Analysis of the makeup of the IBM Twitter Community based on the Twitter relationships and engagement data of 952 accounts relating to existing IBM employees, IBM corporate accounts, IBM alumni and other members of the wider IBM ecosystem.

1. Insights into the IBM Twitter Community

2. Methodology
This analysis is based on the Twitter relationships and engagement data of 952 accounts relating to existing IBM employees, IBM corporate accounts, IBM alumni and other members of the wider IBM ecosystem.
Accounts were ranked based on Lissted’smethodology that looks at how prominent accounts are within this community. For example an account that is followed by a high proportion of the 952 accounts is likely to rank highly.
The absolute number of relationships, or engagements, are not the only factors. Who they are from and the assessment of the strength of social signal indicated has a bearing, as well as whether an account has a wider potential for influence within the Twitter community as a whole.

3. Findings
IBM’s own voice is the most prominent
The majority of accounts that are influential over the community come from within. Two thirds of the top 300 accounts and 68 of the Top 100 relate to IBM corporate accounts or IBM employees. If we extend the definition to include IBM alumni (7 of the Top 100) this figure increases to 75%.
Analysts are the most influential external group
13 of the remaining 25 accounts in the Top 100 relate to analysts from firms such as Gartner, Forrester, Constellation Research and RedMonk, demonstrating the strength of influence these firms have on the community.
Journalists are almost absent
9 media outlets appear in the Top 100, with Techcrunch, Harvard Business Review and Wired magazine the highest ranked, but no individual journalistis ranked in the Top 200.
Other Brands have limited reach within the community
Only 1 brand, Twitter, appears in the Top 100 and only 4 appear in the Top 200. Avnet is one of these handful of brands which appears consistent with its position as one of IBM’s largest global technology partners.

4. 35
33
13
9
7
2
1
IBM Corporate
IBM People
Analysts
Media outlets
Alumni
Other
Brands
Top 100 Accounts by Type

5. Top IBM Corporate accounts
1
2
4
5

6. Top IBM Personal accounts
3
8
15
17

7. Top Analysts Firms/Groups -Gartner
10
55
228
295

8. Top Analysts Firms/Groups -Forrester
13
79
286

9. Top Analysts Firms/Groups –Constellation Research
18
58
257

10. Top Analysts Firms/Groups -RedMonk
37
167
199

11. Top Individual Analysts
18
20
37
55

12. Top Alumni
35
66
71
89

13. Top Media Outlets
24
26
29
33

14. Top Journalists
239
262
273
276

15. Top Brands
100
114
142
182