How, exactly, does Facebook make money?

[ghost_warrur]

I just watched The Social Network and, while I know it's not very factual, I still had a question the entire time. It's something that I've wondered before and never really found it answered in the movie. I've also wondered the same thing about Google.
Okay. Thankyou. I honestly hadn't noticed how many advertisements the site has. I do and always have blocked them out. I guess other people are different but that method of advertisement is wasted on me.

[Jeff]

Advertising. Companies will pay a LOT of money if they know the site they're placing the ads on will be getting the billions of hits Facebook does.

[Olive oil]

advertisements?

[TheLibster]

advertisements. companies also pay boatloads to have their names on the top of the screen.

[Gordon B]

advertising

[Reverance]

Well, do you notice all the ads on the sides of pages? Like the ones on the side of Yahoo Answers! tight now? Sites such as Facebook, Yahoo, etc, are paid by people and companies who want their ads placed on their site. Google also has sponsored links, which act in the same way. This is their major source of revenue, although they have many others.

Hope that helps

[CJ]

They make money from advertisers, both companies. Facebook has their own system and Google has Adwords. I have a website and I want visitors to come to my website, so I've used both Facebook and Google to advertise. My website is about the rapper Tupac, so facebook shows ads to users who list Tupac as a "like" or mention him in their profile. Google shows ads on other Tupac or Rap sites and if people click on those ads, I have to pay Google for the click (usually between .04 cents to .50 cents per click) and the people who click on those ads end up on my site.

[Kels]

Facebook makes money from stocks, advertisements, gifts and apps. Think of all the games that are on facebook and all the adds that are on the side. Everytime you click on the advertisement or buy something from Farmville, facebook gets a share of that money.

Google makes money from advertisement as well. You might notice when you google something it shows you a list of "recommended sites". Once you click on those, google charges a small amount of money to the site. Same as when a certain site gets bumped up to the top of the list.

[baymast13]

I addition to advertising, I suppose some people are addicted to the games (such as farmville) enough to actually buy farmville cash, etc. Every game has a way for you to part with your hard-earned money. Not me!

[Bayut Uae]

Companies pay huge amounts to facebook to advertise their products and services and it is such a huge revenue that it is sufficient for all its expenditures and operations.