Think outside the box
When I talked with some marketers about how they should be advertising to someone (like me) who finds little value in social media, they sympathized with my position and assured me I wasn't alone. But they also challenged me to think outside the box to uncover the value for myself.

"Whenever you need to get something done, ask yourself how you can use each application in a productive way," said Paul Martecchini, VP of advertising, Meraki Networks, Inc. "Think, if I had no choice but to get done what I need to get done through a social network, how would I use it?

"These aren't just about keeping in touch; they provide ways to get your job done better," he added.

For example, LinkedIn is more than just an address book. It's a way to reach out and find people you don't already know through recommendations and referrals. And Facebook can provide a great way to get feedback on an idea, product or service.

In recent days, there as been quite a bit of virtual ink given to how to use social tools, indicating that I indeed am not alone in my lack of understanding (maybe a support group will pop up soon!). Famed marketing blogger Steve Rubel recently used his Micro Persuasion blog to provide insight into how to be productive with new site Friendfeed.

Rubel also featured a post on his blog by Chris Brogan on "How I Use Twitter to Promote My Blog."

Seana Mulcahy wrote in her Online Spin column about how she recently took up Twitter and why -- and shared a great video that helped her understand this tool's applications.

Right here in iMedia, Noah Elkin explained how to make business contacts on social media. So as consumers like me start to find ways to appreciate social sites and tools for more than the ability to poke and throw things at friends, marketers need to follow along.

"They need to research how people are using social networks and provide something of value to them," Martecchini said.

What is that person doing in that moment? What is she thinking about? What is she using the social site for -- entertainment or a tool?

Putting it into practice
If a site is merely used as a toy, then sponsoring a quiz or a gadget will serve a marketer well (as long as the application functions properly). But as consumers begin to expand their use of these sites, marketers must expand their thinking.

Here's an example of brands that have thought through the process. A popular activity on social networks is to inquire among "friends" about restaurants or attractions in a city someone will be visiting, be it for business or a personal vacation. So a widget designer created an application called "Where I've been" that enables people to share with others where they've traveled to and offer advice. Trip Advisor saw the value of it and purchased the application. And Orbitz provides the opportunity to purchase airline tickets within it.

"Marketers need to become part of the conversation, and to create value to engage the user," Martecchini said. What they don't need to be doing, he added, is putting up banner ads.

Adam Broitman, director of emerging and creative strategy at Morpheus Media, agreed.

"It is not enough for a marketer to just be present in social networks," he said. "In fact, if presence is all that a marketer is offering, it is destined to fail. Marketers must enter social environments with a value proposition so strong that consumers have no choice but to engage."

According to Broitman, this is easier when it comes to children because they are more responsive to games, free content from their favorite stars or any type of social currency that lets their friends know just how cool they are. For adults, he said, it's a bit tricky, but not impossible.

"Whenever I begin a marketing campaign, I look at my core demographic and ask myself, 'what can I give the people within this group that would make them smile?' The same is true of marketing in social networks," he said.

Consider the following:

• A busy parent indicates to a friend she needs to shop for school supplies. Can I help her by creating a shopping list and beaming it to her phone? Or providing a list of stores that are having sales?
  
  
• A single 31-year-old male is looking for love. Can I help him find the perfect match?
  
  
• A professional is trying to network with his peers. Can I help create a group where ideas are shared?

John Bates, head of marketing and business development for virtual world Entropia, said the same thinking needs to apply to virtual worlds and games as well. "You can't just put up a billboard," he said. "You have to make a contribution to what's going on."

An example would be sponsoring a new level of a game that's free, downloadable -- and branded.

"If you don't do that in games or virtual worlds, you're likely not getting a return on your investment," Bates said.

Bates suggested someone -- perhaps a financial services company or office supply company -- sponsor a "how to get the most out of Facebook (or LinkedIn or whatever)" on the corresponding site.

Now that is something even I would use -- and value.

If you have any other ideas, please share them in the comments below.

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Dawn Anfuso is senior editor.