What MySpace gets about advertising that Facebook doesn't
Both top social networks Facebook and MySpace redesigned their sites this summer, but while we prefer the look and feel of Facebook — isn't that nice? — so far only MySpace's redesign has actually earned its company more cash. ComScore reports MySpace served the most ad views on the Web last month. Analyst Rich Greenfield of Pali Research says MySpace was able to charge major brands like Sprint, Verizon and Wendy's more than it used to for many of them.Why? Greenfield says the site's redesign, which put a huge ad space at the top of the site's home page, allows MySpace to "reach far beyond the 'social media' advertising category and to target far larger portal advertising budgets." Wired reports that MySpace also now charges advertisers extra for Friday ads on the homepage, because that's when film companies want to push new movies. Facebook, which has a much cleaner, more user-friendly interface, doesn't allow similar site takeovers and in fact removed homepage banners as part of its redesign. The difference between the sites is simple: MySpace is trying to make a buck, right here, right now — and Facebook wants to find an innovative new advertising product so it can be bigger than Google.