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Facebook cracks down on ads, developers left out in the cold

There are more opportunities than ever for developers today but that doesn't mean that making money is always easy. Some of the most attractive platforms for developers are far from perfect and fraught with risk.

Some Facebook app developers were reminded of that this weekend when their applications were shut down without warning due to ads served up by the third party Facebook ad networks many of them rely on to generate revenue.

by Patricio Robles 05 October 2009 08:58am 3 comments

Facebook affiliate ads could star you

There are plenty of embarrassing pictures teenagers willingly post of themselves on Facebook, but when marketers start using those shots for marketing purposes, things can get sticky.

Especially when they end up on a site like Jailbaitgallery.com and then back in a Facebook ad. Oops.

by Meghan Keane 30 September 2009 23:36pm 1 comment

10 steps to help you become a social media ninja

Agile and precise, packed with skills of stealth, quick reactions, passion, and specialist tactics for whatever the circumstances demand. This generally sums up what people imagine ninjas to be all about and, in digital marketing, everyone wants to be one, in one form or another.

But what pointers do you need to follow to train yourself to engage in the ongoing battleground of social media?

by Jake Hird 30 September 2009 10:57am 14 comments

Is Nielsen overhyping Facebook?

An interesting post by Erick Schonfeld at TechCrunch details how Nielsen has been "gushing" about Facebook since it partnered with the giant social network on a service called BrandLift, which is designed to help advertisers measure the effectiveness of their ad campaigns on the site.

One report Nielsen issued after it teamed up with Facebook highlights just how much time consumers are spending on social networks, and Facebook in particular. Another provided data showing that affluent consumers are more likely to be using it than MySpace. The obvious question: is Nielsen presenting objective data to advertisers or is it overhyping its newest partner?

by Patricio Robles 30 September 2009 10:12am 1 comment

Don’t blame social media for bad behaviour

One of the questions I often get asked by journalists, who know I’m interested in the psychology of technology, is how social media like Facebook and Twitter change the way we communicate. Being journalists, they usually want me to say that we can no longer interact properly with each other thanks to technology.

I know some brain researchers have made some scary claims about social media but all the evidence I have seen suggests that it is just another way of keeping in touch.

by Tom Stewart 30 September 2009 08:49am 0 comments

Yahoo's new ads promote Google, Facebook

Yahoo's new $100m advertising campaign has launched. It's multichannel and combines television, print, radio and digital. Online, chances are you've already come across some of Yahoo's ads. They're on a variety of popular websites and in many cases, they're very visible.

I ran into one on CBS Marketwatch and couldn't help notice: Yahoo is promoting GMail/Google and Facebook in a large rich media expansion ad unit.

by Patricio Robles 29 September 2009 09:05am 5 comments

Zynga: Powering Facebook ads through virtual goods

Facebook advertising has been flush with good news lately — the company just announced that it is profitable for the first time and advertisers are increasing their buys across the network. But a new report showing that Facebook ads result in more engagement than display ads on other sites isn't the only reason people are investing in display ads on the network.

According to Lotame, social media ads result in fewer clicks but more engagement from consumers. But the real killer app for Facebook — for now — is virtual goods.

Social gamer Zynga is making a killing on the social network, and the company is scratching Facebook's back in return — pouring millions into ads to increase its user base.

by Meghan Keane 29 September 2009 01:09am 3 comments

Facebook partners with Nielsen on BrandLift

Facebook may have made it into the black this month, but proving to the press and marketers that its ads work is another story. To hasten that process, the social netowrk has teamed up with Nielsen to to poll users on the ads they are served and package that data for advertisers.

Nielsen's polls provide skewed samples across platforms — because viewers that opt-in to respond to them are not emblematic of all viewers — but it should still provide a good proving ground for Facebook ads.

by Meghan Keane 22 September 2009 18:55pm 1 comment

George Clooney, Facebook and prostate exams

Celebrities and social media seem to go together like cheese and wine for good reason: social media is one of the most powerful mediums for celebrities to connect with fans, increase their visibility and maintain their personal brands. Oh, and stoke their egos.

From Ashton Kutcher to Lindsay Lohan, Michael Phelps to Shaquille O'Neal (oh, and Kanye West), the celebrities you love (or love to hate) are increasingly on Facebook, Twitter and other popular social media platforms. But that doesn't mean that everyone in Hollywood is starstruck with poking and tweeting.

by Patricio Robles 21 September 2009 09:03am 3 comments

Who does Facebook have to thank for its newfound profitability?

Display ads in social media have been getting a bad rap for awhile now. While many brands have had success marketing on social networks, purchasing display ads in the space does not always appear to be a great investment.

But this week, Facebook announced that it has positive cash flow for the first time. The company met the 300 million user milestone this month and has reached profitability ahead of schedule.

While the company has gotten some bad press for the slow growth of its ad business, clearly some companies are finding success by investing in Facebook display ads.

So what advertisers are making bank on the social net?

by Meghan Keane 18 September 2009 21:29pm 0 comments