May 7, 2014: A recent study conducted by HubShout found that 72.8% of Internet users who have read sponsored content “believe it has equal or greater value as compared to non-sponsored content” on the same website. With social media platforms such as Facebook moving to a model where businesses will need to pay for visibility, the HubShout study suggests that consumers will in fact, engage and accept such ads without feeling that they are invasive or unsolicited.
Although Facebook’s recent moves to limit organic reach have caused a great deal of pushback, the truth is social media has never been free. Brands that win have always been willing to put money behind a team or agency that makes a carefully orchestrated marketing plan look effortless and spontaneous. You can read more here, where we discuss brands other than Samsung that stole the night at the Oscars.