Few social network users know about the data collection and use schemes at the core of the “monetization” model for Facebook, MySpace, etc. Last month, Tom Arrix, VP media sales east for Facebook, told a executive crowd that they should redefine how they view the marketing definition of ROI. It shouldn’t be return on investment, but “return on involvement” he explained. Mr. Arrix was on a panel with Google/YouTube “client solutions and ad programs” exec Jamie Byrne. Facebook’s Arrix, in discussing the involvement paradigm, noted that “[R]eturn on ‘involvement’ looks at what users are saying about your brand. For example, are users taking your message and sharing it with their friends? Every client we do business with, we tell them, ‘You have to divorce yourself from what you’ve done before.’â€
Both Byrne and Arrix reflected, noted paidcontent, on the “tons” of user data they have. An interesting note from Mr. Arrix: “We’re seeing custom research and holding companies coming to us to partner on studying the data.”
