Social sites come and go, and today’s Facebook is tomorrow’s Friendster, but a smart social strategy allows you to adapt to changes in the marketplace and doesn’t rely on a single channel to reach your audience. In response, agencies and companies need to be familiar with a range of sites and services, and then choose a strategy that is best suited to the intended audience and the desired results.

A few months back, it was rumored that Twitter’s growth had peaked, and that it has either flatlined or dropped ever since. Both Compete and Quantcast seem to support that claim, though Twitter has stated publicly that traffic is still growing, despite what the rumors say. (In Twitter’s defense, neither of these services have direct access to Twitter’s traffic numbers, so they’re both making educated guesses based on random sampling and their own proprietary algorithm, and neither takes into account users that access Twitter through third party applications like TweetDeck and Seesmic.) Then, amid rising privacy concerns that followed changes Facebook made both before and during their f8 conference, it was rumored that Facebook was also seeing traffic flatline, along with a corresponding drop in the number of new users it was typically acquiring per month, which Compete and Quantcast again seem to support. While neither Twitter nor Facebook is going to fall off the face of the social media world overnight, it does raise interesting questions about the long-term viability of Twitter and Facebook as a marketing strategy.

The point of this post isn’t to talk about how Twitter and Facebook might not be the world changing services that many assumed they would be, however. On the contrary, Twitter and Facebook are still an important and powerful tool for any company that wants to connect with their customers and reach new consumers directly, regardless of what the traffic numbers say. Instead, the point of this post is to remind you that shiny new tools often grab the attention of companies and agencies alike, but that it’s important to keep a clear head amidst the frenzy and not put all your eggs into one basket. Just because it seems like one service is going to take over the world, and you’re worried (or are being told to worry) that you’ll get left behind, don’t jump onboard with everything you’ve got.

Jumping in and experimenting with the latest trend is a great way to stay informed about where the industry is heading, and you can establish an early base that you can build from if the market shifts, but like investing, you should only take risks with what you’re willing to lose. To help reduce those risks, it’s important to define your goals, and then look at what tools are going to help you reach those goals in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. For example: If you’re going after the early adopter or the heavy tech user, then Twitter was and still is a great place to be. However, if your target was younger, international, or not tech savvy, then other channels and other ways of reaching that audience would have delivered better results. If you’re going after the mainstream user, then Facebook was and still is a great way to reach that audience, but if you’re going after the bleeding edge user or the privacy advocate, then Facebook is no longer the best place to be.

Remember that if your agency specializes in developing Twitter accounts and building Facebook pages, then their recommended strategy is most likely going to be to set up a Twitter account and build a Facebook page. However, if your agency is well versed in a full range of tools and techniques, then they’re going to start by studying and understanding the problem, and will find the best tools to solve that problem, rather than starting with a solution and finding a problem to fit it.

As the saying goes, when you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

[Image via Cellular Immunity]

On February 14th, consumers will once again proclaim their love for their significant others while marketers face a decrease in spending behavior for the second year in a row. In times prior, we’ve watched shoppers flock to jewelry retailers in search of the perfect diamond heart pendant and witnessed florists sell out of every last bouquet of long stem roses within a five mile radius. But much like 2009, it is predicted that cupid’s arrow will aim low this Valentine’s Day, as consumers prepare to give more but spend less.

The National Retail Federation’s 2010 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, surveyed 9,578 consumers about their gift giving plans. On average, consumers plan to spend $63.34 each on gifts for their significant others this year, down $3.88 from last year. Personal and practical gifts have remained a common trend since the recession hit, and more and more shoppers are looking to purchase this way. Useful gifts like sweaters and clothes are on the rise (4.2% more than last year) while less people are planning to have an evening out vs. last year (11.4%). Most respondents (40.9%) said they’d be heading to the discount stores for gifts, while the remaining will go to department stores (31.1%), and to specialty stores like the florist, gift, stationers, or electronics stores (21.4%).

So where is the love?

Consumers are looking for ways to express their love while being sensible, and brands have the ability to show their support in tough times by offering qualities that are priceless. If ‘personal and practical gifts’ are what consumers are buying, then marketers should provide personal and practical solutions. Common consideration still goes along way in the relationships brands have with their customers, and in every relationship for that matter.

Show consumers you C.A.R.E. by being:

• Conscious: Conscious on both a personal level and also on a community level. We are all in the same boat, whether it is an economic crisis or an epidemic so find ways where your brand can support the greater good and speak to people on a global level.
• Appreciative: Offer a simple thank you. Whether that appreciation comes in the form of sale prices, coupons, or a free gift with purchase, showing consumers that they are valuable by rewarding them can speak volumes.
• Receptive: Open up for discussion. Consumer insights are some of the most important data marketers can collect in learning more about a brand and its category. Welcome customer feedback and listen to your consumer.
• Enthusiastic: Service with a smile. Love your brand, love your customer.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

(Photo via: ♥ellie♥)