• by Tanya Gazdik , May 13, 2008

About 87% of those polled recently by Prospectiv feel that very few (58%) or none (29%) of the ads and offers they see on social networking sites match their specific interests and preferences.

Despite debate about the acceptance of ads on social networks, 56% polled said the quality of their online experience would be improved if social networking sites provided more targeted advertisements and offers tailored to their specific interests and preferences.

The poll surveyed nearly 3,000 users of social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, Hi5 and others.

Consumers said the types of tailored ads and offers they would respond to are: One-off coupons and discount offers from the brands and products they buy (62%); e-newsletters featuring coupons, discounts, news and tips about favorite brands (24%); and invitations to join interactive email groups and online forums and social networks for sharing and communicating (14%).

"These poll results clarify that members of social networking sites are open to offers and promotions as long as they are targeted to their interests," said Jere Doyle, Prospectiv's CEO, in a statement. "The next step for the web publishing industry seeking to monetize their online communities is to improve ad relevance, and the best way to do this is to work with online lead-generation providers and ad networks that have the brand relationships, technologies and services to ensure that the ads presented are tailored to their audience's needs and wants."

Although members of social networking sites are open to receiving offers and promotions from marketers, the majority of the advertisements currently on social networks are not speaking to their needs, preferences or specific interests. Of those surveyed, 58% said that very few ads match consumers' interests and preferences, while 29% said that none of the ads match consumers' interests and preferences. About 13% said most ads match consumers' interests and preferences.

Because ads are not matching consumers' interests, consumers are not clicking on them. The survey reveals that 54% of consumers never click on advertisements on social networks, while 39% occasionally will respond to ads and only 7% will often respond to ads.

In addition, 85% of consumers said they are more likely to join a free social networking site supported by advertisements and offers targeted to their interests rather than a paid social networking site without commercial advertisements.