Facebook marketing In addition to Myspace - Exactly why You'll need a Account.

Within the last couple of years, social networking sites enabled by Web 2.0 technologies have dramatically changed just how we utilize the Internet. That which was once a one-way connection has transformed into a vibrant connective medium, allowing users to share a wide range of content including blogs, photos, videos, and Twitter Followers .

Yet how have social networking sites like Facebook changed just how online marketers advertise online? For starters, they've made our jobs much easier. Facebook is the best medium for advertising within an environment that's viral by nature. These online social directories use an interactive format which allows users to produce a personal profile, connect with other users, and share content.

In a sense, these users have previously effectively segmented themselves, coming together through like interest groups and connecting through content. These behaviors, which are inherent to social media marketing and enabled by Web 2.0, create valuable networks of targeted and specific demographic groups. Now more than ever, the "Net Generation" is becoming associated with social media marketing and presenting online marketers with the chance to market to predefined segments of online users, positioning branded messages on sites where these users spending some time online.

Moreover, these social networking sites are growing at an exponential rate, adding more and more users from more diverse backgrounds. Initially, Facebook was created only for college students, but a year ago, it had been opened to anyone with an email address. According to Microsoft, Facebook is the sixth most trafficked site in the U.S., and now has over 73 million registered users in 40,000 different collegiate, high school, work-related, and geographic networks. This represents a 530% growth rate over 12 months alone.

The tactic whereby advertisers communicate with these segmented online audiences is famous as Social Media Marketing (SMM).SMM has become a popular tool for search engine optimization (SEO) as a result of its unique ability to improve website visibility, name recognition, and brand awareness among specific online audiences through the acquisition of a network of relevant links.