Brands are more likely to turn to direct marketing agencies for external social media planning and execution help than advertising, digital, PR and media planning and buying shops, according to a study conducted by PRWeek and public relations agency MS&L.
More than one in five (21%) respondents said they were most likely to turn to a direct marketing agency to plan and carry out social media activities. Two in 10 (20%) named ad agencies; 17% cited digital agencies; 16% picked PR agencies and 12% said they would turn to a media buying and planning agency. Fourteen percent said they would look to “other” sources for social media aid.
Nearly half of respondents (47%) said they have redefined existing marketing and communications staff roles to handle social media, while 35% said no staff or external agency partners are responsible for social media at their company. More than one in 10 (13%) said they have hired additional staff to manage the company’s social media activity, while 5% said they have outsourced social activity to external agency partners.
Nearly one in two (46%) respondents said they stay educated about social media by conducting internal discussions on the topic, but more than one-third (36%) said their company has no specific approach to using social media to share messages on the company’s behalf. Forty percent said they do not use social media for internal communications to staff members.
A total of 262 marketers completed the survey between June 1 and June 9.
PRWeek is the sister publication of DMNews. Both are owned and operated by Haymarket Media.
