Growing Demand For Credible And Concise Content Reinforces Need For Research And Relevancy In B2B Messaging
As B2B buyers continue to make purchase decisions by doing their own research before speaking to a sales rep, they are becoming even more precise with their content preferences, placing a higher emphasis on content backed by supporting data, industry influencers and experts.
Time is also playing a large factor in their journeys, as 73% of respondents to Demand Gen Report's 2019 Content Preferences Survey say they have less time to devote to reading and research and typically consume between three and seven pieces of content before speaking with a salesperson. This, in turn, means vendors must share the right offers at the right time and deliver it in a way that is easily digestible and trustworthy.
Additional highlights from the 2019 survey, which polled more than 200 senior-level B2B marketing representatives across multiple verticals, include:
A majority of respondents (41%) consume three to five pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep;
68% of respondents said they want to see B2B vendors organize content by issue/pain point;
Case studies (47%) and webinars (39%) are the top-two types of most valuable influencer content formats;
92% of respondents give most credence to peer reviews/user-generated feedback; and
More than half (63%) of respondents say they are willing to share information to access webinars, with white papers trailing closely behind at 49%.
The following report dives deep into the channels, formats and preferences for B2B buyers in terms of the content they consume for business purchases. The research also shares insights into the types of content preferred in the early, middle and later stages of their journey, as well as their recommendations for improving the quality of content created/provided by B2B vendors.
