Such scepticism hasn't stopped Facebook, according to national press reports, making plans to launch targeted advertising features, a move that has the antennae of the direct marketing fraternity twitching.
Targeting display advertising in websites is not new. Facebook, MSN and Bebo already allow targeting by the broad categories of age and gender. But what is interesting direct marketers is the potential for more personal engagement. This is particularly appealing to brands with a young audience to reach, as almost half of Facebook's members are 18 to 24 years old - an age group that doesn't respond to traditional direct channels such as mail.
Users divulge a large amount of information on the site: everything from favourite movies to political and ideological leanings. Key to this is the site's privacy policy, which allows marketers to target members using the information they submit, although Facebook has said this data will remain anonymised.
"This sort of development allows advertisers to apply the principles of direct marketing more to digital media," says Martin Lawson, head of data at digital media agency iLevel. "There's an enormous audience they can reach and slice by interests and consumption patterns, which allows for an enormous granularity."
However, Lawson believes the medium is unlikely to support the 'traditional' methods of DM. As data is anonymised, direct mail is, of course, ruled out. There is a feeling too, that email, messaging or posting on walls may alienate users.
No information has been released on what form the targeted advertising will take, but Facebook has said using its 'social graph' - its database of links between users - will be crucial.
This supports the idea that advertisers may have to find a way of interacting with consumers through the site. Facebook has already created the Facebook Platform, allowing third parties to create applications for users to interact with. Companies including STA Travel and Redbull have created so-called 'widgets', such as STA's holiday countdown timer.
The flexibility of Facebook's platform is vital for targeting consumers, as programmes can be written for different purposes.
Simon Mansell, managing director at digital direct agency TBG London, says the site would lend itself well to transactional applications, where members could make purchases and send gifts to friends from the site.
Applications and programmes could also be developed for generating leads for products in a similar way to direct response advertising. There is even potential for customers to opt in to communication from brands through the site, which may then enable advertisers to get in touch with them directly.
Clients, too, seem keen on these concepts. Sandrine Plasseraud, brand manager for small cars at Renault, says such a development provides an ideal opportunity to get beyond banners.
"With Facebook, everything is instantly viral, so the solution lies in creating something fun and interactive. You want to engage and entertain your customer," she says.
The idea of directly engaging with potential customers in such an intimate environment is appealing. But there are barriers and risks, such as how much advertisers are willing to invest in unproven ways of reaching consumers.
According to Colette Wilson, e-commerce programme leader at House of Fraser, there is uncertainty about the potential ROI. "Is the effort of customising, planning and delivering the collateral suitably profitable, given the other opportunities open to advertisers?" she asks.
Any brand that targets Facebook users will need to tread carefully so as not to alienate the people they wish to engage with. "It's about understanding the medium, as well as the message," says iLevel's Lawson. "Advertisers will be talking to people while they're interacting with their friends, and unless they have something interesting to say, they will be an unwelcome interruption."
FACEBOOK FACTS
- Founded in 2004, the site's initial membership was limited to Harvard University students
- Forty-two per cent of UK visitors are aged 18 to 24
- In August, companies including Vodafone, First Direct and the COI pulled their adverts after they appeared on the BNP profile page. The site has since introduced a blocking feature to allow brands to opt out of advertising on user groups
- Of the social networking sites, Facebook had the second-highest number of UK unique users in the year up to September, with a total of 5.2 million. MySpace had 6.1 million, and Bebo 4.6 million, according to Nielsen/NetRatings.