Host of Your Own Domain

MySpace.com doesn't understand the term slow down. The latest article from Broadcasting and Cable, reported that the site has a new initiative that will launch soon.

The new service allows users to "host" streams of shows on their home page. This seems like a selfless act by marketers to increase consumer control over media, but it's so much more. It's a one-site stop for marketers to reach a target demographic because MySpace had 64.4 million unique visitors as of February; this is the stuff marketers' dreams are made of.

Media companies are the most likely candidates to team with social networking sites because the nature of the business lends itself to mass marketing, but companies need to stay ahead of the curve and determine creative ways to use social networking sites to their advantage because the connection with users is already in place.

USA Today Joins the Social Networking Craze

Although the creation of social networking sites brought about many new services for consumers, it created an enormous challenge for current information services. Consumers found it was much more entertaining to view news through message boards, blogs and friends rather than having to look at newspapers outdated Web sites.

This consumer revelation is why USA Today has just relaunched its site with all the fun and attention-grabbing aspects that social networking sites offer. According to Media Post, the new site has added blogs, videos, content sharing and recommendation tools. To create the new social network feel for the site, USA Today recruited the proprietary social media services of Pluck Corp.

The Austin, Texas based company manages the new site's blogs, photo-sharing, reader comments and forums. Jeff Webber, the site's senior vice president, feels that with the services of Pluck the new site will be able to help create a community around the news and will enable readers to become engaged and informed. There is no doubt that this change will benefit USA Today. It's listening to what consumers want and delivering its content in a new and entertaining way, which will hopefully increase circulation.