Facebook’s European Takeover

Just last month I wrote in an eMarketer report that Facebook in 2009 would take over markets that had once been dominated by regional social network sites. Today, comScore reports that Facebook has become the dominant social network in 11 of the 17 European markets comScore covers.

Most recently, it overtook local favorite Tuenti in Spain. And in three of the 17 countries, Facebook ranks second. The only places it trails other social networking sites are Germany, Russia and Portugal.

So much for the idea that a homegrown site could capture the nuances of local culture.

Social Media Podcast with Smallbiz America

I was interviewed recently by David Wolf of Smallbiz America about social media marketing. In the interview I answer these questions:

1. You’ve been in this space since 1993—-has anything totally surprised you in terms of the ways internet advertising and marketing has unfolded?
2. At eMarketer—-you’ve got a birds-eye view of how the world of social media is changing the landscape of marketing. What does social media do that traditional media simply cannot do?
3. The issue of brand control has certainly been a concern for many companies as they make their entrance into social media. How are you seeing companies manage their brands in a world that’s all about letting go of control, and harvesting authenticity from the consumer?
4. How do you see strategic possibilities evolving for companies that want to participate in social networks as advertisers—-how are they looking to approach the challenge?
5. Do you think it’s more effective for companies to create their own social networking platforms—-or is it a better idea to leverage the existing platforms that have huge traction?
6. How is search marketing evolving—-and what can we look forward to in terms of changes there?