In September,  I worked with our sister company, ORC to conduct a  consumer survey on their use of social media in planning for the upcoming holiday season. Not surprisingly, we found a flurry of social activities - checking Facebook pages for gift ideas, checking out Twitter deals, and finding ratings and reviews will all be part of Holiday planning for 2009. Here's some of our research highlights on consumer behavior

Consumers are finding gift ideas from Facebook and other social networks. Let's face it - it sort of ruins the surprise if you ask "So what do you want for the holidays?' Instead our survey found that 27% of online shoppers who used social networks also planned to check out friends and family profile pages to get ideas for what to give this holiday season. By checking Facebook profiles and fan pages - there's a little less guesswork without ruining the surprise.  

Consumers are increasingly researching gift ideas online. Nearly one-half (45%) of the group surveyed will use social networks to research items, compare prices and look for offers. Additionally, 20% of those surveyed will look to blogs for gift ideas. While consumers may go direct, an increasing number will also look elsewhere for ideas and research products before purchasing - all without leaving their home.

Consumers look to Social Networks for deals. About one-fifth of online holiday buyers are specifically looking to social networks for exclusive deals or free shipping. This means the message might not just be PPC buys, online ads, and website promotions. Instead offers should include messaging through social networks.

What it all means - Consumers increasingly are deciding when where and how they would like to engage with a brand. That means to marketers ensuring a consistent message at different consumer touch points, and having relevant offers in multiple channels. If you haven't done so already, create a Facebook page, so that consumers can associate themselves with you. Integrate rating and reviews on your website, and in email campaigns, so that consumers can research their purchasing decision without leaving your site. Finally, make sure to extend offers to relevant social media channels - like Twitter or Facebook.Together, these tactics can ensure your brand stays top of mind as consumers plan for last minute holiday purchases.

But hey, don't just read it here - check out eMarketers' take.