With so much curiosity about how social networks function, one begins to wonder when there is marketing potential within these social networks?

I have been seeing social network for a while now. The truth is I am a member of numerous social networking websites including http://www.myspace.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com only...

There's been a virtual explosion of social-networking web sites previously couple of years. Even the people like Google, Yahoo and MSN are getting into it.

With therefore much interest in how social networks work, one begins to wonder when there is advertising potential within these social networks?

I've been seeing social network for some time now. In-fact I am a part of various social media sites including http://www.myspace.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com merely to name two.

I joined partly because I wished to see what these were, but more importantly to see on SEM what influence social networking could have in-the coming years.

I've been a part of numerous services for some time and the reach these sites have is extraordinary.

Like, from my LinkedIn network of seven people I have an expanded network of over 12,600 people.

Imagine that - I am just a click or two away from close to 13,000 other folks who share my similar interests ranging from what I like to watch on TV to work I could provide for them.

Through their connections and my connections, I am connected to people ranging from the American Cancer Society, to Sun Microsystems to the University of Texas to Google.

But what advertising possibilities are there for Social Networking?

Well, let us examine MySpace.

MySpace is one of the top sites on the Web today. It racked up 9.4 thousand page-views in August 2005 (over Google) and new users are signing up at a rate of 3.5 million monthly.

MySpace is typical of where todays 18-30 year-old would go to manage their electronic life. I-t allows people to post photos of themselves and their friends, develop a blog, list their favorite groups, watch and share videos, suggest things to do and lists a set of people they consider friends. It's on this 'Friends List' where most of the possibilities lie.

All forty million plus consumers of MySpace have a friends site that lists people that person considers their friend. For further information, people are able to view at: company web site. This is a listing of people who they're interested in conversing with and about, as well as reading from on a normal basis. They can send you messages, comment on your images, study your websites, as well as abandon messages that you can then give the others after you add someone as your friend. That is a chance for quick feedback about you.

The ability to include friends to your site is key for advertising to MySpace users. Based on Courtney Holt, head of new media and strategic advertising at Interscope Records, 'This generation is growing up with out ever observed developed media. In the event you want to learn further about asea advancing life reviews, there are many databases people could investigate. 'They don't think in terms of-the recording, and they don't think in terms of a TV schedule. They think with regards to TiVo, P2P, AOL, and of-course MySpace.

You can view how this may grow.

Let us say you create a MySpace account to share your product or service. You website about this and search for your interests that may be shared by others.

You then invite them to be your friend. When they develop into a friend you start your 'gentle market' begging your solution for them.

As they grow to understand it, they begin blogging and discussing it. Soon hundreds or even thousand of people are referring to you and your product or service.

Don't think this can work?

I'd like to give a few examples to you. There are lots of artists who've gotten their begin MySpace. By simply hosting a few of their music o-nline and blogging about themselves they created a following. Soon they'd file deals and contracts prearranged. To get other interpretations, please check out: read.

Of course to use services like MySpace you-need to have something this target audience needs. If you don't then you probably should not put a lot of effort in-to MySpace.

But that will not mean other social-networking opportunities should be ignored. Linked-in is more of an expert introduction service, as i stated earlier. If your products or services meets here then by all means investigate it more.

And you'll find others aswell. Companies for example Flickr, Yahoo!s MyWeb, http://del.icio.us and more.

If you have ever wondered what other online options may be out there, consider social-networking. Maybe it's the next great online marketing channel..