A report from Forrester and Facebook found that 71 percent of businesses using social media marketing believe it has improved their competitiveness.

Thirty-six percent of companies told Forrester and Facebook that they “agree” with the idea that social media marketing has improved their success. Meanwhile, 35 percent said they “strongly agree” meaning 71 percent of companies have found social makes their organization stronger and more competitive.

In general, social media marketing helps businesses appeal to a wider audience at a relatively low cost when compared to marketing methods and branding initiatives capable of reaching a similarly-sized audience.

Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or other social platforms, the user base of these websites increases every day. Meanwhile, the capability offered by the networks grows as well, in terms of actual marketing features and tools to measure the effectiveness of a campaign.

Companies that still haven’t made social media marketing a major component of their web strategy risk falling behind. The channel is becoming more competitive and strategic with businesses of all sizes in every industry gaining a better understanding of it.

Brafton recently reported that content marketing has seen a great lift from increased social use. The study found that 96 percent of businesses developing original website content distribute their articles, blog posts and other material through social.

Joe Meloni is Brafton's former Executive News and Content Writer. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has written for a number of print and web-based publications.