IT Decision Makers Turn to Social Media for Purchasing Guidance
Social influence from peers and brands is key for IT workers.
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It’s common knowledge that social media affects e-commerce, web traffic and mobile device usage, but recent statistics indicate that it could also be affecting IT investments. LinkedIn sponsored a study, IT Purchasing Goes Social, that examined how IT decision makers use social media to engage with peers and brands. As with most of the adult population in the United States, IT workers are active on social media. The study showed that 88 percent of IT decision makers visit a social network at least monthly, and 85 percent use social media for business purposes.
IT workers want to be well informed before purchasing new software, hardware or solutions. Social media provides a platform to find that information.
Kim Celestre, senior analyst for B2B social marketing at Forrester also noted that IT decision makers "jump in and out of the process of studying and choosing technology solutions. They access multiple digital touch points along their purchasing journey."
What the findings confirmed, she said, is that social media influences the entire buying process, regardless of when and where the decision makers dip into it. They turn to social media to learn from peers, quickly find information, and connect with vendors in a relevant context.
Read Why Social Media Networks Are Gaining A Greater Role In IT Decisions on AOLGovernment.