Making Content Relevant to IT Buyers: Part Two - Making content easier to find and more useful

Making Content Relevant To IT Buyers

Part Two: Making content easier to find and more useful: Feedback from Senior IT Buyers in UK Enterprises

July 2011

• How to improve access to content for IT Buyers • The rise of Social Media in the Buying Cycle• How to make content more useful to IT Buyers

Sources: July 2011 and April 2010 surveys of IT buyers in UK Enterprises conducted

by Vanson Bourne

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3

Figure 3: Types of information typically sought at these stages of the buying cycles 4

QUESTION: Thinking about the many different ways a technology vendor could make its content available to you, how convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles?

Question: How convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles?

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Social media updates

Vendor sponsored community forums/sites

Blogs

Videos

Webinars/webcasts

Podcasts

Ebooks

Whitepapers

Articles/vendor contributions to 3rd party material

Print magazines

Large events, conferences, exhibitions

Case studies

Small In-person seminars or briefings

eNewsletters

Websites / microsites

The Communication vehicles


6



Blogs

Videos

Webinars/webcasts

Podcasts

Ebooks

Whitepapers


Print magazines


Case studies


eNewsletters


25%

26%

28%

31%

33%

33%

34%

39%

40%

48%

52%

53%

53%

54%

61%

% describing communication vehicle “easy/convenient” or

“very easy/convenient” to use


7



Blogs

Videos

Webinars/webcasts

Podcasts

Ebooks

Whitepapers


Print magazines


Case studies


eNewsletters


25%

26%

28%

31%

33%

33%

34%

39%

40%

48%

52%

53%

53%

54%

61%


8



Blogs

Videos

Webinars/webcasts

Podcasts

Ebooks

Whitepapers


Print magazines


Case studies


eNewsletters


25%

26%

28%

31%

33%

33%

34%

39%

40%

48%

52%

53%

53%

54%

61%

It’s not exclusively

about digital platforms


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Blogs

Videos

Webinars/webcasts

Podcasts

Ebooks

Whitepapers


Print magazines


Case studies


eNewsletters


Small in-person seminars or brief-ings

Large events conferences exhibi-tions

Print magazines

25%

26%

28%

31%

33%

33%

34%

39%

40%

48%

52%

53%

53%

54%

61%

Over half regard “in-person events” as being

convenient ways of accessing vendor

content. Print magazines still have a strong

residual approval rating.


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Blogs

Videos

Webinars/webcasts

Podcasts

Ebooks

Whitepapers


Print magazines


Case studies


eNewsletters


25%

26%

28%

31%

33%

33%

34%

39%

40%

48%

52%

53%

53%

54%

61%

The Point?


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Blogs

Videos

Webinars/webcasts

Podcasts

Ebooks

Whitepapers


Print magazines


Case studies


eNewsletters


25%

26%

28%

31%

33%

33%

34%

39%

40%

48%

52%

53%

53%

54%

61%

Clearly the website, as the gateway to all forms of digital content, needs to be very easy to

navigate. Vendors need to re-purpose all content across as many platforms as possible and use social media as the guide to content, not the

delivery vehicle.

Clearly the website, as the gateway to all forms of digital content, needs to be very easy to navigate. Vendors need to re-purpose all content across as many platforms as possible and use social media

as the guide to content, not the delivery vehicle.


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QUESTION: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes?

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter YouTube SlideShare Other (Yammer)

None

66%

22% 21%

13%

5%3%

17%

14

Question: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes?


None

66%

22% 21%

13%

5%3%

17%

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83% of our sample uses social media in a business context....


None

66%

22% 21%

13%

5%3%

17%

16


....with two-thirds using Linked In

83% of our sample uses social media in a business context....


None

66%

22% 21%

13%

5%3%

17%

17

Question: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes?The Point?

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Question: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes?The Point?

An earlier slide showed that social media be used as the guide to content, not the platform. This one makes it clear where the return on

investment is to be found.

83% of our sample uses social media in a business context, with two-thirds

using Linked In


None

66%

22% 21%

13%

5%3%

17%


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QUESTION: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you?

Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you?

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Make content more ap-propriate to my role

Increase technical/product content

Increase customer/case study content

Present more ideas for applying technology

Make content more ap-propriate to my industry

Increase the element of independent research and

opinion

Provide more benchmark-ing / comparison tools

51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%


22







opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%

% that selected this

answer


23







opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%


24







opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%


25







opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%


26







opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%


27







opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%


28







opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%


29







opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22% In essence buyers want more independent material, that is relevant to their industry. Ideally it should provide a wider perspective on new technology ideas and provide information that allows them to benchmark themselves and vendors against the wider market


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opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22% In essence buyers want more independent material, that is relevant to their industry. Ideally it should provide a wider perspective on new technology ideas and provide information that allows them to benchmark themselves and vendors against the wider market

The Point?


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opinion


51%

50%

38%

35%

31%

22%

22%

The Point?Vendors cannot rely solely on generic “in-house” content or talk the technology without applying a meaningful overlay of market information, evidence and validation.

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About Vanson Bourne

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About Us

We create and deliver compelling, relevant content for technology brands to own and use in high value media relations, demand generation and thought leadership marketing campaigns.

We couple our specialist technology research expertise with our years of experience in helping tech brands communicate with their markets. The result is well-crafted, independent and robust content for B2B and B2C marketing programmes.

We adapt the delivery of our content to fit all your marketing communications and direct sales efforts. This makes it easier than ever to leverage our high-value content across both traditional and new social media channels, creating news coverage, market buzz and customer action.

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We create relevant, compelling content for...

Credible media and influencer relations

Press releases & FAQsBriefing packs for executive spokespeoplePresentation material for analyst house tours

Effective demand generation campaigns

Integrated email, direct & telephone marketing communicationsPresentation materials & conversation starters for sales teamsOnline and offline event presentations for prospects

Differentiating thought leadership initiatives

Whitepapers, data books, articles, blog posts, interactive tools…Executive & subject matter speaker materials Social media campaigns

Contact UsVanson BourneConstruction HouseWinchester RoadBurghclere, NewburyBerkshire, RG20 9EQ

Tel: 01635 550449Email: [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

http://www.twitter.com/vansonbourne

http://www.linkedin.com/company/vanson-bourne

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Making Content Relevant to IT Buyers: Part Two - Making content easier to find and more useful