Articles
Setting up MySpace Campaigns, Part 1
by Brad ParentIntroduction
I have been running into some interesting concepts regarding branding yourself when setting up campaigns on MySpace and similar networks. I have decided to share what I have learned in the hopes that it will help those struggling with Web 2.0 protocols and methodologies.
Initial Setup
Suggestions and tips on setting up MySpace profiles abound, and the variety to be found there attests to the unlimited nature of what you can do when you engage the creative process. However, one of the most common pitfalls I find out there is the urge to showcase your primary business on your profile, as opposed to showcasing yourself. I find that the profiles I feel most comfortable with and attracted to are those where the "Primary Business" is nowhere to be found, but instead you will find a detailed description of the person's background and attitudes. This is what you want to work towards. Create that sense of comfort by telling your story, and leave the name of your business out of the picture as much as possible. Once people are attracted to you, there will be plenty of time to introduce them to your business, but in the model I am proposing, it has no place in the first impression, or at least takes a back seat to who you really are.
To these ends, you want to lead with a bio of yourself, describing your background and putting your best foot forward, but MOST IMPORTANTLY you want to tell people a story of the frustrations and the problems you have encountered in your life's journey, and how you have overcome them. Many people can relate to struggle and frustration; we all have it. But they also want to be talking to someone who has come out on top. You don't necessarily want to tell them of your solutions just yet, but rather just that you have found them. This story needs to be heartwarming to some degree, and starting from this angle gives the visitor a little bit of curiosity and tension which they will want to resolve. The place you will resolve this will be in your interaction with the now curious visitor, either through your website of in personal communications. But you want them to be curious what has worked for you in solving a problem they can relate to.
Next, before they leave your page, you want to tell them who you want to meet, and also who you don't want to meet. This will qualify your visitors to some degree and save you some of the aggravation of dealing with the type of person you're not interested in doing business with.
A nice-looking professional picture of yourself, and your contact information are also essential, put the link to your site underneath your story, so they will be drawn to it to find out more.
There are many different opinions and many different things you can do to jazz your profile up and make it look attractive, and that's great too. But ATTRACTIVE is the key word here, and not scary. You want to make it appealing to the type of people you want to attract, so think about your target market first and figure out what THEY like. Try to stay away form the kinds of things they don't like. I find flashing banners distracting, for example, and I won't stay long on a page that has them. Music can be nice as well, but it might qualify people a little more than you want to, people's musical preferences vary widely and are generally somewhat exclusive. Be very selctive as to the type of people you accept as friends as well, for the purposes to this type of profile. You want to only accept the type of people you are looking for, and not the ones who would turn those people off, so be very careful about this.
I hope these suggestions will prove helpful to you. My next post will be about your website and its part in this type of campaign, and then I'll delve a little more into personal interactions and some of the "psychological chess" that goes on in them.
For a look at what I'm doing with my profile, see http://www.myspace.com/implosionzone . Here's a tip: choose the name of your profile carefully, because it can't be changed. My url reflects a past endeavor. Also I haven't fully taken my own advice here yet but plan to make some changes. Enjoy.
Sponsor Ads
About Brad Parent 
95 connections, 6 recommendations, 171 honor points.Joined APSense since, August 30th, 2007, From Hammond, LA, United States.
Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.
Comments
|
Jeff Greene
 Online Marketing Specialist/ConsultantInteresting information and timely, too! Thanks, Brad 'll be following your updates for this feature. Good Luck with your business! :) Feb 9th 2008 14:56 |
|
Great information Brad.
I'll be looking forward to Part 2
Cindy
Feb 9th 2008 14:26