The UK’s leading technology companies are bringing ‘old media’ mindsets to social media according to new research. A benchmark study by PR firm Wildfire reveals that, although 90% of technology companies have a presence on two or more social networks, most are “just not being social” by failing to use these channels to engage in a two-way dialogue with followers.

Twitter was the most popular network used (74%), followed by LinkedIn (72%) and then Facebook (20%). Less than half (48%) had a blog. But the study confirmed many technology brands view social media as an opportunity to push out marketing messages and corporate content; 60% of companies with a Facebook page used it purely as a distribution channel; 57% of companies with a Twitter account used it solely for one-way marketing activity; and only 25% of blogs received comments on a regular basis.

Debby Penton, MD at Wildfire, said: “Social media marketing is not some black art requiring vast experience or knowledge. After all, the vast majority of us use social networks to chat with friends. It is surprising to find that so many technology companies are trying to force old marketing techniques onto the way they use social media. To be truly effective, social media requires a different mindset entirely to traditional ‘push marketing’.”