Download - The Social Bridge to the IT Committee
The Social Bridge to the IT CommitteeHow trusted content on social media builds relationships with IT buyers
Commissioned study conducted by:
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Through decision making process
60%
Buyers are highly informed, savvy, and demanding
Source: CEB, “The Digital Evolution in B2B Marketing”, 2012
First contact with brand
Tech companies risk being on the sidelines if they don’t educate and help
TECH COMPANIES
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Decrease in lead potential
Implications
Less exposure to client and prospect
projects
Limiting long-term perception as a trusted
partner and thought leader
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Social media can help bridge the gap and build relationships
TECH COMPANIES
Why is it so critical to foster long-term relationships?
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There is a scarcity of influential B2B tech buyers – tech companies can’t afford to alienate them
5X more expensive to gain a new customer than to retain an existing one 3
1 comScore PlanMetrix US June 2013
2 Forrester Research
3 TARP Worldwide
$820 billionUS IT spending2
15 millionUS Tech Decision Makers1
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THE IT COMMITTEE
They work cross functionally
43% Work outside of IT
They include individual contributors and managers
50% are individual contributors or managers
These scarce influencers include more than the IT department and the Executive team
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013
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LinkedIn partnered with comScore, Starcom MediaVest Group, and Mashwork to understand today’s B2B IT Committee
comScore: Q3 2013SMG / Mashwork: 2012LinkedIn data: Q2 2013
What are they thinking?
379 IT Committee members
What are they saying?
3,000 tech posts from public LinkedIn Groups
What are they doing?
IT decision makers on LinkedIn
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013 9
Key Findings
Make the vendor shortlist by fostering long-term relationships, while serving short-term needs via lead generation.
The vendor shortlist is more exclusive and critical than you think.
Social media is not just for connecting with peers. The IT Committee actively seeks insights & conversations with vendors.
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The IT Committee actively seeks conversations with vendors on social media
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013 11
Nearly all of the IT Committee use social networks
LinkedIn leads all social platforms
86%
2013
95% 95% 2012
85%
Use social network monthly for business
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The reason? Social media – LinkedIn especially – provides them with trust, efficiency, relevance, and access
Source: Commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting in 8 countries on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2012
Access
A
Access a broader network
49%
Relevance
R
Relevant context to connect with vendors
37%
Efficiency
E
Quickly find information
40%
Trust
T
Learn from trustworthy peers
58%
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013 13
TERA continues to drive even deeper utilization across the entire IT decision process
67%56% 58% 49% 61%
Implement
70%
Select
68%
Plan
74%
Scope
73%
Awareness
79%
Influence of social media at each stage of decision making
YoY Increase
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013 14
As tech decision makers use social to learn and debate, they’re looking to vendors to participate
68%Open to connecting with
vendors on socialReady to have a conversation
with a vendor on social
76%
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The vendor shortlist is more exclusive and critical than you think
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013 16
The IT Committee already have a good idea who they want to work with
vendors make their short listOnly 3
purchased from a vendor that made the short list92%
purchased from a new vendorOnly 1 in 6
How do you make the short list if you are a new vendor?
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013 18
Old ways of communicating don’t work and can turn off your audience
Top 5 reasons the IT Committee doesn’t connect with a vendor on a social network
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Talk too much about themselves
02
Don’t believe would provide any credible information
04
Don’t believe would provide any info that is relevant to my job
01
Don’t want to receive a lot of marketing materials
03
Not thought leaders in the category
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013
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Building relationships with the right content is critical to being considered
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AWARENESS SCOPE PLAN SELECT IMPLEMENT
The IT Committee are interested in a diverse range of topics – earn more interest with multiple types of content
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013
Best practices, how-to’s, checklists
Prod / solution demo / software trial
IT industry news / strategy info
Top types of information sought in each stage of IT decision-making process:
Diagnostic / assessment tools
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3,217 IT Decision Makers engaged with this article on LinkedIn in June
"Windows 8 is gold: Release date just days away [link] #ITBW for @computerworld by @richi $MSFT”
Junior Decision Maker, Twitter
"It's nice to hear that Asian companies are starting to adopt e-learning. [Link] E-learning going mobile in Asia | ZDNet”
Senior Decision Maker, LinkedIn Groups
Source: commissioned social intelligence research conducted by Mashwork on behalf of Starcom MediaVest Group and LinkedIn, Q1 – Q4 2012
Senior decision makers are 2X more likely to have shared and engaged with product / industry news
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Senior decision makers were 11.5X more engaged with thought leadership content
Source: commissioned social intelligence research conducted by Mashwork on behalf of Starcom MediaVest Group and LinkedIn, Q1 – Q4 2012
1,345 IT Decision Makers engaged with this post on LinkedIn in June
23Source: commissioned social intelligence research conducted by Mashwork on behalf of Starcom MediaVest Group and LinkedIn, Q1 – Q4 2012
Junior decision makers were 39% more engaged with best practice content
"An interesting and insightful article elaborating on the innovative applications of analytics to enhance VAS revenues.... [Link]"
Junior Decision Maker, LinkedIn Group
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Build relationships to make the short list
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Traditional lead generation needs to be blended with social to earn leads
Sweet Spot
Social Relationships
Valuable Content
Traditional lead generation
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013 26
Context matters. Credibility and trust drive brand perception and willingness to consider a vendor for the shortlist
45%
46%
47%
32%
33%
31%
23%
23%
21%
% who trust LinkedIn more than other websites
Connecting more efficiently with vendors and relevant companies
Talking about my experience with IT vendors
Receiving information relevant to my IT decisions
LinkedIn Same Other websites
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The IT Committee are more likely to engage with their vendors on LinkedIn than on other social networks
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013
Reading a post from their vendor
Following theirvendor
50%more often than other
social networks
LINKEDIN IS USED
56%more often than other
social networks
LINKEDIN IS USED
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Likelihood of getting a meeting with the IT Committee increases as vendors engage with this audience on LinkedIn
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013
# of types ways engaged with vendor on LinkedIn before purchase
Pre-Purchase Vendor Engagement by # of Types of Engagements on LinkedIn
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Vendors who interact with the IT Committee at a high rate are more likely to create promoters
Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in the US on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013
Types of Engagement on LinkedIn Prior To PurchaseVendor Net Promoter Score
39
NONE
58
1 TYPE
62
2+ TYPES
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Engage the IT Committee everywhere they learn
NEWSFEED
MOBILE
GROUPS
INMAIL
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Earn leads and build relationships with content
SLIDESHARE CHANNEL
SPONSORED UPDATES
SLIDESHARE CONTENT ADS
PERSONALIZED INSIGHTS VIA API
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Key Takeaways for IT Marketers
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03
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Target more than IT functions in your campaigns.
Effective content is authentic, valuable, timely, and customized by decision stage and seniority.
Start earning leads via social in addition to buying leads (traditional lead gen).
Focus on building relationships to get you on the short list.
Begin tracking how often and for what clients you make the short list.
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