1. The State of Social Business 2013: !
The Maturing of Social Media into Social Business !
Includes findings from four years of Altimeter Group’s annual survey of digital
strategists (2010-2013), plus research interviews conducted with top strategists!
Brian Solis, Principal Analyst!
Charlene Li, Founder and Analyst!

2. About This Presentation!
This presentation includes Altimeter Group
research shared in two previously published
artifacts. We are publishing this research in the
form of a PowerPoint presentation so that you
can use and share our Open Research within
your own presentations.!
The data charts in this presentation are from the
report, The State of Social Business 2013: The
Maturing of Social Media into Social Business
(available at: http://bit.ly/ssb-2013). Data is
based on Altimeter Group’s annual survey of
digital strategists, from 2010-2013. Data charts
are also available for download and embeds at
Flickr: http://bit.ly/ssb-2013-charts.!
The quotes in this presentation are from social
strategists and executives interviewed for the ebook, The Seven Success Factors of Social
Business Strategy (available at:
http://bit.ly/7-success-factors).!
To view all previously published Altimeter Group
research, please visit:
www.altimetergroup.com/research. !

3. Introduction from the Authors!
As social approaches its first decade of enterprise integration, we
still see experimentation in models and approach. Our findings
show that there is no one way to become a social business.
Instead, social businesses evolve through a series of stages that
ultimately align social media strategies with business goals.!
Our hope is that the quotes and data shared in our previously
published research, and this presentation, help provide some
perspective on where your company is today so that you can
chart your own course for social business evolution. !
Brian Solis!
Principal Analyst!
Charlene Li!
Founder and Analyst!

4. Nearly half of social media programs have existed 3 or
more years; One fifth have existed for more than 5!
Q. How long has your social media program existed?!
4!
Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q2 2013 (n=65); !
Note: This data is being published for the first time in this presentation.!

5. Figure 1: Most Enterprises Characterize Themselves as
Intermediate in Social Business Maturity !
Q. How would you characterize where your organization is in its social business evolution? !
5!
Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q2 2013 (n=65)!

6. “Get all stakeholders involved from the
beginning, and make them as
knowledgeable as possible. Let them
take ownership. Remember: It’s a
change management challenge as
much as anything else.”!
Danna Vetter, VP Consumer Strategy, ARAMARK!
6!

7. Figure 2: Few Companies Approach Social Media
Holistically!
Q. Which of the following statements best match your organization’s definition of social
strategy? !
7!
Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

8. “HELP [LEADERS]
UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL
MEDIA TO MEMBERS. !
MAKE IT COME TO LIFE
FOR THEM.”"
Kate Quinn, Senior Vice President and CMO, WellPoint!
8!

9. Figure 3: Half of Executives Are Informed, Engaged, and
Aligned with Social Strategy!
Q. Below are a number of statements that describe elements of a social strategy. Please
indicate the extent to which you agree that each statement describes your organization. !
9!
Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

10. “Having a c-level sponsor who is
ready to take on risk is crucial to
success. "
A lack of this person will create paralysis, especially
in a regulated industry where people are careful
and afraid.”!
Ed Terpening!
Former VP Social Media Strategy, Wells Fargo*!
10! *Current Altimeter Group employee!

11. Figure 4: Three-Quarters of Companies Have a Dedicated
Social Media Team!
Q. Does your company have a dedicated social media team that serves the entire
company or division as a shared resource?!
11! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q2 2013 (n=65)!

12. “COME TO !
AN AGREEMENT ON THE
GOVERNANCE MODEL
BEFORE MOVING ON TO
THE STRATEGY.”!
Jonathan Blank, Manager of Social Media, WellPoint!
12!

13. Figure 5: Companies Continue to Organize for Social
Media as Hub and Spoke, with a Shift Toward Multiple
Hub and Spoke!
Q. Which of these organizational models best describes how your company organizes for
social media?!
13! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q2 2010 (n=140), Q4 2012 (n=130)!

14. Figure 6: Social Media Headcount Across the
Organization Is Blooming!
Q. Approximately how many full-time equivalent staff currently support social efforts in your
organization, for external and internal engagement?!
14! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q2 2010 (n=140), Q4 2012 (n=130)!

15. “IT’S MORE THAN PUTTING
AN EVANGELIST IN PLACE.!
IT HAS TO BE A SHARED
PROCESS AND JOURNEY.”"
Scotty Monty!
Global Head of Social Media, Ford Motor Company!
15!

16. Figure 7: The Core Social Media Team Increases in Size!
Q. How many full-time or full-time equivalent employees make up this dedicated social
media team? (Answer for the team(s) you are most familiar with.)!
16! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, 2011 (n=144), Q2 2013 (n=65)!

17. “Start with clear roles and a !
cross-functional team that shares the
responsibility of leading into the future.
Take off the day-to-day hat, and work
for the broader good.”!
Renee Brown, SVP Director of Social Media, Wells Fargo!

18. Figure 8: Core Social Media Teams Reside Largely in
Marketing or Corporate Communications/PR!
Q. In which department does your CORE social media team reside?!
18! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

19. Figure 9: At Least 13 Business Units Have Dedicated
Social Media Staff!
Q. In which of the following departments are there dedicated people (can be less than one
FTE) executing social? !
19! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

20. “Identify the most relevant social platforms,
have unique and valuable things to say, and !
adapt your strategy often !
to incorporate findings. Keep moving forward.”!
Lori Johnson!
VP Online Strategy, Fidelity Investments!
20!

21. In 2013, companies report an average of 131 social
media accounts, suggesting consolidation since 2011!
Q. Approximately how many official social accounts exist across the entire company,
including all business units, products, or regions?!
Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q2 2011 (n=144), Q2 2013 (n=65); !
21! Note: This data is being published for the first time in this presentation.!

22. “Get measurement
under control."
It will drive support, especially at the
executive level. If they can see the
correlation to business results, they will
feel like it’s a huge investment area.”!
Ann Lewnes, CMO, Adobe!
22!

23. Figure 10: In 2013, Companies Prioritized Measurement,
Training, and Scaling Programs!
Q. In 2013, what are your top internal social media objectives?!
23! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

24. Figure 11: Top External Social Priorities Focus on Content,
Engagement, Listening, and Support!
Q. In 2013, what are your top three external social media objectives?!
24! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

25. “The first and most principled thing
to do is a ‘voice of the customer’
study. How can you decide what to
do in social if you don’t understand
what your customers do with it?”!
!
Andy Markowitz, Director of Global Strategy, GE!

26. Figure 12: Social Media Programs Demonstrate Positive
Outcomes for Marketing Optimization, Customer
Experience, and Brand Health!
Q. Which of the following outcomes can you attribute to your social business program in
the last 12 months?!
26! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q2 2013 (n=65)!

27. “Don’t get stuck in a pilot too long. !
The ‘toe in the water’ needs to
quickly be followed with all-in. If you
always dabble, it will be a failure.”!
Don Bulmer!
VP Communication Strategy, Royal Dutch Shell!

28. Figure 13: Social Budgets Stayed Constant in 2013!
Q. What was your total budget for social efforts in 2012? How much do you expect to
spend on your social media efforts in 2013? !
28! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

29. Figure 14: Listening/Monitoring, Analytics, and Community
Platforms Are the Biggest Social Technology Spends in
2013!
Q. In 2012, what was your budget in each of the following areas? How do you anticipate
spending in each area will change in 2013?!
29! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

30. “Always go back to the objectives
you’re after. If you lose sight of that,
you’ll be wasting time and
resources quickly.”!
David Fenech!
VP Interactive Marketing and Creative Services!
Kelly Services!
30!

31. Figure 15: In 2013, Nearly Half of Social Strategists Planned to
Increase Spending on Social Media Management Systems and
Internal Training and Education!
Q. How do you anticipate spending in each area will change in 2013?!
31! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

32. “Helping your executives and
key stakeholders become more
comfortable with risk is
important, along with having a
risk mitigation strategy in place.”!
Maria Poveromo, Director of Social Media, Adobe!

33. Figure 16: Most Companies Have Risk Mitigation and
Crisis Management Processes for Social Media, But Few
Say Employees Are Properly Trained!
Q. Which of the following outcomes can you attribute to your social business program in
the last 12 months? !
33! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

34. “Policy, education and awareness, and
culture pieces are important to rolling out
social successfully in an organization. !
How do you tell someone who’s
never used social that it needs to be
part of their business strategy?”"
Dan Brostek!
Head of Member and Consumer Engagement, Aetna!
"

35. Figure 17: Internal Social Media Policies Are Largely in
Place, But Only Half of Companies Have External,
Customer-Facing Community Policies!
Q. Which of the following social media policies does your organization currently have?
(Select as many as applicable) !
35! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

36. Figure 18: Most Organizations Admit Employees Have
Little Knowledge of Their Social Media Policies!
Q. What is the knowledge level of employees about social media usage and the
organizational social media policies?!
36! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q4 2012 (n=130) !

37. Figure 19: Only a Third of Companies Have Formal Social
Media Training!
Q. Select the description that best fits your current social media education efforts.!
37! Source: Altimeter Group’s Survey of Digital Strategists, Q2 2013 (n=65)!

38. “In the future, there shouldn’t be a
‘social strategy.’!
!
There will just be a strategy for
customer experience.”"
Martha Hayward, VP Social Media, Fidelity Investments!

39. “Infuse the client’s voice into
everything you do. Giving them a
place to communicate with you and
be heard is paramount right now. It’s
not cutting edge anymore – !
it’s just table stakes.”!
Bridget Dolan, VP Digital Marketing, Sephora!

40. 1) Be clear on what you want the outcome to be,
and then structure support properly.!
2) Invest in people and resources to make sure
it’s not a one-time hit. Only take on as much as you
can continue to actively support.!
3) Tie it to what’s core to your company and for
the consumer in your space.!
!
Julie Bornstein, SVP Digital, Sephora!
40!

41. Conclusion!
While models, budgets, and investments will shift over time, the
biggest impact of social media will be in the social contract
companies establish with customers and employees. In the next
two years, we expect social to become part of a bigger movement
where social joins web, mobile, and other digital initiatives to lead
an integrated and orchestrated transformation. Social becomes
just one part of the overall approach to successfully engage, learn
from, and lead connected customers and employees. But it is the
evolution into a Social Business where stakeholders learn what it
takes to adapt existing models, processes, and methodologies as
part of an overall change management initiative.!
Brian Solis!
Principal Analyst!
Charlene Li!
Founder and Analyst!

42. Methodology!
Each year, Altimeter Group conducts
an online survey of digital strategists.
Survey results in this report are only
from companies with more than 1000
employees for 2010-2012 and 500
employees for 2013. !
The data that appears in this report
was also used in the following reports
and books:!
The Seven Success Factors of Social
Business Strategy, by Charlene Li
and Brian Solis, July 2013!
The Evolution of Social Business: Six
Stages of Social Business
Transformation, by Charlene Li and
Brian Solis, March 2013!
Survey Date!
Number of
Respondents!
Q2 2010!
140!
Q2 2011!
144!
A Framework for Social Analytics, by
Susan Etlinger, August 2011!
Q4 2012!
130!
!
Q3 2013!
65!

43. About Us!
Related Services!
About Altimeter!
Social business champions need to
take strategies to the next level.
Altimeter has a suite of solutions to
help strategists guide organizations
through an important series of steps
that lead to social business
transformation.!
Altimeter Group provides research
and advisory for companies
challenged by business disruptions,
enabling them to pursue new
opportunities and business models.!
Altimeter’s Social Business Strategy
Suite is designed as a complete
process, or it can be implemented
through a menu-driven approach to
meet your specific needs.!
Or, follow us at: @altimetergroup!
Learn more at: !
www.altimetergroup.com/services!
Or, email us at:
sales@altimetergroup.com!
Visit us at: www.altimetergroup.com !