Key to Successful Advertising on Social Networking Sites

In a recent New York Times article Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites, writer Randall Stross expresses the challenges faced by Advertisers to attract and convert customers with social advertising. Primarily users are there to socialize with their friends not interact with brands. According to Stross, to get users to participate Crest had to offer enticements such as free movie screenings. It worked but the benefits were short lived.

So the question remains: how do you move a user away from his chosen social activity to engage with your brand? Give him something for free? Give him a game to play or a video to watch? Perhaps. But branding doesn’t necessarily require immediate engagement to work.

As always, a banner ad needs to have a concise message that

1. attracts
2. informs and
3. motivates a respondent to action.

A powerful image combined with the right words can leave a lasting impression that pre-frames a user to respond later. Selling coffee? A steaming cup with “mmm” underneath it and the Coffee name sends a very strong message. The idea is to associate the product or service with something the person can relate to and easily recall when he is ready to engage with the brand, making it foremost in his mind. The lesson learned from telemarketing is that it is a mistake to pull someone away from a chosen activity to engage them in a sale. Instead focus on putting the idea in their heads. Ask a leading question:

“Want to Get Away from It All Right Now?” Keep the ads simple, focused, and memorable.

What have you tried that’s worked for you? Share your ideas.