Using MySpace For Marketing

In its beginnings, and for a while after that, MySpace was essentially a virtual hangout for teenagers. Times have changed. This isn't to say MySpace doesn't still feature plenty of teenagers socializing, because it does. But in addition to teens, companies and individual marketers are now a regular MySpace presence.

There are different reasons for having a MySpace page, but most of the reasons beyond socializing come down to a common motivation: money. It's not much surprise that money is a motivation. The most common motivation of all is probably money. The surprise may be that it's actually possible to make money on MySpace. It is possible to make money on MySpace, and it can happen in one of two ways.

People can, and do, sell things on MySpace. Some people sell things directly, some people sell things by placing an affiliate link to follow on their profile page. Selling something directly on MySpace likely won't get someone very far. MySpace is still considered by most users to be a social site, not a commerce site, and the appearance of actively selling may have some negative residual effects. As is the case with anything, however, if something is unique and meets a desire, people will want to have it.

The second method for making money on MySpace, the most common and the preferred method, is to advertise. MySpace itself is entirely an ad site: MySpace places advertisement on literally every one of its site pages. Companies and individuals doing marketing can utilize this very strategy. A well-done MySpace profile can and is used as a calling card. All movies presumed to have a teen audience have a MySpace profile. These profiles are splashy, and colorful, and at least attempt to be fun, but their sole purpose is to advertise a product.

Many individual marketers, Internet marketers especially, have MySpace profiles. A marketer's MySpace profile typically serves to establish the marketer as an online money making expert. Marketers likely turn to MySpace for networking possibilities, and also because MySpace is free to use. If nothing else, MySpace provides a free online presence. For that reason alone, putting up a MySpace profile is worthwhile to some people.

MySpace additionally allows for the personalization of a profile's url, to easily connect a profile to a person's name, for example, or to a company name. Keep in mind when considering a MySpace profile that all profiles come with advertising, and that built-in advertising can't be at all altered by the user.

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