Marketers have increasingly looked to social media tools over the past several years. Social networks, such as Facebook and LinkedIn; social sharing sites, such as Flickr and YouTube; and online social practices, such as blogging, microblogging (Twitter), commenting, tagging, reviewing, sharing, and the like are proving to be effective channels to build stronger brands, engage an ever-widening customer base, and differentiate a brand from the competition. Consumers are active participants, share opinions, and have become valued voices in brand conversations. Properties like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are household names, and the services they offer have been woven into our daily lives. Usage trends continue to set new records, and marketers increasingly explore new ways to exploit social media to engage consumers.

We have all witnessed the rise of embedded Facebook applications by major brands. Recently, Gap and Southwest Airlines deployed sophisticated campaigns centered in the social network. Pepsi, in a newsworthy announcement, shared its plan to abandon the expected Super Bowl TV spots in lieu of a social marketing campaign. But new opportunities for innovation abound, and not just for those with eight-figure online marketing budgets.

A small San Rafael specialty coffee roaster has recently taken a subtle step that just might foretell a gathering storm. Armed with a relatively simple software product from San Francisco start-up Milyoni, Equator Coffees & Teas launched their ifanstore – an e-commerce application embedded within the company’s Facebook page. Rather than using Facebook, like millions of others, to promote a product and drive traffic to an external website shopping cart, Equator has brought the store to the masses. It has rolled its espresso wagon right into the middle of the conversation.

While Equator will probably never compete on the scale of a major brand like Pepsi or Gap, I would expect the trend they are at the forefront of to rapidly grow. Amidst all of the video and interactivity of Gap’s Facebook jeans promotions, it seems like a logical next step to simply order a pair of jeans without having to leave the party. Southwest does a great job drawing me into the conversation and whetting my appetite for a cheap weekend adventure. Why should I have to leave Facebook and head off to another website? Just let me buy the ticket and invite my online friends to join me.

Perhaps it was intrigue over a new approach to a classic online marketing problem. Perhaps it was just the prospect of a great cup of coffee. Regardless, I purchased a pound of Equator’s coffee after reading what other followers had to say, and posted my success on my own Facebook wall. I could probably use a new pair of jeans, and I could definitely use a weekend on a sunny beach, but I’ll settle today for the prospect of a great cup of coffee and continuing the dialogue.

Rest assured, this trend will grow. The advent of the Facebook applications platform and the growing sophistication of related tools and add-ons has begun blurring the lines between a company’s website and its Facebook page. Embedded e-commerce, though in its infancy, accelerates that trend and leaves us all wondering what’s next. Where is the line between a company Facebook presence and a website? Do we need both? Please leave your comments below to continue the discussion.