5 Stats for Social Media Marketers in the Software Industry

In our internet-driven world, using social media to promote your brand is not just a good idea, it’s essential. For internet and software companies with products and services they’re proud of, social media provides a platform to reach new customers, show off those products and establish your share of voice in the industry. 

Beyond the saturation of beauty bloggers, retailers, foodies and entertainers, there’s plenty of space for marketers to achieve impactful marketing goals for their software businesses. Not convinced? Here’s five stats to get you fired up about social media marketing for your software company. 

Social media has become a stepping stone on the path to purchase for industries across the board. The software and tech industry is no exception, as 86% of consumers buying IT products use social media to help them make purchasing decisions. A strong brand identity and relevant, exciting and educational social content can turn leads into conversions. 

Beyond your shared content, savvy B2B software buyers dig through discussions surrounding your brand on social, blogs and review sites, where trusted peers share their insights. Take control of the narrative by sharing customer feedback as marketing content. Testimonials and case studies that highlight customer success build trust and favorability among new leads.

2. One in every three customers turns to social media to seek advice or communicate with a business

Not only is social media a place for your content to shine, it’s an important customer service tool. Gone are the days of being placed on hold for hours as you wait to voice your concerns and feedback. Customers want prompt, personalized communication with businesses and one in every three customers turn to social to get it.

Software companies with intricate and complex products will face complaints about bugs and potential product flaws; that’s just the nature of the beast. How you react and respond is what matters most. In the Sprout Social Index, Edition XII: Call-out Culture, we found that about 50% of consumers stated they would boycott a brand due to a poor response on social. 

Responsive, timely customer care does wonders to keep users happy, and even turn temporarily dissatisfied clients into brand advocates. Through social monitoring, companies can uncover potential problems before they occur, or take steps to prevent small issues from turning into major headaches. The product insights you gather from monitoring could translate into content that addresses some of the most common complaints and questions from your customers.

3. 72% of business buyers expect vendor companies to personalize communications to their needs

While there are a lot of stakeholders involved in purchasing software for a business, most buyers still look for personalized communications and experiences when choosing a software vendor. Human-to-human connection matters and your marketing efforts should reflect that. Continue to monitor social conversations to hone in on your target audience’s specific needs, deliver relevant content and give thoughtful recommendations. Business buyers are more likely than regular consumers to value product recommendations, so reaching them at the right moments with genuine guidance could turn into a big win for your business. That outreach doesn’t always have to come directly from your brand—encourage individuals from your team to get involved and start responding to customers, asking for feedback and making product recommendations on social.

4. 56% of customers (including 66% of business buyers) actively seek to buy from the most innovative companies

Innovation is more than a marketing buzz word in the software industry, it’s a necessity—and 66% of business buyers actively seek to buy from the most innovative companies. In a space where innovation and disruption is the norm, tracking and staying ahead of industry trends may seem daunting. However, through social listening, internet and software companies can track shifts in consumer behavior and proactively cater to trends. With the right platform, organizations can both improve their social strategies and uncover valuable information that can be applied to development of products and services. 

It’s not enough to just tell customers your company is innovative, show them! Work with your product marketing team to create content that highlights key features, separates you from your competition and demonstrates the power of your software.

For the last few years, video marketing has been on the rise. The visually engaging medium captivates audiences more than any other kind of social content. By 2022, video content is projected to account for 82% of all online traffic, so if you’re not already producing video content to promote your software, it’s time to start. 

For software companies whose product explanations often veer into jargon and complex technicalities (emphasis on the tech), video is a great way to spice things up. Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it on video, compared to 10% when reading it in a text. So whether you’re launching new product features, highlighting how-to tips like the example above or simply introducing your brand to the world, you can make a lasting impression with video. 

Armed with these stats and findings, refine your social strategy, go out there and let your software shine. We want to hear from you, though. How does your software business use social media? What aspect of social results in the highest ROI for your company? Sound off in the comments below!