Marketing Pilgrim

Facebook is known for two things: numbers that go up and boneheaded privacy moves. The privacy thing has cooled off as of late as did the growth from June of this year. According to Inside Facebook, though, things have returned to normal at least on the US growth front for the social media giant.

As always, it is important to understand the source of the information and this comes from Inside Facebook who just so happens to be offering a membership service that tracks this kind of thing.

As for continued growth of Facebook in the US, how much more room do you think there is? What is probably the better question is what is Facebook doing to maintain the interest of its existing account holders? I know for me I have found less and less reason to check my Facebook page. Maybe the thrill is gone, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the summer and it’s hot and blah, blah, blah……

I love Twitter.

I also happen to love using the Twitter web interface.

What I hate, is the new “Who to Follow” box.

Why do I hate it? First, I don’t need to clutter my Twitter stream by following more people thank you very much. Second, there is no way to collapse or delete the “Who to Follow” feature. I even tried “Xing” every suggested user in the hope that the feature would then give up. Did it? Nope, it just regenerated with a bunch of other names.

But that could just be me. I may be the minority. Maybe you love the new feature. Either way, let me (and Twitter) know how you feel about the new feature by voting below.

A new study called “What’s on their Screen, What’s on their Minds” by Microsoft Advertising says that the “screens” we use for entertainment each have a distinct personality that impacts how and when we use it. So allow me to introduce you to The Screens.

The computer is the middle brother in the family. He’s a work horse. He’s “informative” (67%) and “productive” but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to party. 58% said that their computer was more fun than their TV but mostly they expected to learn something or get something done when they booted up this box. How’s that for a one-sided relationship?

Facebook may have figured out this whole revenue thing after all. According to some recent comments by Facebook’s COO the advertising community has embraced the social media giant’s platform in a way that is music to Facebook’s ears. In other words, it is making the Facebook cash register ring!

Bloomberg Businessweek reports

Facebook Inc.’s biggest advertisers have boosted spending by at least 10-fold in the past year as the social network crossed the half-billion user mark, becoming more alluring to marketers that want to reach a broad online audience.

Some advertisers have increased spending by as much as 20- fold or more, Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said in an interview. The site’s ad prices have held steady even as user growth fueled a surge in inventory, or pages that can carry ads, she said.

We are one day away from the start of the weekend!

While you’re making plans, enjoy these Picks:

• Schmidt: Google Now Activating 200,000 Android Units A Day [Video]
• Twitter Preparing “Shout Out” Feature
• Google Buys Java/Ajax Tool-Maker Instantiations
• Is anybody out there? Tech companies #fail at social media, says study
• Eric Schmidt: Every 2 Days We Create As Much Information As We Did Up To 2003
• Facebook says ad spending is rocketing
• Google Buys Slide for $182 Million, Getting More Serious about Social Games

What a difference four years make in the Net Neutrality war.

June 7th 2006

Google believes that forcing people and companies to get permission from, and pay special fees to, the phone and cable companies to connect with one another online is fundamentally counter to the freedom and innovation that have defined the Internet.

August 4, 2010

Google and Verizon, two leading players in Internet service and content, are nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content’s creators are willing to pay for the privilege.

Oh Google, say it ain’t so!