News 2017: Center for Marketing Research releases 2017 report of social media usage trends

Study demonstrates usage trends among Fortune 500 Companies based on various platforms

The 2017 annual report of social media usage trends among Fortune 500 Companies has been released by UMass Dartmouth’s Center for Marketing Research (CMR). The study, which was conducted by CRM Director and Chancellor Professor of Marketing Nora Ganim Barnes and MBA Candidate Shannen Pavao, shows the use of Twitter and Facebook, Google+, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and for the first time this year, Snapchat.

Additionally, the analysis includes business networking platforms (LinkedIn) as well as indicators of engagement such as the number of Twitter followers and Facebook “likes.” Read the full report. Results were recently cited in MarketingProfs.com’s article “Social Media and Blog Usage by Fortune 500 Companies in 2017.”

2017 key findings:

• LinkedIn remains the number one most used social networking site since the study began recording its usage in 2014, currently at 98%
• Active Google+ usage was cut in half
• ¾ of the F500 are now using YouTube as a social networking platform
• Instagram continues to grow rapidly, jumping up another 8% this year
• Blogging increased 6%, going from 36% to 42%
• 48 F500 companies are now using Snapchat

“Due to the hugely influential role that these companies play in the business world, studying their adoption and use of social media tools offers important insights into the future of commerce,” said Barnes. “These corporations provide a look at emergent social media trends among America’s most successful companies.”

"Due to the hugely influential role that these companies play in the business world, studying their adoption and use of social media tools offers important insights into the future of commerce."