The use of social media within content marketing strategies is set for a rapid increase according to new research from the Content Marketing Association (CMA) which says that 80% of companies plan to increase its use with nearly half (47%) looking to increase use by up to 50%.
This is set to lead to increased investment as a result, with three quarters planning to invest more in owned social media as part of its growth within their businesses.
The conclusions are from a study of 100 senior level marketers, across companies such as Barclays and Experian and media and creative agencies such as Carat and Ogilvy & Mather, by the CMA as part of a wider report The Role of Social in Content Marketing.
The growth comes as content marketers increasingly believe social media to be integral to their growth strategies. More than two thirds (69%) said that social media was very important part of their content marketing strategies. Almost 90% said that social media had had a positive influence on content marketing strategies.
More than half (57%) are using it for amplification of their brand messages whilst one in five (21%) are using it to build a fan base amongst existing and potential customers.
However the study also shows that brands can do more with their existing use of social media. More than half (55%) said that brands were not experimental enough with what they were doing whilst a similar amount (56%) said that brands were not authentic enough on social platforms.
Facebook was shown to be the most effective social platform for B2C content marketing at 55% whilst for B2B content marketing LinkedIn performed best with two thirds (67%) saying it was the most effective channel.
However respondents were less confident about assessing the value of social media measurement, with less than a third (28%) confident of their ability to accurate measure the return on investment and 42% saying they were unsure that an accurate ROI measurement of social media was possible.
Clare Hill, managing director of the Content Marketing Association, said the new report showed the value of social in content marketing today and said brands should keep up. “The pace at which social media is growing in power and influence is remarkable. There are many opportunities for brands to use this to their advantage to make their voices heard,” she said.
Resources: marketingtechnews.com
