According to a new survey by Prospectiv, about 87 percent of people feel that very few (58 percent) or none (29 percent) of the ads offered on social networking sites match their specific interests and preferences.

Fifty-six percent polled said their online experience would be improved if social networking sites offered more advertisements tailored to their specific interests and preferences.

Regarding the types of tailored ads and offers they would respond to, 62 percent chose one-off coupons and discount offers from the brands and products they buy; 24 percent preferred e-newsletters featuring coupons, discounts, news and tips about favorite brands; and another 14 percent would respond to invitations to join interactive email groups and online forums and social networks for sharing and communicating, Media Post reported.

"These poll results clarify that members of social networking sites are open to offers and promotions as long as they are targeted to their interests," Jere Doyle, Prospectiv's CEO, said in a statement. "The next step for the web publishing industry seeking to monetize their online communities is to improve ad relevance, and the best way to do this is to work with online lead-generation providers and ad networks that have the brand relationships, technologies and services to ensure that the ads presented are tailored to their audience's needs and wants."

Members of social networking sites seem quite open to receiving offers and promotions from marketers; however, the majority of the current advertisements are not speaking to their needs, preferences or specific interests. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said very few ads match consumers' interests and preferences, 29 percent said that none of the ads match consumers' interests and preferences, and about 13 percent said most ads match consumers' interests and preferences, according to Media Post.

The survey indicated that if ads are not matching consumers' interests, consumers are not clicking on them. Fifty-four percent of consumers never click on advertisements on social networks, while 39 percent occasionally will respond to ads and only seven percent will often respond to ads.

Moreover, 85 percent said they are more likely to join a free social networking site supported by advertisements and offers targeted to their interests rather than a paid social networking site without commercial advertisements.

The poll surveyed about 3,000 users of social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, Hi5 and others, Media Post reported.