New Data On Changing Content Preferences Revealed During Content2Conversion Conference In New York City
- Written by Demand Gen Report Team
- Published in Feature Articles
Business executives are increasingly wary of sales messaging, new research from DemandGen Report shows. The Content Preferences Survey, which includes responses from 120 business executives, found that 75% of respondents encourage solution providers creating content to “curb the sales messaging.”
The survey, developed to understand the research patterns and content preferences of today’s B2B buyer, includes input from business executives in Tech/Enterprise; Telecom; Financial Services; Media/Internet; and Manufacturing. Results underscored the role of emerging media and technology in changing behaviors and preferences. DemandGen Report Managing Editor Amanda Batista shared key survey findings and takeaways during the B2B Content2Conversion Conference, held today at The Times Center in New York City.
Research findings indicate a need for marketers to reevaluate their content strategies to ensure that prospects understand the value for their business and objectives, rather than resorting to obtrusive, ineffective sales-speak.
Other key findings include:
Recommended Tips For Content Creators:
To offer recommendations to solution providers creating content, 55% of respondents chose “focus less on product specifications and more on value.”
The Importance Of Trustworthy Content
When asked how their content consumption habits have changed over the last year, 60% of respondents said they place a higher emphasis on the trustworthiness of the source creating content.
Social Sharing Habits
Despite their busy schedules, business executives take time to share content they find. While email is a primary sharing mechanism, the survey found that more than half (53%) of executives share content using LinkedIn. Some of the other channels used for sharing are Google+, Pinterest and SlideShare, but these options yielded low, single-digit percentages.
Preferred Content Formats
The white paper still reigns supreme, crowning the list of content types that buyers use to research a business topic or solution. But more visual formats, such as webinars (72%); videos (44%); and infographics (38%) also were cited as emerging formats for research.
The findings also support the need to ungate top-of-funnel content offers such as infographics; however, buyers expect they’ll have to share their basic information for certain types of content.
A majority (77%) of respondents will share basic info (name, company and email) to access a white paper, while 75% of respondents will share basic info to access an E-book.
Conversely, for more visual content, or resources that are more informal and engaging, executives expect immediate access. More than three quarters (74%) of respondents expect to access infographics without registration, while 67% expect to access videos without registration.
The Rise of Mobilized Content
The desktop computer is becoming nearly obsolete as a primary research channel. Not much news there, but almost half (40%) of respondents said they are accessing content on their mobile phone more frequently, while 23% are using a tablet device more frequently.
A full report on the survey findings will be available soon on DemandGenReport.com. To learn more about the B2B Content2Conversion Conference, click here to access an archived streaming of the sessions.