Facebook | Internet Marketing Blog

Is Facebook's privacy approach bringing a user exodus?

Since its inception, Facebook's approach to privacy has drawn ire from users. But those complaints don't often effect the sites popularity, which has skyrocketed since its debut as Harvard's online yearbook.

However, Facebook's latest expansion may actually have business repurcussions. Why? Because the site's growth has slowed. Perhaps Facebook is starting to hit a saturation point online, but if the various groups trying to get people off Facebook find success, Facebook could be in trouble.

by Meghan Keane 14 May 2010 21:04pm 6 comments

The top seven Facebook tools for publishers

Facebook may increasingly be on the receiving end of criticism related to its stance on privacy, but the world's largest social network is still one of the top places to reach consumers online.

With more than 400m registered users globally, Facebook is the world's largest social network, and publishers looking to stay connected with their users and acquire new users have plenty of Facebook tools at their disposal to do just that. Here are seven of them.

by Patricio Robles 14 May 2010 10:46am 3 comments

2010 could be the year of the display ad

Has online advertising rebounded from the recession? If not, things are definitely picking up. According to the Internet Advertising Bureau and comScore, digital advertising is performing better than last year. What's more? Display advertising is starting strong. The sector hit record revenues in the first quarter of 2010.

Which leaves a question: Have display advertising's woes been unfairly tied to the recession?

by Meghan Keane 13 May 2010 23:07pm 3 comments

Revealed: the secret to social media marketing success

When JetBlue wanted to celebrate its 10th anniversary, it decided to sell a limited number of tickets for $10. That's a tall order, so for help with the difficult task of convincing consumers to buy $10 airline tickets, it turned to TBG, a London-based digital agency that specializes in Facebook marketing.

The result: JetBlue saw a "massive" response from TBG's Facebook ad buy, revealing the secret of social media success.

That secret: giving away stuff for free or at a significant discount is a great way to 'engage' consumers on social networks.

by Patricio Robles 13 May 2010 10:10am 32 comments

Print subscription sales and news feed ads are coming to Facebook

On Facebook, fans and likes are all well and good. But this summer, the social network will have a new feature that may actually help publishers get sales. Synapse, a Time Inc division that sells subscriptions for various publishers, is working with e-commerce solutions company Alvenda to allow Facebook users to purchase magazines directly from their news feeds.

That is sure to get publishers excited. And though news feed purchases actually have more potential for other sectors on Facebook, there is something interesting about this impending feature — the ads. And the fact that Facebook isn't taking a cut of the profits.

by Meghan Keane 13 May 2010 00:27am 1 comment

Nine tips for protecting your privacy online

Facebook's recent 'instant personalization' has the blogosphere buzzing, and the privacy implications haven't gone unnoticed. Some believe that privacy is effectively dead online, and that individuals simply need to "get over it."

But is that really the case? Is privacy dead? For those of us who are active online, maintaining privacy can be a difficult task, but it's not impossible.

by Patricio Robles 12 May 2010 09:01am 0 comments

Facebook to Zynga: we're not in Farmville any more

Facebook has sat by and watched as prominent application developers have made millions upon millions of dollars on its platform, primarily through virtual currency. Not surprisingly, Facebook wants a piece of the action and is moving to take a piece of the action.

But that may not be so easy if the results of early deal making efforts are any indication. Application developer Zynga, which operates some of the most popular social gaming apps on Facebook, including Farmville and Mafia Wars, may leave Facebook and set up its own gaming social network after negotiations with Facebook over the use of Facebook's upcoming universal payments and credits system reportedly fell apart.

by Patricio Robles 10 May 2010 15:45pm 5 comments

Privacy, security and the social web

Two words are increasingly surfacing in discussions of an internet that becomes more and more social each day: 'privacy' and 'security'. The reason: the social web seems to be increasingly eroding personal privacy and introducing new online security concerns.

Many groups believe that something needs to be done, and it appears that governments are starting to eye action of their own. But is it too late?

by Patricio Robles 07 May 2010 09:01am 2 comments

Facebook prepares to launch its location feature — with ads from McDonald's

With all of the interest in local and mobile advertising going on right now, Facebook has been quickly preparing its own location-based check-in feature. And now it looks like the social network could be close to launching.

And Facebook is seeking the help of McDonald's as an initial launch partner. When check-in to McDonald's from their status updates — which could happen as soon as this month — they'll also be able to feature a McDonald's product in their post. Doesn't that sound like fun?

by Meghan Keane 06 May 2010 22:48pm 4 comments

Consumers are sharing risky information on social networks — but companies like Facebook aren't helping

As individuals become increasingly comfortable sharing information online, they are also ceding their privacy in new — and sometimes dangerous — ways. According to a Consumer Reports survey released today, over half (52%) of social network users are oversharing online. And cybercriminals are taking note. The information shared on social networks is particularly susceptible to criminals looking to find and steal personal information.

At a panel in New York sponsored by Consumer Reports today, speakers agreed that consumers are posting risky information online. But many companies are exacerbating the issue with confusing — and frequently changing — privacy policies.

by Meghan Keane 04 May 2010 20:20pm 2 comments