Corporate social media use grew 14% in 2009, according to The Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Their latest study compares adoption of social media over three years (2007, 2008 and 2009) by the Inc. 500.

Highlights of the report:

• Social networking continues to lead the way. The technology that continues to be the most familiar to the Inc. 500 is social networking with 75% of respondents in 2009 claiming to be “very familiar with it” (compared to 57% in 2008).
• Twitter has achieved amazing “share of mind” with sixty-two percent of executives reported being familiar with the new microblogging and social networking platform.
• The adoption curves for different social media technologies are not all the same. While social networking and blogging have enjoyed growth in actual adoption, the use of message boards, online video, wikis and podcasting has leveled off or declined. The addition of Twitter (considered by respondents to be both a microblogging site and a social networking site) in the latest study shows that an amazing 52% of the Inc. 500 companies are already using this tool for their business.
• Social media matters and is here to stay. Forty-three percent of the 2009 Inc. 500 reported social media was “very important” to their business/marketing strategy.
• 91% of the Inc. 500 is using at least one social media tool in 2009 (up from 77% in 2008).
• The Inc. 500 companies are also seeking to protect themselves legally, with 36% having implemented a formal policy concerning blogging by their employees.

The research demonstrates that, at least among fast-growing corporations, new media and social media are being rapidly adopted, but attention is turning to the platforms that have the widest adoption.

Image: Matt Hamm