CPG Companies Shifting Resources from Traditional to Social Media: Study

Social media is increasingly playing a role in consumer packaged goods CPG company marketing strategies, according to a research study conducted by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

According to an anonymous survey of 22 CPG companies, while only 47.4 percent of CPG companies have more than a cursory social media presence, 63.6 percent of respondents are shifting resources from traditional to social media.

The survey findings, released at the GMA CPG Social Media Forum held Dec. 10, also found that many companies aren’t comprehensively measuring social media campaigns or monitoring consumer-generated content about their brands. The forum gathered some of the world’s biggest brands to hear from experts on the front line of brand marketing in social media.

“This survey and the recent GMA social media event clearly show that social media is on the rise in the CPG sector,” said Stephen Sibert, SVP of industry affairs for the Washington-based trade group. “GMA will continue to play an important role in developing and facilitating wider adoption of best practices when it comes to social media.”

As in other manufacturing verticals, measuring the return on investment in social media has become a business imperative, but what and how to measure remains a gray area. Survey findings indicate that more than 50 percent of respondents aren’t tracking social media activity, while others are using proprietary measurement tools from private vendors. Fans, followers, sentiment, comments, clicks, engagements and interactions are just some of the metrics as being tracked.

Presentations from the CPG Social Media Forum, including the full GMA survey findings, can be found linked to the speaker’s name at the event Web site at http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Agenda.aspx?e=3fced6e9-9c12-4d78-8351-eec4cc4f5015.
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