If you’re planning or evaluating any form of social media activity, then it’s worth taking a look at eMarketer’s summary of a recently released research report examining which marketing uses of Facebook and Twitter are working best.

As shown in the table above, top of the effectiveness list for consumer-focused marketers (the B2C column) using Facebook is ‘Creation of a Facebook application around a brand’ – providing a useful reminder that the most effective use of social media doesn’t always come for free . Next in the ranking is the creation of a ‘Fan’ survey, followed by the use of Facebook user data to provide insight into customers.

Down at the bottom of the Facebook effectiveness list lies ‘Targeted cost per click ads’ – which makes sense, as I haven’t heard many Facebook advertising success stories (although there are exceptions – such as last year’s Scouts volunteer recruitment activity).

If Twitter’s more your thing, then there is also a summary of the effectiveness of Twitter tactics…

In this case, the most effective uses relate to reputation management – with number one being real-time monitoring of PR problems, followed by using it to engage with those behind such negative PR.

Bottom of the list is the use of Twitter to drive direct sales. Although again there are some noteable exceptions to this including, at the very top-end, Dell who claim to have achieved over $6.5m in revenue through Twitter over the last two years. Mind you, @DellOutlet does boast over 1.5 million Followers now! In terms of non-profits making Twitter fundraising work, take a look at Blame Drews Cancer and the ever growing Twestival movement.