I don't question that 80% of adult Internet users are engaged in social media. Question...

Asked at: Successful Strategies in B2B Social Media

Do we know how many of them use social media in specific buying or selling roles within the companies for which they work? I suspect that 100% of the 80% isn't the answer.

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Marketing

Sales

B2B Marketing

Marketing Strategies

Social Media

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Dave Stein

asked on July 21, 2011

Scott Mersy

Sr Director of Marketing, ServiceNow

Posted on July 21, 2011

Here is a study from a couple years ago showing high buyer usage of Social Media. There are other studies as well. http://forrester.typepad.com/groundswell/2009/02/new-research-b2.html

Maureen Blandford Replied on July 21, 2011

Hi, smersy!

So, you know, I'm a wee bit shy of questioning Forresters, but not that shy, so ...

when they say: "91% of these technology decision-makers were Spectators -- the highest number I've ever seen in a Social Technographics Profile. This means you can count on the fact that your buyers are reading blogs, watching user generated video, and participating in other social media. Note that 69% of them said they were using this technology for business purposes." - I'm thinking: who are they talking to?

I don't doubt that there are progressive execs who are dabbling in SM...but in my space serving F1000, this position is almost laughable. Surely some mgrs and dirs are doing some SM stuff too and can influence execs, but the execs themselves?

Dave Stein is touching or just 1 to 2 degrees of separation from F500 execs every day. I'd think he wouldn't be buying these numbers.

And anyone who's read Jill Konrath's Snap Selling - I just don't understand the discrepancy.

Weird.

Carmen Hill

Social Media & Content Strategist, Babcock & Jenkins

Posted on July 21, 2011

Dave, the MarketingProfs post (by Glen Gow: http://bit.ly/qHsEu8) that I referenced in another answer says "Recent studies have found that up to 90% of B2B buyers use social media to research purchases and are heavily influenced by third-party feedback in their purchasing decisions—both to identify solutions and to limit risk." It doesn't cite the specific research or source, however. I'm hoping to track that down and will follow up here if/when I find it.

Maureen Blandford Replied on July 21, 2011

I'd be interested, too, Carmen to see if there's a source cited. Often on that site, post writers tend not to cite sources beyond "Recent studies." I'd hope MktngProfs wouldn't allow that kind of stuff.

One of the reasons I'm suspicious is that Glen's quote says 90% of buyers use sm to research purchases AND are heavily influenced by 3rd party feedback." Any credible researcher wouldn't loop those 2 things together. Doing SM research and influenced by 3rd party feedback are completely different research data points.

I'd also be interested in knowing what/who they mean by 90% and if they're grouping B2B buyers of supplies at Staples in the same grouping as CIOs who are buying $10M data warehouses or VPs of HR who are deciding on health benefit providers.

My objection to how Focus is leading into this event is that they're treating B2Bs (with such WIDE variance between them) and B2B Buyers (ditto the variance) as one group.

I have no objection to marketers considering SM after a thoughtful analysis of rev strategy, sales strategy, etc. - But for Focus to posit all must be considering is nuts.