Social networking sites that garner substantial niche communities offer marketers and business development teams new opportunities to micro-target. These CGM platforms are increasingly beckoning at companies and non-profits to advertise on certain pages on their sites or appear as sponsors of special sections. In 2006, marketers were expecting to spend up to 300 million dollars on social networking ads.

Considering the marketing investment in these areas, we may be at a good point to stop and ask about additional ways to engage online networkers.

First, we need to remember why people come to these areas. It’s for peer-to-peer interaction. JupiterResearch/Ipsos-Insight Survey (July 2006) shows visitors are primarily looking to communicate with existing and new friends. As simple as it may sound, the research confirms that interactive marketers' messages need to blend in with visitors' activities. They need to give consumers opportunities to post, interact with one another and display their own personalities. It's not just the click-throughs but also the length and quality of stay that matters.

Social networking sites represent an opportunity for online PR to crack the code of consumer-generated media. PR is about building relations and that’s what social networkers are looking to do. We have seen brand profiles on MySpace and contests on YouTube. In the next year, we should expect even smarter engagement tactics and technology solutions that host, encourage and enhance peer-to-peer communications. We need to create online events, invite consumers to participate and let them own the space. We can guide users to micro sites, buy key words and deploy search engine optimization tactics but personalization tools such as voice-overs, icons and custom animations will be just as critical.

Bottomline, these tactics will need to culminate in meaningful, ongoing dialogues between brands and customers. Communications on social networking sites are less about disruptive experiences, more about extended conversations. It's not just Web 2.0, it's stakeholder management 2.0. It's about empowering and enabling people.