Social Media Now a Source for IT Decision Making, According to UBM TechWeb Study

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM TechWeb released its annual "Social Media at Work" research today, which studies the social media consumption habits and preferences of almost 650 business technology decision makers.  An executive report of the findings, including how marketers can better utilize social media and networking to engage IT decision makers, can be downloaded on CreateYourNextCustomer.com, an online resource for technology marketing best practices, advice and research.

Study highlights include:

• LinkedIn and Twitter are the best places for IT decision makers to talk shop:
  • 69% are using LinkedIn for professional purposes
  • 44% are using Twitter for professional purposes

• IT decision makers are using social media to share information about technology vendors, products and services:
  • 66% use social media to stay connected with colleagues and co-workers
  • 59% use social media to learn about new products, services and technologies
  • 47% use social media to seek advice from peers about technology purchases

• Social media helps drive IT purchase decisions:
  • 58% use social media to obtain information for a technology purchase

"Social media is pervasive, and it would make sense for IT executives to increasingly use social platforms to share information and help them make purchase decisions," said Scott Vaughan, UBM TechWeb's CMO.  "That said, social media is not a silver bullet when it comes to IT marketing.  The most effective social media strategies are also the most difficult to implement and are often only a component of successful, sustainable marketing programs."

To download an executive summary of UBM TechWeb's Fall 2011 Social Media at Work research, please visit: http://createyournextcustomer.techweb.com/2011/08/social-media-at-work-social-media-and-it-marketing/.  Registration is required.

For more information, contact:
Winnie Ng-Schuchman
VP of Marketing
InformationWeek Business Technology Network
[email protected]

About UBM TechWeb

UBM TechWeb, the global leader in technology media and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the transformative power of technology. Through its three core businesses – media solutions, marketing services and paid content – UBM TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed brands and media applications in the technology market. More than 14.5 million business and technology professionals (CIOs and IT managers, Web & Digital professionals, Software Developers, Government decision makers, and Telecom providers) actively engage in UBM TechWeb's communities and information resources monthly. UBM TechWeb brands include: global face-to-face events such as Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and Enterprise Connect; award-winning online resources such as InformationWeek, Light Reading, and Network Computing; and market-leading magazines InformationWeek, Wall Street & Technology, and Advanced Trading. UBM TechWeb is a UBM plc company, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion.

SOURCE UBM TechWeb