By Sergio Balegno, Senior Analyst

Where Organizations are in the Social Marketing Maturity Lifecycle


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This chart shows where organizations are in the Social Marketing Maturity Lifecycle by Social Marketing ROAD Map element. The Social Marketing ROAD Map is a practical method we developed for mapping an effective social marketing strategy.

ROAD is an acronym for the four elements of this methodology: Research, Objectives, Actions and Devices. The largest share of organizations (40% when averaging ROAD Map elements) is now in the Transition Phase. While a third of organizations are still in the Trial Phase, the good news is that nearly a quarter (23%) have advanced to the Strategic Phase.

Marketers reported that maturity can differ markedly by ROAD Map element. For organizations in the Trial Phase, we see most organizations focused on Devices (social media platforms). The focus shifts to Research in the Transition Phase and to Actions in the Strategic Phase. The key takeaway here is that emphasis on Devices drops from the top line to the bottom as an organization’s social marketing maturity evolves.

For more research data and insights about Social Marketing Maturity and the Social Marketing ROAD Map, download and read the free Executive Summary from MarketingSherpa’s 2010 Social Media Marketing Benchmark Report.