Sean Rosensteel

If social media is good enough for the Fortune 100, should it be good enough for you?

New data reported by Burson-Marsteller suggests that some of the most prestigious companies in the world – most notably, the majority of the ones listed by Fortune Magazine’s Global 100 – are now engaging social media marketing in unprecedented numbers.

Companies like Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil, Toyota, General Electric, AT&T, and Ford are embracing the opportunities presented by social media networking more than ever before. In fact, according to Burson-Marsteller’s report, 77% of the Global 100 use Twitter, and 61% use Facebook.

Among U.S. firms, 72% use Facebook for marketing purposes, and the number of corporate page “likes” grew 189% from 2009 to 2010.

The survey examined the top 32 U.S. companies in Fortune Magazine’s Global 100, as well as 47 firms in Europe and another 21 from Asia and Latin America. One of the study’s most telling statistics was the fact that U.S. companies increased their social media usage by 21% over 2009’s utilization.

In addition to the impressive growth data, the report went on to say that once these global stalwarts begin to use social media, they stick with it. For example, there was nearly a 180% increase in the number of Facebook pages per U.S. Fortune 100 company over the last year, as firms expanded their Facebook presence from an average of about two pages to an average of over five pages per company.

Even more impressively, in the last week before the study was published, 84 of the 100 companies surveyed had posted fresh Facebook updates.

Eighty-four percent! I’d say that falls squarely under the definition of “commitment,” wouldn’t you?

So, what’s the key takeaway in all of this? It’s simple, really.

If the largest, most profitable and recognizable companies in the world are seeing the advantages of social media networking, isn’t it time that your firm started taking social media more seriously?

I think we both know the answer to that question. As such, I highly recommend that you begin setting aside some time for planning how to integrate social media marketing into your overall brand awareness and marketing strategies. It can start with some simple introspection about how you want your brand to be perceived, how you expect to expand contact with your markets, and what you want your customers and prospects to associate your brand with.

Getting started is usually the hardest part, but it’s also usually well worth the effort. Ask any of the companies in Fortune magazine’s list of the top 100 firms in the world, and they’re likely to tell you the same thing.