MySpace MyAds Revisited

A comment I made on the Social Media Insider blog last week was quoted in MediaPost’s Letters to the Editor section on Friday. Apparently I represent a minority opinion of people who seem to be less than impressed with the platform at this stage. But before I get labeled as a MyAds bully, let me take a moment add a few words in defense of the platform.

Too many others who are critical of the platform have been criticizing it for pointless reasons. It’s been compared to Google Adwords over and over again. That really needs to stop. It’s unfair to compare what really are apples and oranges. It’s just as pointless as criticizing a minivan for lacking the performance and handling of a Ferrari, or complaining that you can’t fit your 2.3 children, dog, and camping gear in the Ferrari — both cars seek to serve completely distinct purposes.

Google AdWords are contextual ads, triggered by content in the page being viewed. If you’re reading a review of a Nokia cell phone, you may see a Google ad for a Blackberry. This has been shown to be a profitable model for Google and advertisers alike.

MyAds, on the other hand, are not contextual ads. They are called up to be displayed to users who have been identified by certain interests and characteristics. If you list an interest in surfing in your MySpace profile, you may see an ad for a Hawaii vacation package regardless of what page you are viewing.

I’m not taking a stand to say that one model is better than another. They both seek to accomplish the task of getting your ads in front of the right consumers. My point is just that they are different, and can’t be compared quite so one-dimensionally.

That said, I stand by my earlier assessment that the MyAds platform is outdone by Facebook’s Social Ads. But at least these two are in the same ballgame.

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