Hey, brands, quit your grinning and start taking this seriously.

And by “this,” we mean social media.

A survey of 200 U.S. companies found that 80 percent of their customers are using social media—yet many companies are approaching the social explosion lightly.

The brands that took part in the Dell survey (carried out by Forrester) explained the current status of their social media efforts:

• 50 percent said social media is serious, but not a core function
• Just 20 percent said it’s a core marketing function
• A mere 6 percent said their digital and listening strategies are integral

Curiously, the survey noted that although only 6 percent consider listening strategies “integral,” 88 percent monitor online conversations and 80 percent respond.

So, which department is overseeing all of this listening?

The survey ranked them and “the social media team” was No. 1, followed by PR and/or marketing, Web-interactive marketing, product marketing, and marketing operations. Seems like marketing (in some form) is in control.

This infographic from Get Satisfaction lays out these details and more. Meanwhile, if you needing some help figuring out your social media strategy, here’s a cheat-sheet, courtesy of Flowtown.