73% of global CCO’s are investing in social and digital experts

Global chief communications officers (CCO’s) are hiring more digital and social media experts (73%) compared to previous years, according to The Rising CCO V study by Weber Shandwick and Spencer Stuart. The study also found that 55% of CCO’s are developing more relationships with influential Twitter users and bloggers.

The recent findings confirm the high importance placed on social media within companies and organisations, with 91% of CCO’s expecting that importance to grow even further in the future and more than any other communication responsibility.

Digital as a whole was also high on the agenda, with CCO’s citing technological advancements, social media and developing media platforms as the main reasons for change in the media environment.

Adding to this, the significance of mobile (73%) and video production (69%) was also believed to increase.

Integrated media is still thought to be effective, with 63% of respondents putting traditional and social media on par when it comes to resolving an issue or a crisis.

Content publishing was mentioned multiple time throughout the study. Results included:

• 90% of CCO’s have content publishing on their agendas
• 58% of CCO’s report that they create and publish their own content
• 18% report that they are in the process of preparing to become an original content publisher
• 14% say they are considering becoming an original content publisher as a future initiative

Asia Pacific (APAC) in particular were the most likely to be in the process of becoming original content publishers.

The APAC region were also more likely to report that the company website will increase the most in importance, alongside being the most positive of respondents, with APAC CCO’s (and North Americans) being the most likely group to agree that the communications sector have successfully kept pace with the changes in the media environment.