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Need 'Friends' 'Fans' and 'Followers?' Paying for Social Media Popularity

paying-for-facebook-friends-and-fans Most of us have read the classic book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.

Now comes a new twist. If you want to win friends/followers and influence people through social media, just hand over your credit card!

An Internet-based social media marketing company, uSocial.net, just recently launched a suite of services for Facebook, including the ability to purchase friends and fans.

For only 7.6 cents per friend, you can buy up to 5,000 Facebook friends. The company has also been selling followers on Twitter, offering a sliding scale from 1000 followers for $87 to 100,000 followers for $3479. paying-for-followers

According to the company CEO Leon Hill, "Facebook is an extremely effective marketing tool, as anyone with a large number of targeted friends or fans can attest to. The only problem is that is can be extremely difficult to achieve such a following, which is where we come in."

The folks at uSocial.net say they can target friends/followers to be added to a user's Facebook or Twitter account determined by specific interest groups, industry affiliations, or geographic location.

My question is this: "What kind of friends/fans/followers are you paying for?" Will they be genuinely interested in what you have to say or what you're marketing/promoting? My sense is that the people who would be willing to pay for friends/fans/followers are the same ones who would pay for a 3rd party to automate their 'twits' and 'updates.' What kind of conversation is that? It runs along the same vein as hiring a ghost writer for your blog.

The true value proposition of 'social' media lies in its ability to attract, engage, and foster meaningful dialog - dialog that necessitates 'real' active participation from both sides of the conversation.

Unfortunately, there will always be those who simply hit the 'easy' button and attempt to shortcut the process. In the end, their automated content will only serve to further clutter the netscape with annoying SPAM, and fall on the deaf, indifferent ears of their hired following/friends.

Would You Pay for Facebook Friends/Fans or Twitter Followers?(polls)

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional in Kitsap County WA. He's been married to a drop-dead gorgeous blonde for over 25 years, has four totally awesome kids, and a purebred Golden Lab named Sadie. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG, and Crabbing in the Hood.

Posted by Rich Jacobson Your Kitsap County WA Real Estate Agent on 09/30/2009 02:38 PM

Comments (48)

Social Media Marketing in the Networking Channel

paying for facebook friends, paying for twitter followers, social media marketing

Originally posted at: "Singing in the Rain!": Need 'Friends' 'Fans' and 'Followers?' Paying for Social Media Popularity

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48 Comments on Need 'Friends' 'Fans' and 'Followers?' Paying for Social Media Popularity

SEP

Now thats just plain funny....i limit who i invite on my business page I only want those that will shout how great I am from the rooftops, not every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there.

Paying for friends....no, I don't think so. I like to pick my own.

I turn away "friends" and "followers" so I must have it backwards!

I am to particular, I guess. Paying for them is just not going to happen with me!

Hi Rich...When we can have all the friends anyone could possibly want right here in the Rain? I think not.

Took the poll and answered "No Way". Evidently I was the first one so the results were 100%.

Kate

Rich, having bought all the friends I already have this sounds right up my alley:)

Rich, while I would never ever pay for friends and/or followers, I can be bought for the right price.

However that right price would be quite a few more pennies than 7.6 cents!

Hmmm...let's see here, how many can I get for $1.87? That has to be the silliest thing I've heard all month but I am sure someone will buy into this...*SHEESH*

Hope you are doing well, I just remembered to follow you on Twitter! OOPS, never mind, I was already following you! It's been a long day I think I will wrap it up now!

Pay for friends? Why?

I already have close to 200 waiting. I am being more selective now on Facebook.

I've learned a lot the last few years on social media and one is to have the time to engage and connect with.

Rich I was wondering how you had so many friends on FB. This whole time I thought it was because you were active on AR and a good guy. What I want to know is where is my 7.6 cents. I never got it for being your friend.

I don't see the point in doing this.

Good God no I wouldn't pay for friends... Fans? Maybe... ;^ )

Hi Rich -- Just when you have thought you've seen it all. Some things just don't make a lick of sense!

I heard this quote from a very wise man, "The problem with friends that you can buy is that they will usually sell out to a higher bidder."

Hi Rich. I would not opt to do that. I'm very selective about who I add at FB :-)

Then I can say, I have the best friends money can buy.

I can certainly understand buying a wife, but friends? No way. We've got to have standards.

I am much more of a fan of Quality over Quantity. My network is growing just fine.

One word of caution - if you buy friends for Facebook, you might have your profile shut down. They are really cracking down on people using profiles for business. I know of 5 agents who had their profiles shut down in September.

Rich - I read this and kept hoping somewhere along the way you were going to say this was a joke. The sad part is that there are some people who will pay for this kind of service and diminish the integrity of what social networking is all about.

OCT

Hi Rich - The value of this depends on how specifically you can target Fans or Followers. With that in mind, I see this as similar to an agent who farms a particular neighborhood, ZIP code, or demographic, only it's done online instead of through the U.S. Postal Service.

And whereas you're paying every single time you send out a postcard, this is a one-time charge, and far less. Of course like any other marketing activity you'd need to track results over time to see what the ROI is.

So you really can buy friends!!!! Lol! I'm going to have to think about this one! I think I'll make friends the old fashioned way!

Wow, I guess this company is trying to capitalize of the "social media" of having more and more friends all the time. I think that quality over quantity will win in the end.

No, I definitely would not pay for friends. I want to foster real friendships (at least through facebook anyway). Twitter is a little different when just anyone can follow you. Not that I'm saying I'd pay for followers. I'm just saying Twitter is different from facebook in my opinion.

I would much rather have 100 followers that I can engage with regularly that engage back with me than 100,000 sheeple that mindlessly post what flavor of jam is on their toast. Services like this are definitly not for me.

Just checked back in and was glad to see this post featured!

Me? My favorite is Peach Jam and I am making another batch this year...Would you like some more?

Rich:

I am not sure that this is in keeping with the spirit Mr. Carnegie intended. Imagine what he would think...

Wow. I guess you can make money off of just about anything. The point of social media is to connect with people and if you buy friends how are you really connecting with them. I'll leave purchasing friends up to someone else...

So basically it is paying for the same bots, mailing lists and such that we abhor being on.

Paying a service to capture our info and sell it.

Ick.

Rich, I think it just exploits a human weakness. That is, the tendency to fall for a get rich quick scheme. Business doesn't work that way.

Rich - Paying for friends? unbelievable.... Just goes to show you that some people just don't have real friends and that's sad...... Maybe they'll put up a late night tv add to complement their service as well... I have become more selective in my "friends" list on FB as well as Twitter.... It's just another form of spamming buying people's names.....Just my two cents...

WOW!...I had no idea the steps people would take for marketing!

At first I thought how crazy -or why didn't I think of that first! haha - But then I read John's comment and he does have a point. If a company could get me in touch with locals that would be worth a charge. We pay for other types of "social networking" - PTA's, Chambers, and other organizations.

Interesting!

What advantages would someone gain in having more friends (facebook) or Followers (Twitter).

This company decided to make a business out of it... They must be seeing advantages we are not.

John does have a good point...

It's about quality not quantity. I recently was on a "social media" webinar and the whole focus was more, you need more....What? I couldn't believe my ears...then i hung up...I would rather have 100 followers on twitter then 3000 just to have the numbers. I focus on what interests me and what we may have in common.....

my thoughts.......

I can hardly keep up with the numbers I have, let alone add to that. It IS about interaction and providing something of value vs. who has the most numbers, is it not?

Now I have heard everything. Most importantly are being really paying for them?

Jo and John: I suppose that much would have to depend upon the process/premise by which this company obtains these 'friends' 'fans' and 'followers.' How qualified are they? How are they solicited? Is there someone out there simply creating these phony profiles just to sell to companies such as this? And so, let's just say, for argument's sake, that a person pays for these 'friends/followers'...then what? Will they pay for someone to post updates and the occasional tweet? For those of us who have been at this long enough, we know what truly attracts viable, qualified connections is contributing consistently good quality content. The only advantage I see to a service like this is just creating the allusion that someone is popular in the hopes that others might be-friend or follow.

Buying "friends" sems to be defeating the purpose of the social networking sites. I think I'll just make mine the old fashioned way.

Kathy

With out a doubt "buying friends" defeats the purpose of of Social Networking as Kathy stated. I find it kind of disturbing that people are purchasing friends. If the purpose of having a FB page is for exposure and the people that are being paid to be friends most likely don't care what you have to say then it is pointless. I don't think clients want a Realtor that is the most popular person in the world - they want some one that has experience and is competent. Number of friends does not equal number of transactions.

I agree with you. While I don't see the harm in paying a virtual assistant to post SOME articles that are less personal in terms of a blog, I believe I should be posting regularly, or else its not my personality coming through. Same with social media. If I am automating everything, my followers will see that, and how relevant will I really be in that community?

Paying for friends? I think that defeats the purpose.... nope.

No I'm not buying friends, Is that a regular Facebook page you have or a business page?

NO. 'nuff said.

OCT

I don't see spending money for friends or followers. I'm not sure how this would add to anything.

Rich,

Something like this was expected. As you point out, buying friends or contacts likely isn't going to pay off as envisioned by the buyers. This is no social media as it was intended.

I had no idea I could pay for friends. Wow! I can't believe what people will pay for and what others will sell.

OCT

What's next.. How ridiculous

OCT

No....but to be expected - someone would want to capitalize on it.........i personally think they should come up with a different word then 'friends' though...:-) - connections - works ....:-)

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