A new eMarketer report predicts that U.S. marketers will spend $40 million in 2008 to advertise to a business audience via online social networks like LinkedIn and Facebook.
With LinkedIn being an online network of experienced professionals, this pairing makes sense – I get it. But Facebook? Now, for me, that’s a stretch considering their online network is not as exclusive – collegiate and high school networks are also thrown into the mix – which I am sure is not the audience these B2B marketers are after. However, Facebook may be ideal for marketers targeting a consumer audience, particularly those that skew younger.
While I understand the benefits of utilizing these social networking sites – such as exponential growth in the number of users and therefore exponential growth in the number of people a message will reach – I don’t think just any will do. Careful consideration should be taken in utilizing social networking sites as a marketing tool. Doing your own research and perhaps consulting specialists may be the best bet to help ensure that the right people are being targeted and the message is not getting lost in the clutter.
Amy Mengel, Engagement Coordinator
