Check it Out: The Value of Social Currency

"What we know is that if we provide them something they're interested in, they'll become PR machines in their areas," said Jeremy Darlow, Adidas’ senior brand and digital marketing manager, in the Chirpify press release. "They spread the word to a degree that we never can do."

eBay: In March, eBay announced that it had filed a patent for "smart hashtags." Here's how they work: When eBay shoppers use the shareable widget on product pages, listings and guides, the e-commerce site displays a pop-up window containing a social post with a sharable link and one to three smart hashtags. The post then shares what the product's price is, what it's tagged as and if it's available to purchase.