sproutsocial.com•pr@sproutsocial.com•@SproutSocial1sproutsocial.com•pr@sproutsocial.com•@SproutSocial305091323395361TableofcontentsIntroductionKeyfindingsThestateofsocialmediamarketingWhatyouraudiencereallywantsMovingtowardasocial-firstbusinessTrendstowatchConclusionsproutsocial.com•pr@sproutsocial.com•@SproutSocial5Introductionsproutsocial.com•pr@sproutsocial.com•@SproutSocial5sproutsocial.com•pr@sproutsocial.com•@SproutSocial7IntroductionThereisnoquestioningthevalueofsocialmedia.Socialisavenerablepowerhouse,supportingnearlyeverymarketingobjectivefrombrandawarenesstoadvocacyoverthepastdecade.Andthisvalueforcessocialteamstothinkmorecriticallyabouttheirintegratedmarketingstrategiesasawhole.Tounderstandthefullpotentialofsocialandhowitcanprovidethemostvaluetobrands,wewentrighttothesource.ForthisIndex,wesurveyedmorethan1,000socialmarketersabouttheirsocialgoals,challengesandexpectations,andwecross-referencedtheirresponseswiththoseofmorethan1,000consumerstounderstandwhatpeoplereallywantfrombrandsonsocial.Seventypercentofsocialmarketerssaytheirbiggestgoalwithsocialistoincreaseawareness,andmorethanhalf(59%)usesocialtosupporttheirsalesandleadgenerationobjectives.Othergoalsincludeincreasingcommunityengagementandgrowingbrandaudiences,makingsocialanincrediblyrichmarketingchannel.Butwithsuchaversatileresourceattheirdisposal,marketerscanfinditchallengingtoprioritizetheirgoalsandhonetheirfocus.Socialalsoremainstheoptimalchannelformarketerstoachievetheirloftygoals.Inthelastsixmonthsalone,44%ofconsumersreportedanincreaseintheirpersonaluseofsocialmediaplatforms.Thatincreasedsocialusagebodeswellformarketersseekingtodrivetheirsocialaudiencefurtherdownthepurchasingfunnel:whenconsumersfollowabrandonsocial,87%saytheyarelikelytovisitthatbrand’swebsiteorapp.Despitethepotentialofsocial,marketersstillstruggletofullyembraceitseffectiveness.Forty-sevenpercentofmarketerssaydevelopingsocialstrategiesthatsupportoverallbusinessgoalsistheirnumberonechallenge.And22%ofmarketingleaderswor...
