IT Purchasing Goes Social

Social networking isn't just for connecting with friends anymore. Today, more businesses than ever are using social media networks for professional purposes, ranging from marketing and branding to talent scouting and researching employment candidates.

An increasing number of companies are also using social media for business-to-business purposes. One of the latest examples is IT decision makers (ITDMs), who now rely heavily on social networks to help them make essential IT purchasing decisions.

Social IT purchasing by the numbers

A new study from Forrester Research and LinkedIn surveyed 400 ITDMs across a range of industries, and found some surprising results:

• When considering a business purchase, 59% of IT professionals are influenced by some form of social networking
• 85% of ITDMs use social media for business purposes
• IT decision-makers search LinkedIn to validate information 71% of the time
• 73% of ITDMs have engaged with a vendor on a social network

Technology vendors are taking note of this trend as well. CIOs work directly with marketers to reach these IT decision makers through social media networks.

Social networking tips for ITDMs

LinkedIn is the most popular social network among IT professionals, with 95% of members using it for business purposes--compared to 45% who use personal social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and 44% who use microblogs. Here's how you can tap into LinkedIn and make smarter purchasing decisions:

Join groups. LinkedIn Groups are a great way to hone in on the pulse of your industry. By joining relevant groups, you can learn about new technologies and new ideas, and network with the best in the business. Groups allow you to ask questions and challenge the answers you receive to expand your knowledge.

Follow thought leaders. Technology is all about staying on the cutting edge. With LinkedIn, you can easily keep track of upcoming developments by following thought leaders. The fastest way to find them is by joining groups within your industry.

Follow top companies. Once you have your short list created during the discovery phase of the IT purchasing process, you can follow your top picks on LinkedIn and receive their latest updates, such as press releases, new hires, and product development. To follow, search for the company name, hover over it on the results page, and click "Follow Company" when it appears at the top right.

Browse SlideShare. SlideShare, a professional content sharing community, was acquired by LinkedIn earlier this year. You can browse SlideShare from your LinkedIn account and find a wealth of information on whatever technology you're considering for your business, including presentations, videos, whitepapers, and more.

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