When plotting a social media campaign, it’s just human nature to consider the key players. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram—that oughta do it, given the potential reach based on their overall user numbers.

There are countless other players out there, though, that might deliver even better results, not based on how many people use the service but, rather, what they use it for and what kind of results you want.

Take Betterific, a social recommendation site still in beta. While I couldn’t find any reference to the site’s monthly active user count, Alexa ranks them 710,528 globally and 341,791 in the U.S. They’re not exactly burning it up yet, although the idea is a worthy one and, for the most part, it’s well-executed. You simply complete the statement, “Wouldn’t it be better if.” Others promote or demote your suggestion, Reddit-syle, creating a collection of popular ideas for improving products and services.

Submitting ideas and complaints isn’t a new idea. Pete Blackshaw—currently Nestle’s top digital/social guy—did it back in 1999 with PlanetFeedback, a service I used in those early days. But there’s something elegant and familiar about Betterific’s approach, which has attracted a small but loyal group of users.

A few companies have figured out that listening to customer ideas isn’t a bad idea. The site signed on three brands at the outset, one of which—the roast beef fast food chain Arby’s—collected some 800 ideas by mid-year.

A campaign that dropped today, though, takes the notion of how a brand can use a community of idea generators like Betterific to a whole new level. Reddi-wip, the purveyor of canned whipped cream topping, has launched a contest to produce ideas, with the winner getting a $500 supermarket shopping spree.

The ideas so far could be used for everything from marketing and advertising to product development. Among the most up-voted suggestions so far:

• Wouldn’t it be better if Reddi-wip came in a non-dairy option?
• Wouldn’t it be better if Reddi-wip sponsored a “Most Creative Wedding Cake” contest for brides and winners could get their cake sponsored by Reddi-wip?
• Wouldn’t it be better if Reddi-wip came in cans that could squirt a dollop in multi-colors… would be a lot of fun with kids
• Wouldn’t it be better if Reddi-wip came out with single serving packages?
• Wouldn’t it be better if you froze Reddi-wip and then put a dollop on your coffee?
• Wouldn’t it be better if Reddi-wip had seasonal flavors (Pumpkin, chocolate, peppermint…..)?

In the few short hours since the campaign launched with a tower ad on the right-hand side of Betterific pages, users have contributed 36 “betterifs and six have already signed up to follow Reddi-wip’s Betterific account.

By appealing to a site populated by people dedicated to offering substantive ideas, Reddi-wip avoids the snark and other unhelpful clutter that would come with a Twitter campaign. If the goal truly is to generate great ideas, with product marketing as an added benefit, the limited reach they get with Betterific won’t matter, compared to the quality of the ideas.

I have no idea what Reddi-wip spent on the campaign in addition to the $500 shopping spree, but it’s a safe bet that it’s less than one ad in Redbook.

I routinely hear from communicators that they’re overwhelmed by the number of social media options out there and feel forced to limit their activities to the few that produce the biggest results. Reddi-wip and Betterific provide a useful example for why it’s important to be aware of all your options and to keep an open mind about which to employ in order to produce the best results.