Effective content for tech pros is:

Interactive: Interactive content has more power to convert buyers — in fact, it converts buyers moderately or very well 70% of the time, compared to just 36% for passive content.

Simple: A major barrier cited by 8 in 10 ITDMs is being able to find quality information that is not “overloaded” with jargon and confusing wording.

We know how technology professionals engage with content, but we don’t know:

What are their motivations? Why do they exhibit particular activity? Which forms of content are most useful?

OF

TAPPING INTO THE

MINDSTECH

PROFESSIONALS

TODAY’S

What Content Do Tech Professionals Prefer?

Top reasons tech professionals engage with content on LinkedIn:

Tech professionals are most likely to engage with:

55%Case

Studies

TIP

35%It’s relevant to my company.

Helping tech pros do and learn more about their jobs is key.

25%It’s well written. Quality matters.

26%I like hearing from the influencers I follow. Thought leadership from respectable industry leaders is favored by tech pros.

42%Others in my network will find the topic appealing. Tech pros aim to participate in peer-to-peer discussion.

43%Infographics

22%eBooks

Tech pros are less likely to engage with press releases and newsletters than their non-tech peers, so focus your content efforts where it counts.

Accurate and Unbiased: 72% of ITDMs cite “reliable and accurate content or information” as being important1 and 69% point to “straightforward, unbiased coverage” as a top characteristic.

It was straight to the point

46% 40%

It came from a reputable source

Our stats back this up. When asked about the last piece of content they enjoyed reading, tech professionals said:

It was inspirational

44%

For marketers, this means that in order to directly appeal to tech buyers, you must:

Get to the point

Include key details

Have a sense of humor

Have a point of

view

Tech professionals don’t always broadcast their own points of view or offer up their own controversial opinions, but they are more likely to actively engage with a piece of content that does.

TIP

Listen to podcasts (non-tech

peers 14%)

Download white papers

(non-tech peers 9%)

Tech professionals are also consuming media in unique ways!

Watch webcasts (non-tech

peers 12%)

Follow a recognized

industry expert(non-tech

peers 47%)

TIP

42%It helps skill development.

Education is paramount to tech-minded individuals.

Companies and brands that produce quality content throughout the technology purchase journey and take the time to cultivate a relationship with these tech professionals will be successful in the long run!

1Enhancing the Buyer’s Journey: Benchmarks for Content & The Buyer’s Journey. June 2014. Demand Metric Research Corporation. 2 Content Marketing Institute. http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/03/ technology-research-content-marketing/

For more insights, view “Tapping Into the Minds of Tech Professionals, Part 1: How Tech Professionals Engage with Content,” or subscribe to our LinkedIn Marketing Solutions blog!

of the most effective technology marketers said in a recent survey that their organization is in a “sophisticated or mature phase” of content marketing.2

FUN FACT:

71%

30% 30%20% 70%

PART 02