For busy buyout professionals it can be difficult enough finding time to fit in the demands of their day jobs and social lives, let alone to tweet, blog and join LinkedIn communities.

Venture capital firms, which have close links to tech start-ups and individuals, have long been fans of social media, but the buyout industry has been a laggard when it comes to the medium. A handful of large private equity firms are starting to improve their online presence, using the web to reveal details on deals and corporate culture and to help to demystify the industry. But many private equity executives will quite rightly ask the question: what's the point?