Is SMO the new frontier of SEO?

As word of Lonelygirl15 leaked out, it dawned on me that Social Media optimization is the new black. Not that I'm talking about black hat SEO, but I guess that all depends on just how far you take it.

Dubbed an "experiment in storytelling", Lonelygirl15 is like a 4 month case study.
Although the creators claim it was never their intention was to mislead, the confessional video blogs that appeared on Myspace and YouTube have angered fans, thinking it was an elaborate promotion for an upcoming movie or TV show.

There's a great read on the debunking of Lonelygirl15 at Slumdance. There is also a piece about Bree at Businessweek.

The entire effort is admirable, and leaves me wondering what Madison Avenue and the big ad agencies are talking about these days. Not only did it create legions of lonelygirl15 fans, but it probably inspired SMO to a new level. Long live beta 7.