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That was one of the findings of a fascinating report on Social Network Marketing in the UK sent to me by the author, Tom Chapman of www.socialnetworkmarketinguk.com.

According to the report, UK MySpace users are even less likely to purchase a product or service from a brand’s profile page: 79% of UK MySpace respondents state they would not purchase a product or service from a brand via their profile page.

Weighing in at just 47 pages, the ‘Social network marketing, engagement marketing and brands’ report, to give it its full title, is an insightful overview on how brands and agencies as varied as the BBC, MediaCom and Holler have tapped into the popular social networks in the UK.  Tom is giving away free copies of the report on his website, to receive one simply sign up to the mailing list.

The Social Network Marketing in the UK report includes interviews with brand executives including:

Sam Bailey, Head of Interactive BBC Radio 1 and the Chris Moyles Facebook page - the largest brand page on Facebook in the world with half a million fans.

Ted Hunt, Digital Manager, innocent drinks.  Innocent have a 71% share of the £169m UK smoothie market.

James Kirkham, MD, digital agency Holler who developed the Channel 4 (or more correctly, E4) Skins brand page which is MySpace’s most successful UK brand page to date.

Matt Bamford-Bowes, Senior Account Director at global agency MediaCom who have developed branded pages for Mars on Facebook and MySpace.

Dom Cook, Director of Marketing and Content at MySpace UK

Key findings include:

• Social network users unlikely to purchase products via profile page
• Social network users would ignore brand promotions from friends
• Social network users display loyalty to brands that communicate

Having been involved in social network promotion for clothing and lifestyle brand PUMA just five months ago, I’m only too aware of how much work brands have to do to win a user’s attention on social networks like MySpace and Facebook.

This report uncovers exactly what it takes to succeed.

Are you planning a social networking campaign for a brand or organisation?

What are your key considerations at this stage?  What would you like to know more about?

• Information on which metrics to cover: number of comments vs number of friends/fans?
• Details on what kind of campaign to employ: application versus branded content?

Share your thoughts in the comments.