March 2007 - The Bloom Group

Transcription

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Document Summary
Connecting Through Content: Issue One
by KnowledgeStorm, Inc
Published on: March
01, 2007
Type of content: Analyst Report
Format: Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)
Length: 24 Pages
Price: Free
Overview:
News. Information. Data. Opinion. Advice. In one word: Content. It’s what
buyers of technology products crave — and what B2B marketers work hard to
provide for them. With the explosion of the Web and emerging media, as noted
in the KnowledgeStorm Emerging Media Seriesstudies published in the Fall of
2006, the volume and variety of marketing materials has increased dramatically.
Traditional offline information, such as corporate and product overviews, analyst
reports, white papers and case studies, now live in the online world. But it’s a
world with new inhabitants: interactive blogs, Wikis, RSS feeds and podcasts,
which provide new, efficient
ways for B2B technology marketers to provide content that is fresh and
compelling to their audiences.
The objective of the research-based Connecting Through Content Series, jointly
produced by KnowledgeStorm and MarketingSherpa, is to explore the impact of
content development and distribution on audience engagement and message
delivery. More specifically, this first study is
designed to closely examine how content development, formatting and targeting
affect technology buyers’ perceptions of value and create opportunities for
marketers to more effectively reach their potential buyers. The study was
conducted in February 2007 by KnowledgeStorm, the Internet’s top-ranked
search resource for technology solutions and information, and MarketingSherpa,
a research firm publishing real-life Case Studies, practical know-how and
benchmark data on what works — and doesn’t work — in marketing today.
Nearly 4,000 B2B marketers and technology and business professionals
responded to the survey used in this study. The marketer and technology buyer
surveys were conducted concurrently.
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Connecting Through Content Series
Researching how marketing
practices align with
technology buyers’
expectations and preferences
Issue One: How Technology
Marketers Meet Buyers’
Appetite for Content
March 2007
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Summary of Key Findings . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Detailed Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
➔1
Introduction
New Technology Buyer Expectations
Make “Getting the Word Out” a
Tougher
for
Technology
Marketers
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first page.
News. Information. Data. Opinion. Advice. In one word: Content. It’s what
buyers of technology products crave — and what B2B marketers work hard
to provide for them. With the explosion of the Web and emerging media,
as noted in the KnowledgeStorm Emerging Media Series studies published
in the Fall of 2006, the volume and variety of marketing materials has
increased dramatically. Traditional offline information, such as corporate
and product overviews, analyst reports, white papers and case studies,
now live in the online world. But it’s a world with new inhabitants: interactive
blogs, Wikis, RSS feeds and podcasts, which provide new, efficient
ways for B2B technology marketers to provide content that is fresh and
compelling to their audiences.
The objective of the research-based Connecting Through Content
Series, jointly produced by KnowledgeStorm and MarketingSherpa, is to
explore the impact of content development and distribution on audience
engagement and message delivery. More specifically, this first study is
designed to closely examine how content development, formatting and
targeting affect technology buyers’ perceptions of value and create
opportunities for marketers to more effectively reach their potential buyers.
Study Methodology
The study was conducted in February 2007 by KnowledgeStorm, the
Internet’s top-ranked search resource for technology solutions and
information, and MarketingSherpa, a research firm publishing real-life Case
Studies, practical know-how and benchmark data on what
works — and doesn’t work — in marketing today.
Nearly 4,000 technology
buyers and marketer
participants responded to the
surveys used in this study.
Nearly 4,000 B2B marketers and technology and business
professionals responded to the survey used in this study.
The marketer and technology buyer surveys were conducted
concurrently.
Nearly 78% of marketer respondents either “oversee” or have “significant
involvement” in content marketing programs. These marketers hold a range
of positions within their firms:
•
41% of respondents hold the titles Director of Marketing, CMO or VP
•
32% are Marketing or Product Managers
➔2
The technology buyers’ demographic profile shows that the responsibilities
and areas of influence of the respondents vary widely:
•
53% are business professionals
•
47% are IT professionals
46% are involved with their company’s technology at a strategic level
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32% authorize
IT purchases
or first
havepage.
a major influence on purchases
Opportunities for
B2B Technology Marketers
Content is Common Ground for Technology Buyers and Marketers
Overall, the report reveals a generally high level of technology buyer
satisfaction with the quality of available B2B technology content. Ninety-two
percent of technology buyers say they are either “somewhat satisfied” or
“very satisfied” with the quality of content available to them. The Web is
the preferred delivery channel as nearly three-fourths of all technology
information searches are made online. While it’s not surprising that
technology buyers value thought leadership from analysts and industry
journalists, they also value vendor-generated content. Seventy-nine percent of
technology buyers stated that they received 25% or more of their information
from vendor-sponsored content, including white papers, case studies,
corporate Websites and technology solution information.
Forty-nine percent of respondents
considered the information
they found online to be of greater
value to the content they received
through other means such as
events, mailings and publications.
However, the report also shows an opportunity for marketers
to meet technology buyers’ growing reliance on the
Web. Forty-nine percent of respondents considered the
information they found online to be of greater value to
the content they received through other means such as
events, mailings and publications. However, marketers still
put 40% of their efforts into offline campaigns.
Targeted Content: Messaging to Match the Technology Buyer’s Needs
This study shows that 61% of technology buyers look for different kinds
of information at various points in the buying cycle. They want content
that directly addresses the issues they face at each point in the decision
process, whether that’s evaluating the financial consequences of a
purchase or tackling the intricacies of implementing a new enterprise
technology.
Only 38% of marketers surveyed currently create content that meets the
needs of potential buyers from research to purchase. Change is in the air,
as an additional 27% have recognized the need to develop new content
that supports potential customers throughout the buying cycle and in
different functions that influence purchases.
➔3
Frequency and Freshness of Content
Marketers typically provide new content based on internal events, such as
a shift in strategic direction or a new product launch. In contrast, technology
buyers search for new information based on their needs on a daily or weekly
basis. Seeing information about a product or service in a
variety of formats can help educate marketers’ customers
Eighty-five
percent ofistechnology
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locked.
and prospects. In fact, 85% percent of technology buyers
buyers need to see information
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report
that they
need
to page.
encounter at least three pieces of
about a new technology or solution
content
before
they
acquire
significant knowledge about a
at least three times.
particular technology solution.
Marketers who provide frequently updated, educational content and develop
materials targeted to specific stages in the buying cycle, meet the needs
and expectations of technology buyers. They essentially emulate the model
of leading publishers: determine what the audience wants and provide it
when the audience wants it. The combination of frequency, content matched
to buyer needs and quality production engages technology buyers early,
often and positively in the buying cycle. Luckily, with their relatively low
production costs and short lead times, emerging media channels, such
as blogs, podcasts or online video, provide marketers with the perfect
vehicles to meet the content consumer’s needs efficiently.
Summary of Key Findings
Technology Buyers are Generally Satisfied with Available Content
Ninety-two percent of technology buyers are generally happy with the quality
of both online and offline content. The most satisfied technology buyers are
those who search for information most frequently, and based on the amount
of content they access, do so most efficiently.
Technology Buyers Live Online
Technology buyers conduct nearly three-quarters of their technology
research and information gathering online, yet marketers conduct a
disproportionate percentage of their content marketing offline (40%).
Educational Content Receives High Marks
Respondents value well-written, high quality content (76% and 71%,
respectively). However, what was even more valued was the educational
quality of the material, which 85% of technology buyers rated as “very” or
“extremely” important to them. Based on this insight, marketers might be
well advised to heed the old adage: “Don’t sell me. Tell me.”
Proactive Nature of Internet Searches Appeals to Technology Buyers
More than 93% of respondents considered the information they found online
to be of greater (49%) or equal (45%) value to the content they received
through other means such as publications and events. Those who prefer
online content especially like being able to search for exactly what they
➔4
need, when they need it. They also like the collateral information available
through links; and the up-to-date nature of the information on new features
and pricing.
Technology Buyers Rely on Vendors as a Credible
Source for Education
than a third of technology buyers say that they obtain the majority
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of
the
information
they use in
solutions or evaluating purchases
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from hardware, software or IT companies. Nearly 80% report that they
get at least 25% of their information from vendor-generated or
sponsored content.
White Papers Are Most Frequently Read Content
Technology buyers frequently read a wide variety of Web content, with more
than 60% of respondents saying that they often read case studies, product
literature, articles from industry journalists and analyst reports. White papers
are frequently read by the largest number, 71% of respondents.
White Papers Top the List of Content to Pass Along
White papers provide the only content that all respondents share with
colleagues more than half (57%) the time. Among the subset of technology
buyers, however, product literature was passed on to coworkers more
frequently.
The Disconnect on Webcasts and the Alignment with Emerging Media
Less than one-third of technology buyers claimed to access Webcasts
“most frequently.” Conversely, almost two-thirds of marketers sponsor
or use Webcasts in their marketing programs. Technology buyers and
marketers appear to be well aligned in the emerging media of blogs
and online video, with sponsorship and readership rates both in the
neighborhood of 20%, a notable percentage given the recent development
of these formats.
Technology Buyers Need to Hear the Message Again,
and Again, and Again
Eighty-five percent of technology buyers say that they need to see at least
three pieces of content about a new technology or solution before they
acquire significant knowledge of it. Eighteen percent report that it takes
more than five pieces of content about new information to really understand
it. This finding supports what offline marketing pros have known for years:
frequency counts!
Technology Buyers Want Fresh Content. Marketers Must Work Harder
to Keep Theirs From Becoming Stale.
Almost four out of five technology buyers search the Web at least weekly
for new information about technology, and they expect to find new
information on every search. The majority of marketers (57%) adds or
changes content quarterly or less often. Increasing use of emerging media,
➔5
such as blogs or podcasts, should help marketers quickly and efficiently
provide supplementary thought leadership and content to enhance pieces
that don’t tend to be as dynamic, such as product collateral.
The Information Gap: Technology Buyers Look for Content that Helps
Them Solve Problems, While Marketers Are Frequently Driven by
Developments
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Nearly
72%
of
respondents
want
findpage.
“solutions to solve a current
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problem” when they start a new search. Two-thirds conduct searches to
stay informed about a particular technology and a majority wants to learn
about industry trends or news or enhance their organization’s performance.
Marketers refresh content primarily for internal reasons. Eighty-seven percent
of respondents create new content to discuss their own new products or
services and 75% refresh content to reflect changing marketing strategies.
Marketers Must Do More to Customize Content
Sixty percent of technology buyers look for different types of content
depending on their needs at the time, whether they just want a snapshot
of industry developments or require a comparison of prices and features
of new software. Only 38% of marketers customize their marketing content
to match the needs of technology buyers at different stages of the
purchasing cycle.
Content Targeted to Specific Job and Industry Provides Greatest Value
Nearly 82% of technology buyers preferred information targeted to their
industry and 86% of marketers already tailor their content to industries or
vertical markets or soon will. Two-thirds of technology buyers found content
that addressed issues specific to their job function was more valuable than
generic content; nearly 70% of marketers produce or plan to produce
content aimed at buyers or influencers in particular jobs.
Conclusion
Increasingly, sophisticated technology buyers rely on the Internet for
everything from industry overviews and company news to product
comparisons and implementation tips. They value the timeliness of online
information and the breadth of resources available, yet they want to be
able to readily access content specific to their jobs and their immediate
needs. They don’t just want content, they want specific types of content
at distinct points in their buying cycle, targeted directly at them.
Marketers and Technology Buyers Align on Segmentation and Formats
Marketers have started down the path of customization with materials
that address the issues facing individuals in particular jobs and industries,
the kind of content targeting that technology buyers say is most useful.
Marketers also segment geographically and by company size, which
technology buyers find somewhat less relevant.
➔6
Marketers present information in a growing variety of formats. Technology
buyers have responded by frequently turning to white papers, case studies,
product literature, industry articles and analyst reports and often sharing
those resources, particularly white papers, with others in their companies.
Emerging media, such as blogs and online video, are also catching on with
both groups. The results of this study show that marketers employ newer
media about as often as technology buyers access them.
Marketers Underestimate the Demand for Fresh, Educational
Content Online
Marketers lag technology buyers in several other areas, largely when
it comes to keeping up with the tremendous appetite for online content.
Technology buyers turn to vendors as primary resources for information on
the Web. Eighty-four percent say they want content that educates them and
expect vendors to provide it. For marketers, this is a huge area of opportunity.
When it came to rating the educational content, writing and presentation
quality of their own online materials, the marketers surveyed rated them
as “high” or “very high” in these dimensions less than 60% of the time.
With technology buyers turning to the Internet for the
majority of their research and information gathering needs
as often as daily, marketers have frequent opportunities to
attract technology buyers to their content and need to rise
to the challenge. Strategic usage of emerging media such
as blogs and RSS feeds could reduce the time-to-market
for new content and keep technology buyers engaged in a way that white
papers and case studies do not. A well balanced content-development
program would employ quick and interactive elements to maintain audience
mindshare, while also offering the in-depth analysis that technology
buyers want when they start the evaluation process for new products
and processes.
Eighty-four percent say they
want content that educates them,
and expect vendors to provide it.
Developing a balanced content program requires that marketers abandon
the tendency to focus internally on their products, features, corporate
structures and strategies and instead look at the need for content more
from the technology buyer’s perspective. Technology buyers want news
and solutions, not product promotion.
➔7
Detailed Findings
Technology Buyers Are Satisfied With the Quality of
Technology Information
More than 92% of technology buyers are “somewhat” or “very satisfied”
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with the quality of technology information and research content available
today. The seven percent of technology buyers who were either “somewhat”
or “very dissatisfied” with content quality typically seek technology
information and research on the Internet just monthly, but access more
content, while technology buyers who give the highest ratings to the quality
of information available typically seek information on a daily or weekly
basis. The frequency with which technology buyers search for information
affects their satisfaction with the quality available, indicating that familiarity
and the ability to quickly find the most relevant material may be a factor.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: How satisfied are you with the quality of
technology information and research content that is available today?
Somewhat dissatisfied
7%
Very dissatisfied
1%
➔8
Very satisfied
20%
Somewhat satisfied
72%
Technology Buyers Seek Highly Educational, Well Written Materials.
Marketers Realize There Is Room for Improvement.
While most technology buyers find the quality of technology information
and research available on the Web satisfactory, they eagerly seek highly
educational, well written material. The majority of technology buyers
rated the quality of educational material “extremely important” and 84%
considered the educational value to be either “very important” or “extremely
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important.”
Technology
buyers
alsofirst
sought
high quality presentations
and excellent writing, both rated as quite important by more than 70%
of respondents. While the source of the content mattered to 65% of
technology buyers, only 31% were concerned with the specific author.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: When reading or consuming technology
information and research content, how important is the quality of writing,
presentation, and educational information? Please rate (1 = “Little importance”
to 5 = “Extremely important”)
Rated 4 or 5 – ‘Top 2 Box’
Quality of educational information
84%
Quality of the writing
76%
Quality of the presentation
71%
Source of the content
Author of the content
65%
31%
➔9
For marketers, the importance that technology buyers place on highly
educational, quality materials provides an opportunity to differentiate their
information and their brand. Only 53% of marketers currently rate the
educational value of their technology information and research as “high”
or “very high,” with less than 18% giving their own materials top marks.
Just half the marketers considered their presentations to be of “high” or
“very high” quality and only 59% rated the writing of their materials at the
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topdocument
two levels.by
Marketers
can
buyers’ desires to find
well packaged and highly informative materials by upgrading the quality
of the research and technology information they provide on their sites.
MARKETERS: How would you rate your content assets in terms of the
quality of writing, presentation and educational value?
Please rate (1 = “Poor” to 5 = “Excellent”)
Rated 4 or 5 – ‘Top 2 Box’
Writing
Educational value
59%
53%
➔ 10
Presentation
50%
Technology Buyers Live Online.
Marketers Are Still Making the Transition.
Technology buyers conduct most of their research or information gathering
online, with nearly three-quarters seeking information through the Internet
compared to just 25% relying on traditional offline materials and activities
such as brochures, direct mail, events and print publications. Marketers
continue to invest significantly in offline communications, with 40% of their
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marketing
devoted
to traditional
programs.
This creates a gap between
technology buyers’ expectations and preferences and the formats
marketers are using to reach their best customers and prospects.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: What percentage of your technology research
or information gathering is done online vs. offline?
Offline
26%
Online
74%
➔ 11
MARKETERS: What percentage of your content marketing programs is
conducted online vs. offline?
Offline
41%
Online
59%
Technology Buyers Highly Value Online Information
More than 93% of technology buyers considered the information that they
found online to be of equal or greater value than the content they received
through traditional marketing venues such as events, printed materials
and publications. The control the technology buyer has when it comes to
accessing online information allows them to drill down to the specifics they
desire, precisely when they need it. Many respondents cited the more
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current
and accurate
naturetoofthe
online
as a major contributor to
its greater value, particularly in connection to pricing and new features.
The high value technology buyers place on information obtained online
indicates that the Web is rapidly replacing offline channels as the
preferred medium for obtaining research and technology information.
By understanding how customers and prospects choose to access
information, marketers can make informed strategic decisions about how
to allocate their online versus offline content marketing budgets. This would
allow them to reach a larger audience and deliver valuable information in
the manner their audience will find most useful.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: Is the information you are finding online vs.
offline of more or less value to you?
Offline
information
is of
greater
value
7%
Online and
offline content
have equal value
45%
Online information
is of greater value
48%
➔ 12
Technology Buyers Rely on Vendors for Education.
Are Marketers Capitalizing on the Opportunity?
In their continual search for technology information, technology buyers
frequently turn to content provided by software, hardware or IT service
companies. Nearly one-third of technology buyers say that they obtain
the majority of their information about technology from vendor-generated
or sponsored content. Only one in five reports that they acquire less than
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the first instead
page. relying more on industry
25%
of their information
from
publications and other sources.
For marketers, buyers’ reliance on vendor materials offers a golden
opportunity to position their products and services online. Sites that provide
value-added downloads, such as white papers or reports, attract potential
buyers who want background information and industry knowledge, and
build familiarity with the vendor’s products or services in the process. Just
one-third of marketers, though, currently provide content offers or incentives
tied to their programs more than 50% of the time. Marketers who take
advantage of the opportunity to educate technology buyers through online
content can improve their reach, results and ROI by shifting funds to higher
valued programs.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: Approximately what percentage of your
knowledge of technology comes from vendor-generated or sponsored content?
MARKETERS: What percentage of your marketing programs involves a
content offer or incentive such as a white paper or analyst report download?
None
➔ 13
2%
0%
21%
Less then 25%
38%
41%
25 - 50%
27%
31%
50 - 75%
75 - 100%
19%
6%
16%
White Papers Are Most Frequently Read Content
White papers and case studies appeal to most technology buyers, with
more than 71% saying that they frequently read white papers and 67%
reporting that they often read case studies. On an overall basis, product
literature, articles from industry journalists and analyst reports all are
frequently read by more than 60% of technology buyers. Just 53% regularly
read corporate Websites, making the appearance of product and service
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information
in the
seeminglyto
more
formats of white papers, case
studies, industry articles and analyst reports increasingly important.
Less than one-third of technology buyers regularly accessed Webcasts.
Conversely, almost two-thirds of marketers sponsor or use Webcasts in their
marketing programs. This misalignment of sponsored content compared to
consumed material continues with analyst reports, with 61% of technology
buyers accessing those reports frequently versus just 38% of marketers
sponsoring them. Technology buyers and marketers appear to be well
aligned in the emerging media of blogs and online video with sponsorship
and readership rates both in the neighborhood of 20%, a notable
percentage given the recent development of these formats.
➔ 14
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: What types of content do you most frequently
consume/read? Check all that apply.
MARKETERS: What types of content do you use or sponsor in your marketing programs? Check all that apply.
Case studies
67%
80%
64%
Product literature
77%
53%
Corporate website
75%
71%
White papers
75%
33%
Webcasts
63%
61%
Analyst reports
63%
Articles from
industry journalists
37%
17%
Online video
21%
Podcasts
Blogs
➔ 15
38%
10%
18%
20%
16%
White Papers are Shared Most Often
Only white papers are passed along to colleagues or coworkers more
than half the time. Two possible reasons are the greater percentage of white
papers presented in a self-contained PDF format and the larger number of
individuals who may be interested in the content typically presented in white
papers. White papers generally set the stage well for technology buyers in
the early phases of examining new products or services.
Case studies, articles from industry journalists and analyst reports all are
frequently forwarded to colleagues, likely because their comparative nature
and the perception of objectivity makes them of interest to the broadest
number of individuals in the IT decision process. Websites, Webcasts and
blogs are less frequently shared, probably as a result of their more narrowly
focused content or, in the case of Webcasts, the difficulty in passing them
through corporate firewalls.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: What types of content do you most frequently
pass along to co-workers or colleagues?
White papers
57%
Product literature
49%
Articles from industry journalists
49%
Analyst reports
47%
Case studies
47%
Corporate website
26%
Webcasts
Blogs
Online video
14%
9%
7%
Podcasts 4%
Frequency Matters
Technology buyers need to be “touched” as often as any other consumer
group. Traditionally, advertisers say that people need to read or hear
something eight times before they remember it. Eighty-five percent of
technology buyers say they need to absorb at least three pieces of content
such as analyst reports, white papers or industry articles before they have
a grasp of a new product, service or development. Eighteen percent want
more than five pieces of content to help them fully understand a specific
technology or solution.
➔ 16
Marketers are well prepared to meet these information needs in terms of
content assets available. Only 20% have fewer than five pieces of content
to share with technology buyers and 17% have more than 50 pieces. The
challenge for marketers is ensuring that technology buyers receive and
access the content as frequently when they need to become comfortable
with new developments. Emerging media provide abundant opportunities
to present information in multiple, engaging formats and with great
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frequency,
particularly
through
blogs
RSS feeds. The issue for
technology marketers revolves more around distribution, the topic to be
addressed in the next paper in the Connecting through Content series.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: In your experience, how many pieces of
content (analyst reports, white papers, industry articles, etc.) does it take to
acquire significant understanding of a particular technology or IT solution?
6 or more
18%
1 or 2
15%
3 to 5
67%
MARKETERS: How many content assets (e.g. white papers, case studies,
Webcasts, etc.) do you currently have available for marketing programs?
21 to 50
18%
More
than 100
11%
51
to 100
7%
Less than 5
21%
5 to 20
43%
➔ 17
Timeliness is Critical
More than 79% of technology buyers are on the Web at least once a week
to obtain new information about technology subjects and more than 95%
access online information at least monthly. Technology buyers expect to
see fresh information just as regularly.
marketers still take a reactive approach to content development.
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locked.
Only
43% of marketers
update
theirfirst
information
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page. at least monthly. Nearly
20% create new information only semi-annually or annually. Failing to provide
fresh content reduces a company’s ability to connect frequently and build
awareness, and it diminishes its position compared to more proactive
competitors.
The delay in updating information may be due to reliance on longer
time-to-market content formats such as white papers and case studies.
In KnowledgeStorm’s previous research series on emerging media, 55%
of technology buyers said they would be more likely to consume business
or technology topics currently delivered as white papers or analyst reports
if they were delivered as podcasts; and 99% rated expert technology
bloggers as somewhat or extremely valuable. Marketers who can respond
to the demand for easy to access, quick to develop content by effectively
implementing emerging media programs will tap into the huge need for
new information.
➔ 18
Daily
33%
Monthly
17%
Quarterly
4%
Weekly
46%
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: How
often do you seek new information
(or content) that covers technology
subjects that are of interest or relevant
to your job and/or organization?
Annually
7% Weekly
11%
Semi
annually
13%
Quarterly
36%
Monthly
33%
MARKETERS: On average, how
often do you update, create or acquire
new content such as product literature,
Webcasts, white papers, etc.?
Marketers Need to Publish Proactively
Nearly 72% of technology buyers say they are “looking for solutions to
solve a current problem” when they initiate a search. For marketers, these
“lookers” represent an early opportunity to connect with an audience highly
likely to convert to active leads.
desire to stay current in their field motivated many technology buyers
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locked.
to search
on aby
regular
basis.toUp
two-thirds
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thetofirst
page. began a search to stay
up-to-date on a particular technology or IT solution, while a clear majority
regularly conducts searches to gather news on their industry, company
or jobs.
Internal company changes typically motivate marketers to update their
online content, with new products or services triggering new content 87% of
the time. New marketing strategies are the second most frequent reason for
content updates at 75%. The third most common reason marketers provide
new content is also the same as the technology buyer’s top reason for
seeking information — industry news or trends.
There is a huge opportunity for marketers to proactively position their
organization and products or services with potential buyers. By knowing
enough about the marketplace and evolving customer needs, marketers
can “read the tea leaves” and produce content that helps the organization
stay ahead of the curve. While to some degree, responding to internal
updates and changes is unavoidable, taking the time to know what the
customer or prospect is looking for can pay dividends in marketshare
gains and brand awareness.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: What typically triggers your search for
technology information? Check all that apply.
Looking for solutions to solve a current problem
72%
Staying up to date on a particular technology or IT solution
66%
A defined need for a new technology or IT solution
59%
Industry news, trends or hot topics relevant to my job, company or industry
56%
Looking for insights to enhance performance of my organization’s existing
technologies or IT solutions
53%
MARKETERS: What typically triggers your content updates?
Check all that apply.
New or updated product/service
87%
New marketing strategies
75%
Industry news or trends (hot topics relevant to our offerings)
62%
Performance of existing content (good or bad)
49%
Acquisition or new target market
36%
New budget cycle
17%
➔ 19
Marketers Need to Balance Their Internal and External Focus
The reactive nature of content updates on the part of marketers arises
from a strongly internal orientation throughout all marketing initiatives. While
nearly three-quarters of marketers have changed their marketing programs,
demand generation or branding strategies within the last six months, only
10% indicated that “poor performance of previous programs” motivated
the change — the only survey answer that indicated that marketers were
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responding
to by
market
feedback.
common reasons for modifying
marketing activities or approaches related to changes within the company,
either in connection with a new marketing strategy (56%) or a turnover in
company leadership or development of a different corporate strategy (24%).
MARKETERS: Have your marketing programs, demand generation or
branding strategies changed in the last six months?
No
26%
Yes
74%
➔ 20
MARKETERS: What has been the main cause of the change?
Acquistion
4%
Change
in company
leadership/
company
strategy
24%
Poor performance of
previous programs
11%
Other
3%
Change in
marketing
focus/strategy
58%
Marketers Must Better Align with the Technology Buying Cycle
Technology buyers customize their searches to reflect the specific issues
they are addressing. Overall, 61% of technology buyers say that they
seek different sources or content types depending on the reason for their
search. When they simply want to stay current in their industry, for instance,
they more often look to RSS newsfeeds or scan the headlines of popular
IT Websites. When they are conducting research to solve a particular
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problem,
whiteby
papers
meettotheir
better. When approaching a
purchasing decision, they report that vendor communication becomes
most important.
Marketers, in large part, have not responded with content tailored to the
different points in the buying cycle. Only 38% currently create content that
meets the needs of potential buyers from research to purchase. Change
is in the air, however, as an additional 27% have recognized the need to
develop new content that supports potential customers throughout the
buying cycle and in different functions that influence purchases, such
as analyst reports for the product evaluation stage or case studies for
financial influencers.
➔ 21
No
35%
No
39%
Yes
61%
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS:
Does the type of technology
information or research content you
seek change based upon your need?
Yes
38%
Not in the
past but we
plan to do so
in the future
27%
MARKETERS: Do you create
content for your product or service
that is specifically targeted to
different stages of the buying cycle?
Targeted Content Provides Greatest Value
Marketers and technology buyers understand that content that directly
addresses specific market segments provides the greatest value for
potential buyers and the best results for companies that want to attract
them. Eighty-two percent of technology buyers consider content that targets
their specific industry to be most valuable and more than four out of five
marketers have already developed industry differentiated content. Similarly,
You may unlock this
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to the
firstvalue
page.information specific to their
two-thirds
of technology
buyers
highly
job function and nearly 70% of marketers provide content tailored to the
technology buyer’s position.
TECHNOLOGY BUYERS: When reading or consuming technology
information or research content, how much more or less valuable is content
that is specifically targeted to your industry, company size or job function
vs. content that is generally positioned or not targeted?
Significantly more valuable
Somewhat more valuable
52%
34%
16%
➔ 22
10%
33%
33%
19%
30%
Targeted to
my specific
industry
Targeted to
my specific
job function
Targeted to
my specific
company size
Targeted to
my specific
geography
Less alignment exists in terms of geographically specific content. Less than
10% of technology buyers consider geographically tailored materials to be
significantly more valuable than non-location specific information, but 41%
of marketers see geography as a worthwhile way to customize content.
MARKETERS: Assuming that your offerings might naturally be positioned
to a particular niche market (such as a certain industry, business type, etc.),
You may unlock this document
by returning
please indicate
if you have to
(orthe
are)first
in thepage.
process of creating or sponsoring
content targeted to the following audiences within your market:
86%
70%
58%
Specific
industries or
verticals
Specific job
functions
or roles
Specific
company
sizes
41%
Specific
geographies
➔ 23
About Us
About KnowledgeStorm
KnowledgeStorm is the Internet’s top-ranked search resource for technology
solutions and information. Leveraging the KnowledgeStorm Network of
This document ispremier
locked.partners and its extensive search expertise, KnowledgeStorm is
able to reach technology buyers and deliver the information they need no
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document by returning to the first page.
matter where their search begins. KnowledgeStorm, with its network, search
expertise and performance tools and services, is a powerful resource for
technology vendors, providing them the most opportunities to reach buyers
on the Internet and convert them into Web leads. For more information, call
(877) 340-9274 or visit www.knowledgestorm.com.
About MarketingSherpa
MarketingSherpa is a research firm publishing real-life Case Studies,
practical know-how and benchmark data on what works in marketing today.
More than 237,000 marketing professionals read MarketingSherpa each
week to discover how to improve their results. The Economist, Harvard
Business School’s Working Knowledge Site and Entrepreneur.com have
all praised MarketingSherpa’s content. In addition to eight, free, weekly
newsletters, MarketingSherpa publishes Benchmark Guides, Buyer’s Guides
and How-to Handbooks. Readers can meet MarketingSherpa’s researchers
at MarketingSherpa’s annual Case Study-based Summits: Selling
Subscriptions Online Summit (every May in NYC), Email Marketing Summit
(every February in Florida) and the B-to-B Demand Generation Summit
(every fall in Boston and San Francisco.)
About the Connecting Through Content Series
The Connecting through Content Series is a succession of thoughtleadership studies conducted by KnowledgeStorm and MarketingSherpa
that examines the role online content plays in generating quality leads and
the most effective ways to develop and distribute content that technology
buyers want to see and use.
The series will include:
Issue One: Content Development, March 2007
Issue Two: Content Distribution, Late Spring 2007
Issue Three: Performance Measurement and Lead Nurturing, Summer 2007
➔ 24

March 2007 - The Bloom Group

Transcription

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