Top 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies Social Media Usage Study

It seems every corporate marketer has started writing their marketing priorities and budgets for 2010. The biggest issue they’ll need to address is whether they challenge old marketing practices and shift more of their marketing budget into digital and social media or do they hold off.

For all those marketers who are planning to hold off for one reason or another, I’d like them to take a look at the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts study on social media usage by the top 500 fastest-growing private companies in the US.

When asked, is the rush to adoption (social media) bringing marketing success? The respondents overwhelmingly believed it was. They mostly measured success by number of hits, comments, leads or sales as primary indicators.

What’s more the study identified a notable change over time in the percentage of companies that didn’t use any form of social media. It has dropped sharply from 43% in 2007 to just 9% in 2009.

I know I can’t change your perception of social media, but I know a study that can – maybe. So I think this study is a good read before you finalise your 2010 marketing plan. Go here to download the study…