A Social Media Report from Altimeter Group shows that companies and brands are overwhelmed by the proliferation of social media. The study found global corporations are now struggling to manage an average of 178 business-related social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Foursquare and others.

The report presents data collected from from 144 companies surveyed during the second quarter of 2011.  Among vendors spotlighted in the study for different use cases are Attensity, Shoutlet, Buddy Media, HooteSuite, One to One Global and Hearsay Social.

• 70% of businesses said social media efforts met company objectives
• 43% of businesses have  a formal strategy to address how social will meet specific business goals
• Companies typically oversee 39 Twitter accounts, 32 blogs, 30 Facebook pages and 29 LinkedIn accounts
• 26% of corporations offer social media education to employees
• Less than half the companies surveyed had a coordinated approach to social media