Should Your Company Have A MySpace Profile?You may have never heard of MySpace.com, but it is one of the most visited web sites on the Internet with more than 100 million registered users. It's a social networking phenomenon popular with the 30 and under crowd. People login, post information about themselves and often pictures. They create a "friend" network with links to one another's pages. For many it is addicting and where they spend much of their time on the Internet. As an online retailer, should you utilize MySpace.com?
The answer to the first question depends on your target demographic. If you are targeting people under 30, then by all means your company should have a MySpace profile. Some companies with MySpace profiles have more than 1000 "friends!" That means a 1000 links to a page with your company's branding. If your target market is people over 30 years old, then it may not make sense at this time to allocate resources towards creating one. Users of MySpace are very comfortable online and are likely to make online purchases. It's another way to brand your company to both new and existing customers.
So, what is the best way to use MySpace? After adding some basic information about your company, the first thing you need to do is build your friend network. Have employees join your friend network and track down some old friends that may also have MySpace profiles. Consider linking from your homepage to your MySpace page and vice versa. Once you have established a good sized friend network, you can broadcast "bulletins" or message to the people in your friend network. You can offer MySpace specific promotions and keep people up to date with the latest and greatest happenings at your company. Being "friends" with other people means that your company will also show up in their friend list which may get many hits and viewings.
Another good way to leverage MySpace is to join groups related to your industry. Let's say for example that you own a homebrew supply store. Joining a home brewing group puts your logo and company name in front of targeted buyers who also frequent that group. At last check, there was a homebrew group with more than 1000 members. Start posting intelligently in that group and your now are recognized as an authority. It's a good way to gain traction.
Keep your MySpace page cool and fresh. Generations X and Y don't like stale content. The bottom line is that MySpace can be a tool used in building your brand and certainly a new channel that can drive visitors to your site.
