Advertisers and marketers have long struggled to make social networking Web sites viable venues for making (or raising) money, but the Facebook "Causes" application is, frankly, a lost cause.
Facebook's "Causes" application allows members to join a group of like-minded users with the goal of raising money to promote a cause. The "Causes" application may be in response to Facebookâs relative inability to use the popular social networking site to promote profit.
Many websites geared toward college-aged students have had similar difficulties. "Causes" can range from religious and political ideals to cultural awareness. Some groups promote clearly bogus goals.
Although the varieties of causes offered are as diverse as the individuals creating them, their results have been largely the same. The "Barack Obama for President" cause, among Facebook's most popular, reports 17,779 members who have donated a combined $894 - an average of approximately 5 cents per person. Though this number may seem incredibly insignificant, it's actually the highest amount raised among the 18 candidates for president.
Another popular cause, "Stop Voldemort", which promotes the downfall of JK Rowling's already deceased fictional villain from the Harry Potter series, reports nearly 1,500 members and, not surprisingly, has yet to raise a single dollar.
Marketers and advertisers would be wise to remember that counting on the generosity of cash-strapped college-aged users will likely continue to be ineffective. Perhaps it's time for a new approach.