Are you playing follow the leader?

Search. Social. Local. Mobile. It seems like that’s all anyone talks about anymore. I’ve been known to do it myself. Ah, who am I kidding? I do that all the time. But, to use just one example, average cost-per-click over the last year has increased in every search category. Why? Well, when you look at the fact that AdWords is an auction, it’s clear that increasing demand is driving up costs to advertisers. And Google’s huge profits have them literally laughing all the way to the bank.

And it’s not just Google.

Facebook and Twitter. Foursquare and Facebook Places. iPhones and Android. All of these initiatives are providing a lot of options to consumers and making a lot of money for their investors. And that’s a Good Thing. At least for the consumers and the investors.

But, if all you’re doing is chasing the latest trend, the hottest channel, the sexiest, um… stuff, you’re probably just driving up your costs. Why not look for, I dunno, something different?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting you should abandon search. Or social, local or mobile. But do you want to play follow the leader or to be the leader?

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing you’ve always done and expecting a different result. Another might be doing exactly what everyone else does and expecting a different result, too. Call me crazy, but maybe it’s time to look for something your competition isn’t doing.

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