Vanson Bourne infographic looks at UK IT marketers' views on social media too understand how social media is being used in the technology sector we surveyed 300 UK IT Purchasers & 59 Technology Vendors and the results show some unexpected trends.

1. THE RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
AT A GLANCE
HOW IMPORTANT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?
Social media is trending for IT marketers
75% rate social
media as a top
trend driving
B2B technology
marketing today.
75%
81%
IT purchasing decision-makers are more
likely to value social media than others
in the IT purchasing unit.
A
?
B
81% say that
the greater
emphasis on
social media is
a “cultural shift”
in marketing
communications.
?
52%
?
2013
2010
Since 2010 survey, the % increase in IT
decision-makers describing LinkedIn,
Twitter or Facebook as useful or very
useful information channels.
Vendors need to do more to attract followers
84%
84% of users of Twitter and LinkedIn follow influencers of
various types.
31%
44%
vendors
analysts
31% of LinkedIn users follow technology
vendors, compared to 44% who follow
technology analysts.
27%
52%
vendors
analysts
27% of Twitter users follow technology
vendors, compared to 52% who follow
technology analysts.
NATURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE
Starting or joining the conversation
73%
25%
73% of IT purchasing
decision-makers that use
either Twitter or LinkedIn
have started or joined a social
media conversation with a
vendor, yet 25% are unable to
describe the vendor response
as being of good quality.
73% of IT purchasing decision-makers re-distribute information via
their social media accounts
?
4/10
IT purchasing
decisionmakers advise
vendors
to make their
content more
accessible via
social media.
Survey conducted in May to June 2013 by Vanson Bourne
with 59 tech marketers and 300 IT purchasers in UK-based
companies.