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Why Social Ads Don’t Work - Bokardo

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Saved by 7 people (-4 private), first by anonymouse user on 2008-02-11


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What if the activity you’re doing actually does determine your willingness to click on ads?

Highlighted by caweldude

Advertisements live along a spectrum that goes from “irrelevant and distracting” to “relevant and interesting”.

Highlighted by jackie

But a fundamental problem with the way that MySpace and Facebook have been looking at their audiences is that they think their audiences exist to make them money through the sharing of attention. They believe since they have so much attention (super long time-on-site) that they should have no problem doing so. But it is the very reason why they have long time-on-site that makes them bad for advertising. They have provided a comfortable third place…people are already where they want to be!

Highlighted by caweldude

Here’s a question: What if the activity you’re doing actually does determine your willingness to click on ads? This is what is being suggested by the early returns on ads in social networks. If this is so, then we can start by making a list of activities in which it would make sense that people are most accepting of ads.

  • Searching
  • Shopping
  • Traveling

Highlighted by fulvius

That’s why Google continues to rule the roost, because they have the most searchers.

Highlighted by caweldude

Google wants super short time-per-visit and Facebook wants super long time-per-visit.

Highlighted by jackie

It’s because the services support two completely different activities.

Highlighted by jackie

Well, it means that we need to investigate what contexts people are in as they use our web applications. Are they looking for something, or would they use our service as part of the activity of looking for something? If so, then advertising might work. If not, then we’re better off providing value in some other way, like increasing productivity, etc.

Highlighted by caweldude

This simple list also makes it clear why Google is investing a ton of energy into mobile, because when people are mobile we’re in unfamiliar places with the same old needs. We’re searching not only for our destination, but services that will help us along the way. So that’s why every time you turn around there’s some new quiet feature in Google Maps, because maps and mobile are the future of advertising.

Highlighted by caweldude

This might also suggest why Yahoo and Microsoft have a harder time monetizing their ads on their various properties. They’re trying to monetize ads on Mail, Groups, and other places where people are doing non-search activities. That’s why Google continues to rule the roost, because they have the most searchers. People, when they want to search for something, go to Google. Google = Search.

Highlighted by fulvius

I would bet that it all depends on the context of use within those properties.

Highlighted by jackie