Last week's announcement from Esurance that the insurer will beoffering discounts to customers in Texas who "like" the personalauto insurer on Facebook may turn out to be a gimmick that drawsmore discussion than results. Or, it may be the start of a trendamong insurers to use social media as something more than amarketing tool.

The industry will be watching this program closely, though,because the one thing we do know about American business—insuranceor otherwise—is if someone has any success at all with a businessplan, the competition is sure to follow.

Social media has mystified many business people during its shortlifespan. No one argues the value of communication with customersor potential customers, but few realized that they could find a wayto integrate social media with their business operations and makemoney off it.

Esurance promotes itself as a hipper alternative to some of theolder names in the insurance business—except for the fact that itis owned by Allstate—and this move does nothing but enhance thatimage.

What will be interesting to see is whether this is just a pushfor more policies—certainly a worthy goal for any business—or anattempt to take social media a major part of the relationshipbetween insurer and insured.

I'm not sure many of us are that interested in status updatesfrom our insurer, but by having customers make a Facebookconnection, Esurance will get an inside look at the lives of theircustomers.

There certainly is a potential to do more with the Facebookconnection. Customers are more likely to stay loyal—and recommendtheir insurer to friends and family—if the insurer demonstratesvalue to the Facebook connection beyond advertising. Esurance has,for the most part, avoided the broad humor that the major autoinsurers have thrown into their advertisements, which may work wellwith serious young adults.

One group that is likely disappointed by this news is theindependent agencies of the world. Many of them were looking atsocial media—particularly Facebook—as a way to better connect withcustomers and re-establish their claim as "trusted advisors" in aworld where many potential customers often look strictly at price.This group does not have the power to offer discounts to "friends"and may see their social media advantage being co-opted by thedirect insurers.

Esurance has shown it does not want to follow the same path asothers. Others may soon follow Esurance's path, though, ifcompetitors can see that offering discounts to their "friends" onsocial media means an increase in sales—something many people neverimagined as a benefit from their social media strategy.