Among major social platforms, Twitter users are most likely to share content from the web, which could help marketers use the site to expand the reach of their own content.

A report from Harris Interactive and MyLife found that Twitter users share more content on the platform than users of other major social networks. While smaller platforms, such as foursquare and Tumblr, generate the greater percentage of users sharing content, 18 percent of Twitter account-holders regularly post links and other relevant web content.

A major part of social media marketing campaigns for businesses is generating engagement with their own content. However, encouraging fans and followers to share content with their own extended networks is a similarly important part of maintaining a strong social presence.

Twitter’s 18 percent of users sharing content compares favorably with the 17 percent on Facebook who said they also share relevant links with their friends.

Tumblr and foursquare had the largest percentage of users, with 31 and 44 percent, respectively. However, the nature of these networks is such that users have to share content from around the web to enjoy the experience fully. Twitter and Facebook users don’t necessarily have to post links and other content to use the service.

In recent months, Twitter has been more active in developing new ways for users to share and interact content. Moreover, the company has rolled these capabilities out without wavering too heavily from the 140-character format that has become its trademark. For example, Brafton recently highlighted expanded Tweets, which allow users to preview links shared from certain major news websites, such as the New York Times and Wired magazine. 

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.