With 2023 slowly drawing to a close, it is time to think of learnings to take into the new year.
It has been an eventful year for tech, with every major company joining the AI race while navigating an economic downturn. In such a volatile climate, finding an authentic voice that can cut through the noise is challenging. At the same time, standing out is extremely important, as tech buyers are under increasing pressure to make the right decision.
So, what is the optimal way to reach them?
To find out, we ran our third annual survey of B2B tech buyers. We put our questions to 254 senior purchase decision-makers from Europe and North America to understand what moves today’s buyers and what their content preferences are.
Here’s a snapshot of our top takeaways.
1. What do today’s tech buyers look like?
- They are more selective: 65% of respondents say they spend more time researching suppliers than they did 12 months ago
- They appreciate quality and quantity: over half of buyers look at a minimum of 3-5 pieces of content before they contact a supplier, with the average number being 4.2
- They rely on content as a source of knowledge: 74% use content to learn about a given technology ahead of considering a purchase
2. What type of content do buyers like the most?
- Case studies and blogs reign supreme: these were selected as the most useful types of content during the decision-making process by 25% and 17% of respondents, respectively
- Glorified ad campaigns, beware: 33% of buyers are put off by content that is too promotional
- It’s good to get personal: 39% of buyers believe personalisation can make content marketing more effective
3. At what point of the buying process is content the most important?
- Early leads get the worm: nearly two-thirds say they need content when they first become aware of the solution in question
- The more detail, the better: detail-oriented content is the most important at the start, middle, and end of the purchase process for most respondents
- Looking ahead: 52% of respondents say that marketing collateral will have a significant impact on the purchasing process in the next 12 months
The bottom line is that content remains crucial for B2B tech decision-makers. Suppliers and content marketers that focus on meeting buyers’ most recent needs will come out on top. Want to learn more? Read the full report here!
Need insightful content that strikes a chord with potential buyers? Speak to us now: hello@isolinecomms.com
