More than half of web content writers said using social media has proven a strong method finding sources for new articles.

Oriella reported recently that 55 percent of web content writers use social media to source their stories and articles. As more companies, publications and people begin using Twitter, Facebook and other social platforms, their value as drivers of news content marketing material will only grow – and marketers should also note that sharing branded content on Twitter can win coverage from mainstream media outlets.

Most of these respondents said the content they use as story leads comes from trusted sites they regularly access. Meanwhile, 25 percent said they turn to social media to discover new sources.

Blogs are also influential, with 45 percent of writers saying they use this content inform their own website articles and blogs. PR material, often written as part of a content marketing campaign, was a good source of information for nearly 60 percent of respondents.

In general, content marketing campaigns have become more popular as a means of driving site traffic and improving a company’s reputation as a thought leader in its own industry. Using social media to find relevant sources of content helps organizations stay on top of trends and create articles relevant to their target audiences, and sharing on social media helps businesses appeal to other content writers for extended brand reach.

Finding new ideas for content is critical for businesses, as they look to make their custom content successful. Brafton recently reported that 73 percent of marketers looking to leverage content effectively said creating enough is the biggest problem they’ve encountered.

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.