Cecilia Cocholilo

40% of social network users are receptive to opt-in advertising, according to market research firm InsightExpress.

Meanwhile, just 23% of users on Facebook, Myspace, Classmates.com, LinkedIn and Reunion.com felt randomly generated ads were acceptable, reports MarketingVOX. This was in marked contrast to CafeMom, Twitter and Flickr users — 43% of which said random ads were acceptable.

“Recognizing the rapid growth of social networks and social networking audiences, advertisers have focused on creative engagement and how to apply their brands within a new environment,” stated VP/Group Director-Digital Media Measurement Drew Lipner of InsightExpress.

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Despite growing popularity of social networks such as MySpace and Facebook, young adults (age 18-34) are more likely to be influenced by email and direct-mail marketing than by ads or marketing messages on social networks, according to a study (pdf) from Ball State University’s Center for Media Deisgn (CMD) and ExactTarget, writes MarketingVox.

The study also found that this youth demographic believes that social networks are for friends – not marketers – and that marketers shouldn’t assume that the medium consumers use to communicate with each other is the best means to advertise to them.

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