Brands are still chasing the promise of social media.
For the past decade companies have hoped social media would give them a new way to connect with their customers. Today, brands pursuing that promise focus almost exclusively on big social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and prioritize customer engagement above all else.

Too often, their technology partners aren't doing their jobs.
Social technology providers are supposed to offer brands functionality they can't find on social networks — saving them time, limiting their risk, and ultimately helping them succeed. But many brands aren't satis ed with the current options: Most don't use social relationship tools, even many who are paying for them.

Social relationship tools must deliver on three key attributes.
Successful technologies must be comprehensive and usable enough to power both marketing and customer service — eliminating the risk and inefficiency created by native posting. They must offer brands proactive advice on what content to publish, and when. And they must help brands measure and optimize social programs.