So yes, I can put a price tag on that, and it's just as flimsy as Myspace was.
Much like Facebook in its early days, Myspace was never meant for anyone outside of a very limited demographic -- my mom (or dad, or grandmother, or other age 45+, semi-computer literate relatives) would never, in a thousand years, have signed up for it. At its peak, MySpace didn't even 40 million users; Facebook is approaching one billion. HUGE difference there in terms of potential as a marketing/data collection tool.
Facebook is going to have to continue to innovate to remain viable long-term, but like I said in my previous post, with the rapid changes in traditional media the days of advertisers stabbing in the dark hoping to hit their target are going the way of the dinosaur; why, long-term, would you spend money to target women who watch soap operas at noon -- hoping that they are actually watching the commercials (DVR FTW), are pre-menopausal, etc. etc. -- when you could use that same money to buy a spot on their Facebook page, where they'll see it every time they log on to play Words with Friends? And more, if you can convince them to "Like" your business, you have the power to show up on their newsfeed -- to insert yourself directly into their lives.
I've been chatting with one of my friends on Facebook for the better part of an hour. Every time I alt-tab over, I see an advertisement for Chili's and State Farm. I probably won't watch a second of TV (aside from HBO) until Fall, and I usually mute them when they come on anyway, but because of Facebook these two companies' logos have gotten more time with me today than they otherwise would have for probably the entire rest of the year.
You seriously don't see the enormous value of that sort of targeted marketing?
