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[Steve Iser]

Hey folks.

Over the past couple of months, my theories have become a reality. If you have any kind of involvement or curiosity with Web 2.0, you better as hell read this:

Facebook is the next rising Social Networking medium next to MySpace, powered mainly by sheer viral growth and it’s social impact in society. Having been a student of Social Networking, and a Facebook cocaine-pellet addict since 2004, I’ve been largely focused on understanding how to utilize Facebook for monetary gain (and bugging my college buddies)… because it’s a completely different beast to tame than MySpace — Facebook is driven by social peer groups and MySpace is driven by networking opportunities.

Now… Facebook offers an amplitude of new avenues for “monetary gain” for any “smart” Internet Marketer – creation of applications, a newly introduced pay-per-click model, standard banner advertising, and social networking.

The problem is – internet marketers and corporations that are trying to use Facebook for monetary gain still don’t seem to comprehend what drives sales in this Social Networking economy.

With the insurgence of the Facebook Applications in the past couple of months, all my theories came to rest – and it all began to click…

If you do yourself a favour right now, go scan the top leading Facebook Applications and you’ll realize that most of these “just for fun” applications are centered around one simple theme: self awareness… identity, however you want to think of it… Facebook users are addicts to self importance. From applications like Top Friends to your Romanticism, all these applications are a measure of social value. In other wards, this social networking platform is literally an extension of theirself.

If your marketing focused on selling to peoples self-worth and social identity and intertwine it like these Facebook applications have, you’re already a step ahead of the game… because the cash-cow behind social networking on Facebook is identifying, learning and understanding social patterns & behaviors.

Now, what other implications can this have that we can utilize?

A good portion of Facebook applications strongly suggest peoples “presentations of themselves” with Facebook applications about their personalities, stripper names, and other stupid apps.

As a marketer, it gives us a goldmine of information to help perceive people on how they hard and their mindsets.

I really don’t know about you guys, but the real power I see in Social Networking is just that. Understanding behaviors.

Anyway, there’s two other major triggers out there. If there’s enough interest, I’ll probably document on it as well.

Open up for debate?

Steve

PS. I really think Social Network Marketing is a much more advanced playing field on the internet right now that not enough can really grasp yet. It’s helping to bring rise to the “Behavior Economy” to the internet – which is going to be another big cash cow in itself.

PPS. A good colleague of mine actually made five-figures already by understanding this very concept.

[Judy Kettenhofen]

Wow -- deep, Steve!!!

I think this is one of the deepest, most thoughtful marketing posts I've read.

But heck, whaddya expect?  I've attended over 13 different "institutions of higher learning" (taking a course or two here and there and picking up a a degree or two, LOL.)

Yes -- would love to hear about the other two triggers!

Live JoyFully!

Judy Kettenhofen, Profit Strategist/Copywriter
NextDay Copy

[Adam Strong]

Understanding behaviours definitely sounds like a cool concept, but isn't there an underlying limitation with facebook?

Information without a target market is about as useful as knowing when the tide is coming in when you don't live near the sea.   Most of the people on facebook are university students.   I'm not saying that there's no profit potential in Facebook, but I am saying that it's important to remember where all the data's coming from.

If you're marketing to that demographic, then that information's going to be incredibly useful, but if I'm selling an info-product on retirement, knowing that John Doe identifies himself most closely with Spongebob Squarepants isn't gonna help me one iota.

I think that when it comes to understanding behaviors, nothing beats good ol' market research. . .  oh, and a little help from this site:

www. clicktale. com

Oh, this one helps too. . .

hxxp: www. askdatabase. com/Alex/

[Craig Mattice]

Hi Steve,

I was just referred here by Lisa Preston on the new Network and Direct Sales Marketing forum.  I specifically asked about Web 2.0 marketing and voiced my total ignorance of the medium.

I came here and read your first post in this thread and it gave me a whole new understanding of the Facebook subject to increase my frame of reference.

Do I want to know your other two triggers?  Well DUH!  Of course!  Nice bait for your next post BTW. 

[createthechange]

Very interesting topic and discussion. 

I would also love to hear the other two triggers

- and -

perhaps some discussion about how to market to them. 

[marlondirk]

well the more debate the more idea we can collect here! nice topic so far!

[ladyflguru]

Ive heard a lot of facebook talk, about how its great to facebook as apart of marketing.  But honestly its alot to keep up with specially after hearing about the spamming of facebook, i currently have a few other places i social market.  Honestly thought, i will give it a right go for 6 months but even then will i be wasting my time. . . .

[RandyNorton99]

Understanding behaviours definitely sounds like a cool concept, but isn't there an underlying limitation with facebook?

Information without a target market is about as useful as knowing when the tide is coming in when you don't live near the sea.    Most of the people on facebook are university students.    I'm not saying that there's no profit potential in Facebook, but I am saying that it's important to remember where all the data's coming from. 

If you're marketing to that demographic, then that information's going to be incredibly useful, but if I'm selling an info-product on retirement, knowing that John Doe identifies himself most closely with Spongebob Squarepants isn't gonna help me one iota. 

I think that when it comes to understanding behaviors, nothing beats good ol' market research.  .  .   oh, and a little help from this site:

www.  clicktale.  com

Oh, this one helps too.  .  . 

hxxp: www.  askdatabase.  com/Alex/

Just wanted to let you know that ClickTale is going to have a webinar on May 26th to show everyone their benefits and how they can seriously help with your conversion rates etc.   And they are giving away a free trial of their premium membership for all attendees.   Ping me at AIM- RandyNorton99 if you want more info.   Its not on their site anywhere.

[Lisa Preston]

Hey Randy -
Being a discussion forum, we're all about discussing things... on the forum.
It really sucks that you dug up an older thread to put your first post on... and then tell people to leave here to talk in private?

Do better. Participate, add value, dammit.

[lingstar]

Hey Randy -
Being a discussion forum, we're all about discussing things... on the forum.
It really sucks that you dug up an older thread to put your first post on... and then tell people to leave here to talk in private?

Do better. Participate, add value, dammit.

Lisa, I like your style.  'Way superb!

Regarding Facebook, I have to do more with it myself, but I've found it's highly effective at driving traffic that's delivered to it via my use of Ping.fm .  'matter of fact, Ping.fm is a must-have for all social marketers I believe.

Barbara

[cwayne3]

Please forgive my ignorance....But I am a newbe.....If someone could please go into more detail on this topic it would be greatly appreciated