​A new study from Nielsen shows that social media marketing and video marketing dominate brand advertising budgets this year.

​Businesses can create their own narratives online through brand journalism. In an effort to capitalize on web search trends that show users want good reads- beyond product info, many businesses have begun to invest heavily in content creation for cross-channel campaigns. A new study from Nielsen found that 2013 will see additional investments.

Social, mobile and video thrive in 2013

According to the source, approximately 63 percent of advertisers believe more money will be spent on brand marketing this year. More, one in five surveyed respondents say marketing spend will exceed 20 percent of their past marketing spend over the next 12 months, with brands funneling resources toward social media marketing, mobile and video marketing.

Nielsen discovered that 70 percent of brand marketers will increase their usage of social media. Networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn provide marketers with outlets to help amplify companies’ core messages, and results justify the efforts. Mobile advertising will also play a vital role in internet marketing,​ ​and 64 percent of respondents indicated video content will dominate their strategies moving forward.

In contrast from social, mobile and video, brands told Nielsen that they will not invest more sources in rich media creation, display advertising or connected TV marketing. These practices, which may catch the eye of some brands, remain on the back burner as organizations still struggle to perfect more mature marketing avenues. It’s important to note that as gaming, TV connectivity and display grow as channels, companies will likely explore them further.

Content marketing fuels successful online strategies

The Custom Content Council recently published its own annual spend report, which focused entirely on content marketing. Because businesses must fuel their social strategies with organic and engaging copy, the projected uptick in spend on content creation is likely in sync with Nielsen’s forecast for social media usage. The CCC found that overall content marketing spend reached $44 billion in 2012, and that number will only rise as businesses transition budgets to brand advertising and journalism.

With the web marketing world wide open in terms of opportunity, savvy marketers and business owners looking for an edge must embrace all new channels, and studies suggest social, video and content creation are top priorities for many industry leaders today.

Ted Karczewski is an Executive Communications Associate at Brafton. He works to develop his own voice and apply his passions to the evolving world of SEO and content marketing, but he doesn't shy away from writing for fun. After graduating from Suffolk University, Ted used his Communications degree to test out Sports Journalism before Marketing at Brafton.