The 2015 State of Social Business Integration report by Altimeter Group reveals a shift in focus from scaling social engagement to integrating social strategies with overall business operations, although disconnects create challenges. Priorities have shifted significantly, with a 110% increase in strategists emphasizing the integration of social and digital, yet only a fraction have actionable plans. The report highlights the need for engaged leadership to break down silos, the rise of employee advocacy, and the increasing allocation of social ad budgets, despite low executive and HR engagement.

1. The 2015
State of Social Business
INTEGRATION IS THE GOAL,
BUT DISCONNECTS CREATE BARRIERS
A new study by Altimeter Group finds that today’s social
business strategist is focused less on scaling social
engagement and more on integrating social with the
entire business. Scaling social is 30% less likely to be a
priority than it was in 2013, however, disconnects create
barriers to deeper business integration.
30%
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KEY FINDING
DIGITAL INTEGRATION &
CONTENT STRATEGY TOP PRIORITIES
Integration of social with digital suffers from the lack of
a cohesive strategy
110%
IN 2015, 55% OF STRATEGISTS
SAID INTEGRATING SOCIAL
AND DIGITAL WAS A TOP
PRIORITY, A 110% INCREASE
FROM 2013
82% WANT TO INTEGRATE
SOCIAL & DIGITAL BY 2015,
YET, ONLY 36% HAVE A PLAN
DISCONNECT
KEY FINDING
STRATEGISTS NEED LEADERSHIP TO
CROSS SILOS & INTEGRATE
Breaking down silos requires engaged leadership
164%
WORKING WITH
EXECUTIVES TO INTEGRATE
SOCIAL HAS GROWN AS A
PRIORITY BY 164% SINCE
2013
ONLY 27% OF COMPANIES
REPORTED EXECUTIVE
ENGAGEMENT, AND WORSE,
C-SUITE LEADERSHIP
INVOLVEMENT DROPPED 18%
SINCE 2012
DISCONNECT
KEY FINDING
EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY
IS ON THE RISE
Employee-focused initiatives need HR partners
191%
LEVERAGING EMPLOYEES
TO ADVOCATE IN SOCIAL
HAS GROWN IN PRIORITY BY
191% OVER THE PAST
2 YEARS
ONLY 19% OF
ORGANIZATIONS REPORT
THAT HR IS REGULARLY
ENGAGED WITH SOCIAL
TEAM ON STRATEGY
DISCONNECT
KEY FINDING
SOCIAL AD BUDGETS
INCREASING
Digital content and social advertising strategy
are growth areas to align
205%
ALLOCATION OF
SOCIAL AD SPEND AS A
% OF DIGITAL AD BUDGETS
HAS INCREASED 205%
SINCE 2013
ONLY 35% OF
ORGANIZATIONS REPORT
THAT THEIR ADVERTISING
TEAM IS ENGAGED WITH THE
SOCIAL TEAM REGULARLY
DISCONNECT