Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

First a few newsletters I read started only listing Facebook and Twitter in their "share" or "follow" section. Then I started noticing it in transactional follow-up emails and promotional e-commerce emails. In some cases, there was a mention of a third social media site, but not any of the niche sites that I've grown used to seeing. This is by no means a scientific observation, but it made me think about whether Facebook and Twitter have won out as the dominant social sites for businesses to develop relationships with consumers.

It makes sense, especially because of how these sites have been used. Most companies with a Facebook page use it for promotion and news updates; very few try to problem-solve through a social network anymore. That's where Twitter comes in, and companies like Best Buy have embraced the site for customer service applications. Companies that try to advertise on Twitter join a chorus of white noise that most consumers tune out, but when someone tweets that a product isn't working a helpful customer service rep can be just what they're looking for.

I'm not saying there isn't value in other social sites, just that I see the trend going toward these two. If I'm right, Twitter will become the dominant online customer service platform, and Facebook pages will be must-have online marketing assets. What do you think? Have you seen the same shift, and do you think these two brands are far above their peers in business applications?