Technology buyers are aggressively adopting social technologies to help them make business decisions—most often using new social channels to complement traditional decision-making approaches and information sources, according to a survey from Forrester.
Nearly one-half (46%) of surveyed business technology decision-makers maintain a profile on a social networking site and visit social sites at least once a month for business purposes, compared with 29% a year earlier.
In addition, 33% of technology buyers now create social media content, such as publishing a blog or Web pages, or uploading online video.
Purpose-Driven Communities
For high-tech buyers, social media are a means to an end—one that often involves researching a complex buying decision.
Among the factors that most influence their decision to join a social network for work purposes, 52% cite the quality of the discussion and the relevance of comments, 46% cite the topics discussed by the community, and 46% cite the expertise and demonstrated thought-leadership of the participants.
Factors such as community size, volume of activity, or community age, are not considered essential.
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Value-Driven Communities
Social interactions must also create professional value: 51% of technology buyers say they are motivated to participate in social activities that help them get answers to problems, while 36% cite tapping into a broader network of peers for answers and opinions.
Overall, incentives, such as financial compensation or public recognition are not as important to technology buyers.
About the data: Findings are from Forrester's Social Technographics: Business Technology Buyers study, based on an online survey of 1,011 global business technology buyers conducted from Dec. 2009 to Jan. 2010.
