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IT Buyers Tap Social Media for Content

 
 
By Gina Roos
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Social media's role in how IT buyers evaluate products and make buying decisions continues to expand. As the trend picks up steam, channel partners must offer relevant links to content through multiple social media channels during the buying process; otherwise, they could lose out in lead generation and positive customer engagement efforts. A new survey from IDG Connect finds that 86 percent of enterprise respondents involved in IT purchasing use social media networks to help with their purchasing decisions—from the general education phase to the final decision. The study recommends using a mix of social networks, including the top four: Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn. The survey indicates that social media is important during the decision-making process and should be a key element of all channel partners' go-to-market strategies and how they engage with existing and potential customers. Channel Insider shares key takeaways from the survey, including several surprising results such as Facebook's big role in the IT decision-making process.

 
This article was originally published on 2014-01-28
 
 
 
 
 
Gina Roos is a business and technology writer who has contributed print and Web articles to leading electronic industry publications. She was Editor-in-Chief at Electronics Sourcing North America, and served as Site Editor for UBM's Green SupplyLine and Electronics Supply & Manufacturing Websites. She also authored the "In the Channel" column, covering the electronics distribution industry for EETimes ProductWeek. Gina was the founder and editor of Electronics Advocate, an online magazine covering design and supply chain issues in the electronics industry. The publication was sold to MMG Publishing UK in 2010. Gina has a degree in journalism.