IT Buyers Tap Social Media for Content
Finding Value in Social Media
86% of IT buyers use social media networks and content to help with their buying decisions.
Content Is King
Editorial content from third parties (35%) holds the biggest weight in IT buying decisions, followed by vendor content (34%) and social content (31%). In two years, social content will jump to 37%, surpassing both editorial and vendor content
A Role Throughout the Buying Cycle
Social networks are used across all five buying stages—general education, business case development, evaluation/implementation, shortlist creation and final decision—and the highest usage is during the education phase.
IT Buyers Trust Facebook
Facebook is used across all stages of the IT buying process, with 48% using Facebook for general education and 29% referring to the social networking site for final decisions.
Types of Vendor Content IT Buyers Prefer
89% of IT buyers prefer vendor-provided educational content from social media channels.
Don’t Rule Out Promo Content
64% of respondents find transactional or promotional content acceptable.
Get Ready for Virtual Events
62% of IT buyers are most interested in virtual events from social channels.
IT Buyers Want More Reviews
41% of IT buyers say they want links from social channels to product/service reviews and competitive comparisons.
Search Tops Sourcing Habits
58% of IT buyers say they use search the most when making tech buying decisions, followed by social networking (57%) and professional networks (51%).