This is one of the conclusions of a study conducted by the Spanish startup SocialBro.

Companies’ budgets for Twitter are on the rise: marketing professionals are increasingly aware of ROI (return on investment) and see this communication channel as an ally for achieving their goals and generating sales opportunities. This conclusion comes from the Spanish startup SocialBro, the Twitter management and analytics platform. According to the study, 57% of companies spend at least 50% more on Twitter marketing activities compared to what they spent two years ago. Fifteen percent of respondents stated that their investment in this social channel has tripled over this period.

Likewise, SocialBro’s survey revealed different objectives between large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises in their use of social networks. While most SMEs stated that the main reason they are on social media is brand building—the second reason is business opportunities—corporations with more than 500 employees use Twitter primarily to attract new customers and build relationships with influencers.

The startup’s CEO, Javier Burón, states that “these results reflect that over the last two years Twitter has matured significantly, especially in terms of new forms of advertising, not to mention the redesign of its interface.” According to Burón, companies expect to see benefits for their business and know that it is worth investing to deliver a consistent and creative brand experience.

The biggest concern: the time social networks require

74% of participants in SocialBro’s study admitted to being fascinated by the possibilities of real-time marketing on Twitter, while two thirds highlighted its potential to spread messages virally. The main concern for 53% of professionals is the time required to manage social profiles.

“A poorly managed social media campaign can become a black hole for time,” warns the startup’s CEO. “This does not have to be the case if you work with a well-defined routine, with planning, monitoring, and well-structured reporting.”