Wednesday, 12 Octorber 2011
50% of brands surveyed have in-house social media staff, according to research by ISBA and Havas Media Social.
The research, which surveyed and interviewed 50 ISBA members, revealed that social media had hit a saturation point within brands – 100% said they were involved with social media in some way, and 50% said they had already employed dedicated in-house staff.
Investment and the understanding of social media has also filtered through to the entire company – 72% felt the company CEO understood the importance of social media and 78% said the channel was understood to be a long-term commitment.
A growing trend highlighted by the research was the formation of a social media steering group within companies, involving people from all aspects of the business meeting to ensure coherence throughout the entire company for social media strategy. The research found 48% of respondents had some form of steering group.
Jude Brooks, digital activation manager at Coca Cola (pictured), said the increase in investment in in-house staff could lead to a rethink of the role of an agency.
“As brands engage more and more in social media, our learning and confidence increases, and it is inevitable that some brands will bring responsibility for social media in-house,” she said. “While this will inevitably lead to a re-think of the role for agencies, this research shows that good agencies need not panic; specialists that can bring innovative and creative solutions will always be needed and valued.”
