During 2009, Twitter surpassed blogging as the social media platform of choice – at least among the Fortune 100. A recent analysis compiled by Burson-Marsteller and Proof Digital Media found that largest 100 companies in the terms of revenue as compiled by Fortune Magazine’s annual Fortune 500 were active on three key social media: Twitter, Facebook and Blog. Reuters Media File Blog posted about the study.
The study found that 54% of the Fortune 100 were using Twitter to reach out directly to stakeholders, while 32% were using a blogs and 29% were actively using a Facebook Fan Page to engage. Despite the perception that Twitter is the newest kid on the block among the three platforms, 76% of Fortune 100 companies that were using just one social media channel were using Twitter over Facebook and Blogs.
Perhaps not surprisingly each company that was classified in consumer facing industries such as General Merchandisers (some examples Here and Here), Specialty Retailers (Here and Here) and Telecommunications (Here and Here) are Tweeting. Many companies in each of these categories have multiple Twitter accounts. For example, AT&T, has Twitter an account for Small Biz, Mobile Music, News, and Job Recruitment among others.
Our analysis found that about 94% of Fortune 100 Twitter accounts distribute company news updates and announcements while fully 67% are at least partially serving a customer service function.
The slides are available on our website…
August 5th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
[...] 100 empresas, 54% usam o Twitter para interagir com seus públicos. De acordo com Erin Byrne, Chief Digital Strategist da Burson-Marsteller, desse total, 94% das empresas usam suas contas no [...]
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:24 am
Excellent site, keep up the good work
December 6th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Results make sense as the ease of use of twitter compared to a blog post creates a lower barrier for corporations to engage stakeholders. The challenge is with 140 characters only so much can be done.
Twitter is a tactic that needs to be used in combination with corporate blogs, and other web touch points, that result in driving a particular outcome — whether that be increased online user to user support, engagement and excitement around a specific service or to deliver a branding message and meaning across multiple channels.
For many of the F100 fear dominates their attitude towards the use of freeing their brand in the social media space. Blogs are “corporate like”, twitter accounts are “uptight”, and there is no integrated strategy that leverages the power of these networks to enable brands to really listen to what customers are saying about them, engage where appropriate (it isn’t always) and deliver meaningful value.
Many F100 execs believe they own their brand. And it isn’t only older CEOs that feel this way. Many CMOs feel that the message should come from them and the employees of the company should not be liberated. The fact is, employees and other stakeholders are already liberated to speak using the myriad tools that new technologies provide them.
Those companies that don’t open their brand up will not be here for the mid-term. Paradigm shifts occur at the edges. When they occur, everyone goes to zero. You either adapt to the realities or end up with a shoddy brand, lower sales, limping along into the future.