Facebook is to introduce [3] promoted posts in the U.S., at a cost of $7. The service, which is testing in New Zealand, will be similar to Twitter's initiative [4], launched earlier this year. For a few dollars more, your post will be given a higher position in the news ranking, meaning that more people will see it, and you will be able to see how many people have seen it.

The idea is a no-brainer for Facebook, as it will bring in much-needed revenue, rather like its new Gifts [5] service. The difference being, that almost all of this $7 will be profit. There is a downside, however. How many people will want to pay for a service that already exists, albeit in a less turbo-charged form?

Let's finish up with a nightmare scenario, shall we? You're having a party. You put the deets on Facebook, shelling out for a promoted post for higher visibility. And, instead of a laid-back gathering of, say, 50 people at your quinceanera, expect half a billion [6]. Now that's cool. (Or is that half a cool?)