Is it worth it for a SB person to have a MySpace or FaceBook page?

[supernova]

I was wondering about this.

I have not delved into MySpace or FaceBook but it might be a good way of soft marketing myself.

Do any of you have a MS or FB page and do get leads out of it?

[sybylla]

1. That depends on your business and your market

If you're target market includes teens and twenties, then it's probably a decent idea depending on what you're selling.

It doesn't fit with my business so I have no evidence that it works.

[supernova]

2. Thanks for your reply

This form is very quiet usually.

I was basing this idea on the fact that there are more and more mid life professional using these web sites, not just teens and 20 somethings. But I don't know. The good news is it doesn't cost anything to find out. So I may do it just as an experiment. (I'm in IT, btw.)

[RetroLounge]

3. Depends on your business

and don't believe the meme about MySpace being all teens. The age is varied.

I have a bookstore and I get business thru my MySpace page pretty consistently. Both local walk-ins and online.

Costs nothing but time.

:hi:

RL

on edit: http://www.myspace.com/xenithbooksellers

[OneGrassRoot]

4. I was wondering the same thing, so thanks for asking...

and thanks for the two replies.

I wish this forum had more activity as well. I just posted a question in GD, asking if anyone is interested in or involved with social entrepreneurship.

Supernova, I believe you live near me and seem to have quite a network. Do you know any social entrepreneurs in the areas of publishing, film, or merchandising by any chance?

I would have PM'd but wanted to keep activity going, even if only for the day, here...lol.

:hi:

[jakem]

5. seth godin has been pushing web 2.0 lately-

might want to check out his stuff re: facebook.

i have been thinking about it too, but not done it yet-

[Dave Caputo]

6. My company has a Facebook page

I run an SEO Company that helps businesses get online with web sites and organic search engine optimization. One part of that is having a Facebook page, and a Myspace page if the business type is appropriate for it.

My company has a Facebook page that discusses our web site development projects.

It's a good way to announce stuff for your clients, and it's a good way to communicate with large groups of people who already know who you are and what you do, and have indicated that they are "Fans".

Take a look at our page to get some ideas. There are a lot of different ways you can use this medium to help your business, depending on what kind of a business you're in.

Hope that helped.

David Caputo
President
Positronic Design, The SEO Company

[OneGrassRoot]

7. My two cents :)

I don't think for traditional businesses, unless as someone said above you're targeting tweens or musicians, MySpace is recommended.

While Facebook isn't turning into the marketing tool many anticipated for businesses as far as the viral effect (people mostly want FB to be strictly for social interaction and feel "plugs" are intrusive), it does seem one needs to have a presence there. And if you don't have newsletters and such already, making use of sending messages to all members, posting blogs, etc. is a good thing. I have a presence there for several projects. A business really should have a Fan or Group page, imho.

Other than reconnecting with old friends and thus making new friends through them, I mainly use Facebook as an aggregate of sorts. I belong to tons of business and organizational Fan pages and can check Facebook to see new blog posts, announcements, etc.

Good luck. :hi:

[JustAnotherGen]

8. I'm using Facebook

But my target market is single women over the age of 35. I don't see Myspace fitting into that niche. Two books that might be of interesrt:
New Rules of Marketing and PR
The Facebook Era

They look funny sitting next to my old Mass Comm textbooks about the 'Waterbed Effect of Media' and this new "thing" (circa 1993) called the internet. But they give quick snapshots into the 'new media'. Also look at poster (name has Caputo in it) who also posted that he uses it. Go to his website. He might be able to help you based upon the type of work his firm does. Good luck!