to also skim the comments for more interesting commentary: http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/07/the-facebook-ad-backlash-begins/#comments

Some good thoughts - I found myself pondering a few points I hadn’t considered before. Advertising is everywhere on the web and, though we’re sick of hearing about Facebook, it will be interesting to see how things pan out down the line..

Tags: Facebook, Social Advertising, Internet Advertising, Internet Marketing, Business

New to blogging? 5 Key Components Every Blog Needs

Make Money Online has some great tips for new bloggers or folks with existing blogs looking to build more traffic and develop a larger audience. Here’s a quick list from the post 5 Essential Blog Elements Which Every Blog Should Have:

1. ABOUT PAGE – Readers usually like to know who is behind the posts. Write about yourself and your interests and tell them why are your post the ones they should read. Also, it’s highly recommended that you put your picture on your about page – readers also like to see who is behind the posts – chose a picture with a smile on your face – You can expect my picture soon

2. CONTACT PAGE – Just remember how many times you contacted someone with your questions and queries. As a blogger, you have to make time for your readers. Having a contact page makes it easier for your readers to get in touch with you.

3. SUBSCRIBE BUTTON – Allow your readers to grab your site’s feed. Place the button on the top of your page so it’s easy accessible. You can also encourage your readers to subscribe to your feed at the beginning or the end of each post (or in the post – subscribe to MMWK)

4. CATEGORIES (LABELS) – Makes the blogging experience on your blog a whole lot easier and comfortable. Categories make it easier for readers to browse through your blog.

5. SEARCH BOX - Always have a search box on your blog. When a reader wants to find something on your blog, the search box takes him there in no time.

Read more here: http://makemoneywithkassper.blogspot.com/2007/08/5-essential-blog-elements-which-every.html

To seasoned bloggers these tips may seem mundane but, after reading the comments following the post, it’s pretty clear a lot of folks are looking for help in developing a quality blog. Stay tuned for more great blogging tips – I have a posts saved over at bloglines with solid info.

Tags: Blogging, How To Blog, Blogging Tips, Successful Blog, Key Blog Components, Successful blogging, Important Blog Elements