| I think it's fair to say that if you haven't heard of | | | | own MySpace page as it is a direct link to your |
| MySpace.com, you may have been asleep in the | | | | own profile. |
| past couple of years or kidnapped by aliens. | | | | Banners |
| According to Alexa.com, is the third most popular | | | | Create catchy banners on your main page to link |
| website in the world, after and It is a free service | | | | to your official website. You don't have to pay for |
| to anyone on the planet, so it is of no surprise | | | | these. You can go on sites such as and you can |
| that there are over 150 million profiles worldwide | | | | create a free banner that you can embed onto |
| and counting, residing on MySpace. What this | | | | your MySpace page, linking it to any URL. Create |
| means to you is a big, wide playground to market | | | | your banner, grab the code, and paste it onto |
| and manipulate your product to attract users to | | | | your “About Me” section, and you have |
| visit your MySpace page. As you have probably | | | | successfully implemented one of the most |
| noticed, every celebrity, actor, film production | | | | effective do-it-yourself marketing tools on |
| company, or even a new movie that is coming | | | | MySpace. |
| out has it's own MySpace page. A friend's cat | | | | You can even create banners to link to the |
| “Joe the Cat” even has his own MySpace | | | | “Subscribe to my Blog” section or |
| page. Such “moldability” makes this site | | | | “Add me as a friend” so that users only |
| desirable for anyone to sell and market a product | | | | have to click one button to subscribe or add you |
| – for free. | | | | as a friend. |
| Friends | | | | Comments |
| A feature on MySpace is the ability to add friends | | | | Another great feature for marketing on MySpace |
| or profiles. This allows the user to gather multiple | | | | is the ability of your “friends” to leave |
| potential customers and store it in their own | | | | comments on your page. As a business owner, or |
| database to be easily accessible. Friends can leave | | | | music artists, fans and customers will leave you |
| comments on your page, photos, and such. There | | | | comments here about how much they love your |
| are hacks available and floating everywhere that | | | | product or music. Also, other product peddlers are |
| promises to give you x-amount of friends for a | | | | able to leave their marketing ads on your page as |
| few dollars. But, keep in mind that not all friends | | | | well. Make the “comment” feature work |
| are good friends. If you are selling something to a | | | | for you. Try these simple do-it-yourself strategies. |
| target audience, think quality not quantity. For | | | | When a new user requests you to be a |
| example, if you are selling hip hop music, think of | | | | “friend”, use this opportunity to market |
| your target demographic audience. It does you no | | | | your product. Accept them into your list, and then |
| good to have 10,000 friends – half of which | | | | leave them a comment on their profile to thank |
| listen to pop music, a fourth listens to metal, and | | | | them for having you on their friends list. A great |
| a fourth listens to hip hop. You will literally have to | | | | eye-catchy yet unobtrusive comment is an art. |
| have millions of friends on your MySpace page in | | | | Have you seen those huge banners and long |
| order to reach a level of awareness for your | | | | comments on people's profile? They are of poor |
| target demographic. This is like having a machine | | | | taste and the likelihood of the “friend” |
| gun and spraying your target with bullets. You will | | | | keeping that huge tacky comment on his page is |
| need a million bullets to hit the target. You are | | | | not good. So construct a tasteful comment. An |
| just shooting in the dark, but you eventually hit | | | | example of a tasteful comment might be, |
| your target by sheer volume of bullets. | | | | “Thanks so much for adding me to your |
| I say be a practiced “sharp shooter” on | | | | friends list. You're welcome to come by and visit |
| MySpace. Refine your friends. Myspace has a | | | | my page anytime and check me out. Don't be a |
| search feature that lets you use keywords to | | | | stranger. - Joe, the model.” Create a banner |
| find profiles that contain those words. So, in our | | | | (not so big) that will link it to your MySpace page |
| example of hip hop music, type in the keywords, | | | | or your official website, and make this your |
| “hip hop” or “rap” and it gives you | | | | signature logo after your comment. When there is |
| profiles that contain those words. You have now | | | | a change in your product, you have a special |
| increased your likelihood of gaining friends who | | | | offer, new music, or new blog, you can create |
| have a high percentage of visiting your page and | | | | links, create a banner or both and incorporate that |
| patronizing your product. | | | | into your comment to users. For example, “Hi, |
| Also, think of your marketing goals. Again, using | | | | hope all is well with you. I hope you had a great |
| our example of a hip hop artist, your goal is to | | | | birthday. I just wanted to update you on what's |
| gain exposure from DJs, management companies, | | | | going on with me. I just blogged and I wanted to |
| record companies, or maybe publications for | | | | share some really cool information with you. Click |
| interviews. Type in these key words on the | | | | this link to go to my blog/my page. Hope to see |
| search feature and you will get hundreds of | | | | you there.” Remember by commenting on as |
| profiles of companies and individuals involved in | | | | many people as you can in a tasteful manner, you |
| these industries. | | | | are increasing awareness for your page and |
| So, the lesson is – unless you have the time | | | | product, and increasing the likelihood that users will |
| and manpower to do it, “Don't work so hard | | | | visit your page or website and patronize your |
| to get so many friends. Be smarter and save | | | | product. |
| time and energy to get the right type of friends | | | | Bulletins |
| on MySpace.” | | | | Bulletins on MySpace are an iffy subject for me. I |
| Now that you have friends, what are you going | | | | doubt the usefuleness of this feature. |
| to do with them to promote your product. | | | | Furthermore, it is saturated by users who send |
| MySpace has several wonderful marketing tools | | | | the same bulletins over 10 sometimes more a |
| that are generally underutilized by talented artists | | | | day. It is a valuable tool if done tastefully, but I |
| and legitimate businesses, but sometimes abused | | | | really doubt the usefulness when you weigh the |
| by nefarious entities to steal profile usernames | | | | risks and benefits of using this feature. There are |
| and passwords, and sell products in a dishonest | | | | so many users that abuse this feature that |
| and deceitful m anner. | | | | MySpace admin has finally added a button at the |
| Blogs | | | | bottom of each bulletin to “delete this |
| When I first started blogging on MySpace on my | | | | friend”. So, it is really important to keep in |
| personal profile, I gained quite a following because | | | | mind when you send bulletins that you are also |
| of some strategies that I implemented. It almost | | | | sending a button for friends to delete you if they |
| became a job to perpetuate the level of | | | | don't like the bulletin you sent. |
| readership that I had on my blogs. But, the hard | | | | At any rate, when you absolutely have to send a |
| work and time I invested paid off, because after | | | | bulletin, remember to do it tastefully, and don't |
| a few weeks, I had hundreds of subscribers and | | | | send it more than 5 times in a day. Space them |
| would get over 50, sometimes over 100 | | | | out accordingly and strategically, keeping in mind |
| comments on my blogs regularly. I began to think, | | | | the time zones. |
| “This is like a job. Wouldn't it be nice to get | | | | Also, avoid creating links like, “Check this |
| paid for this?” | | | | out”, “This is so hilarious”, “You |
| As an entrepreuner and your own marketing | | | | can't believe this.” Users are now used to |
| specialist, these strategies can be implemented on | | | | getting these bulletins and getting their profiles |
| your own blogs on MySpace to increase product | | | | hacked. MySpace has been riddled with phishing |
| awareness for your own business. It is an | | | | hacks that typically contain those phrases I |
| alternative way to drive traffic to your website. | | | | mentioned. When you clicked on them, they went |
| Follow some of these simple strategies: Identify | | | | to another site and it seemed that you are logged |
| your target audience (i.e. Magazines, record | | | | off of MySpace. The site then asks you for your |
| companies, journalists, females between 18-40, | | | | Myspace username and password. MySpace |
| etc.). Once you have identified your target | | | | admin has alerted users of the hackers tactics. |
| audience. Go into their profiles, into the Blog | | | | Now, when users see links like the above, your |
| Section, and click on the “Invite to my | | | | bulletin can look like an attempt to hack their site, |
| Blog” link. This generates an automatic email | | | | and you are likely to get deleted from their |
| that invites them to subscribe to your blog. I | | | | friends list. |
| would follow this up with emails to introduce | | | | Conclusion |
| yourself. Be friendly and tone down the “I'm | | | | is a valuable marketing tool for the do-it-yourself |
| selling something” sentiments. Write your | | | | small business or independent music artists. |
| blogs. Be informative not vague. Be aproachable, | | | | However, it is time consuming, tedious and |
| not stiff. Be personable, not too corporate. | | | | requires consistency. For those who don't have |
| MySpace is an informal arena and corporate | | | | the time and patience for this, marketing |
| mumbo-jumbo has little place in this social forum. | | | | companies such as Rosete Marketing are now |
| Invite your readers to respond. Engage them in | | | | being hired to incorporate MySpace marketing into |
| discussion. Even mention them by name in your | | | | their online strategies. |
| entries. You may have to write them an email | | | | Marketing companies are now having to |
| from time to time to alert them of your blog. | | | | understand and appreciate the power of |
| The old adage, “You scratch my back I | | | | MySpace. Artists, music executives, film |
| scratch yours, ” holds true in blogging. Go on | | | | production companies, and major businesses have |
| your readers' sites and see if they blog. If they | | | | devoted MySpace pages for their services and |
| do, read and contribute to their blog by | | | | products. MySpace marketing, in conjunction with |
| commenting. This increases the likelihood of that | | | | tried-and true marketing strategies with an |
| user and any other user who reads his blog to | | | | established marketing firm, will propel your music, |
| come to your blog. Any comments on other | | | | services, business or product in the forefront of |
| users blogs is a great advertisement for your | | | | your industry. |