How Tech Buyers Gather Decision-Influencing Data And Insights

A great business strategy is the result of reliable information. Who should we target? How should we target them? What types of content should we use?

Deciding the answer to questions such as these becomes easier when you begin to analyze the data for insights. To optimize a strategy, smart marketers will consider all the variables, research the data, and apply what they learned.

So where does this information typically come from?

In our new report “Technology Professionals’ Top News & Information Sources,” we survey and analyze responses from leading IT and tech departments to discover what sources they trust for reliable information.

Who was surveyed? 

The survey gathers information from a diverse pool of professionals in various industries and career fields. More than 40 percent of respondents come from the education industry, a little over 20 percent work in a corporate setting, and just over 10 percent work in healthcare. Some of the other top industries represented include nonprofits (over 8 percent), government (over 7 percent), and manufacturing (over 5 percent).

Of those surveyed, more than 30 percent purchase security technology for their businesses or institutions.

Where do they get their information? 

• Trade Publications: The top response. This includes big names such as Wired or PC Mag, but also our own sister companies TechDecisions and Campus Safety.
• Association Websites: The second-most popular response, which allows users to seek the advice of similar people on top issues and concerns.
• Manufacturers/Software Companies’ Emails: Rounding out the top three, tech companies often use emails to convey information, answer questions, and solve problems.

What types of content are they reading?

Unsurprisingly, product features ranked as the top content source for finding information on a product. To optimize their engagement window, information should be presented in a summarized format to take advantage of your audience’s attention span. Doing this will help attract media and customer attention.

Also unsurprisingly, product reviews ranked highly in the responses, coming in as the runner-up for the top spot. People want to know what their peers think of a product so they can lower their chances of getting burned by an unsatisfactory product.

For similar reasons, industry expert/analyst insights ranked as the third highest. People like to view a healthy mix of peer and professional product reviews when making a purchase.

Download our full report about technology information sources here. See all of our monthly research reports here.