With the amount of consumers inundating social media channels with opinions, experiences, and recommendations, businesses can no longer afford to ignore this marketing channel. The proliferation of social media is undeniable. 52 percent of online adults now using two or more social networks. Roughly half of Internet-using young adults ages 18-29 (53 percent) use Instagram. And half of all Instagram users (49 percent) use the site daily. 56 percent of all online adults 65-and-older use Facebook, representing 31 percent of all seniors. Keeping up with so many channels and users — and measuring their impact on your business — is not easy. In a recent survey, CMOs overwhelmingly expect to interact with customers over social networks in the next three to five years, although 66 percent of respondents say they are unprepared to do so. If you’re struggling to bridge the gap between your marketing and social media efforts, your business needs social media marketing software. Sometimes called social media management software (SMMS), and closely aligned with marketing automation platforms, these tools help you scale your social media efforts, engage customers, and monitor mentions, or conversations about your brand.