The Social Bridge

The Social Bridge to the IT CommitteeHow trusted content on social media builds relationships with IT buyers

Commissioned study conducted by:Global Version

Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in 10 countries on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013 2



The Social Bridge to the IT CommitteeHow trusted content on social media builds relationships with IT buyers

Commissioned study conducted by:Global Version

6

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

Global

Tech companies risk being on the sidelines if they don’t educate and help

TECH COMPANIES

7

Decrease in lead potential

Implications

Less exposure to client and prospect

projects

Limiting long-term perception as a trusted

partner and thought leader

Why is it so critical to foster long-term relationships?

9

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?

1,757 IT Committee members in

10 countries

What are they saying?

3,000 tech posts from public LinkedIn Groups

What are they doing?

IT decision makers on LinkedIn


THE IT COMMITTEE

They work cross functionally

45% Work outside of IT

They include individual contributors and managers

44% are individual contributors or managers

These scarce influencers include more than the IT department and the Executive team

Global


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.

Global

12

The IT Committee actively seeks conversations with vendors on social media

13

Nearly all of the IT Committee use social networks

Source: commissioned study conducted by comScore in 10 countries on behalf of LinkedIn, Q3 2013

2013

92% 95% 2012

84%

Use social network monthly for business

Global

14

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

47%

Relevance

R

Relevant context to connect with vendors

37%

Efficiency

E

Quickly find information

45%

Trust

T

Learn from trustworthy peers

52%

Global


As tech decision makers use social to learn and debate, they’re looking to vendors to participate

65%Open to connecting with

vendors on socialReady to have a conversation

with a vendor on social

79%

Global

16

The vendor shortlist is more exclusive and critical than you think


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 list88%

purchased from a new vendorOnly 1 in 6

Global

18

Build relationships to make the short list

19

Traditional lead generation needs to be blended with social to earn leads

Sweet Spot

Social Relationships

Valuable Content

Traditional lead generation

Global


Context matters. Credibility and trust drive brand perception and willingness to consider a vendor for the shortlist

46%

46%

49%

33%

33%

33%

21%

21%

18%

% 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

Global

21

The IT Committee are more likely to engage with their vendors on LinkedIn than on other social networks


Reading a post from their vendor

Following theirvendor

40%more often than other

social networks

LINKEDIN IS USED

41%more often than other

social networks

LINKEDIN IS USED

Global

22

Likelihood of getting a meeting with the IT Committee increases as vendors engage with this audience on LinkedIn


# of types of engagement with vendor on LinkedIn before purchase

NONE 1 TYPE 2+ TYPES0%

20%

40%

60%

Met with the vendor in person Received a demo

Attended a webinar from vendor Did a live chat with vendor

Met with the vendor in person

Received a demo

Attended a webinar from vendor

Did a live chat with the vendor

Pre-Purchase Vendor Engagement by # of Types of Engagement on LinkedIn

Global

23

Vendors who interact with the IT Committee at a high rate are more likely to create promoters


Engagement on LinkedIn Prior To PurchaseVendor Net Promoter Score

36

NONE

51

1 TYPES

60

2+ TYPES

Global

24

Engage the IT Committee everywhere they learn

FEED

MOBILE

GROUPS

INMAIL

Global

25

Earn leads and build relationships with content

SLIDESHARE CHANNEL

SPONSORED UPDATES

SLIDESHARE CONTENT ADS

PERSONALIZED INSIGHTS VIA API

Global

26

Implications for IT Marketers

01

02

03

04

Target more than IT functions in your campaigns.

Ensure your content is authentic, valuable, timely, and customized by decision stage and seniority.

Start earning leads via social in addition to buying leads.

Focus on building relationships to get on the short list.

Begin tracking how often and for what clients you make the short list.

05

Global


28

Brazil (local language)

N=150Australia

N=100

India

N=201

Germany (local language)

N=200

UK

N=201

France (local language)

N=200USA

N=379

Canada

N=126

Hong Kong (local language)

N=100

Singapore

N=100

Appendix: Survey Sample Size and Countries

1757 IT Committee Members505 NAMER, 601 Europe, 501 APAC, 150 Brazil

Data weighted to match IT Committee proportion for each country

Social Media

The Social Bridge