Even entrepreneurs at tech corporations don’t have an edge in relation to content material administration expertise.
Slightly a couple of in 4 (28%) say they’ve the precise tech to handle content material throughout the group. But most haven’t acquired the precise tech (29%) or have the tech however aren’t utilizing its potential (32%). (And 11% aren’t certain about all of it.)
That’s one of many findings in CMI’s newly launched Technology Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Insights for 2023. Sponsored by Foundry, an IDG, Inc. firm, the survey encompasses responses from 278 tech entrepreneurs in our July 2022 content material advertising questionnaire.
61% of tech marketers don’t have the right tech or don’t use it to its potential, according to @CMIContent #research via @LisaBeets. Click To Tweet
Where tech entrepreneurs plan to take a position
Tech entrepreneurs’ use of tech mirrors B2B entrepreneurs as an entire of their deliberate investments for this yr. Video tops the most well-liked funding, with 84% of expertise entrepreneurs anticipating their group would spend money on it this yr. Other most ceaselessly cited investments embrace:
- Events 74%
- Owned media property 73%
- Paid media 72%
- Earned media 54%
- Social media/neighborhood constructing 54%
Fewer than half anticipated funding in attending to know audiences higher (40%), UX design (27%), audio content material (24%), and content material applied sciences (18%).
Building neighborhood is extra necessary than ever
While video stays the most well-liked, funding in social media/community-building noticed a giant bounce with 54% choosing the class – over 46% greater than the earlier yr. Consider these plans with a big curiosity in occasions (74%), and it seems like tech entrepreneurs are prioritizing relationship-building in 2023.
Biggest #ContentMarketing investment leap in 2023 for tech marketers? Social media and community-building, according to @CMIContent #research via @LisaBeets. Click To Tweet
“When you focus on building a community, you’re creating a space where your audience feels heard, valued, and understood,” says Lorenzo Mitil, CMI’s social media supervisor. “That kind of environment encourages engagement and inspires people to come back for more.”
Demandbase embraces that philosophy. About a yr in the past, it launched a neighborhood referred to as Revenue Circle for individuals who have vice-president-level roles (or increased) in gross sales and advertising. The neighborhood hosts unique digital and in-person occasions (alongside different firm occasions). Demandbase Social and Influencer Marketing Director Justin Levy says the large attract personal communities like Revenue Circle is networking alternatives with different members, particularly as layoffs enhance. “The community becomes its own universe, with its own goals attached that are separate from – but complementary to – those of our organization,” Justin says.
Plans for hybrid occasions evolve
While occasions as a content material advertising device are widespread, the specifics for tech entrepreneurs are fascinating. Not surprisingly, over half (57%) count on their group to extend spending on in-person occasions in contrast with the earlier yr. Given the curiosity in digital and hybrid occasions throughout the prime pandemic years, it’s outstanding that tech entrepreneurs nonetheless plan to take a position extra in digital/digital occasions (26%) and hybrid occasions (27%). Interestingly, practically as many (24%) say they gained’t use hybrid occasions in 2023 (solely 3% gained’t use in-person occasions, and 4% gained’t use digital or digital occasions).
“The pandemic proved that the serendipity found in the unexpected moments at an in-person event isn’t replicable elsewhere,” says Nicole Peck, vp and common supervisor of North American occasions at Foundry. “When done correctly, event participation allows a brand to connect with its customers in an authentic way, providing much-needed, emotionally forged relationships.”
Fewer tech marketers will do hybrid events in 2023, according to @CMIContent #research via @LisaBeets. Click To Tweet
What does 2023 maintain?
Community-building by and for tech entrepreneurs couldn’t come at a greater time.
News of such widespread layoffs within the tech trade could have prospects and prospects questioning about all the pieces from service ranges to product roadmaps to the essential survival of your model. (According to Layoffs.fyi, tech corporations laid off practically 161,000 staff worldwide in 2022 and practically one other 120,350 between Jan. 1 and March 1, 2023.)
In February, we requested CMI viewers members who work for tech corporations how they’re faring. Of the 155 who responded, solely 12% mentioned that they had been laid off. Almost half (49%) labored for corporations that laid off staff however not them, and 39% mentioned their firm hadn’t laid off anybody.
For these tech entrepreneurs who witnessed layoffs, about half mentioned their workloads elevated (generally with out a rise in pay), and one-third mentioned they haven’t been affected a lot or in any respect as a result of the employees reductions occurred elsewhere within the firm. Of the group that noticed layoffs, 10% p.c mentioned their groups have pivoted, modified processes, and so forth., and a handful have been moved to completely different groups, akin to product advertising.
How safe do these employed really feel about their future with the corporate? Most felt unlikely they might get laid off within the subsequent yr.
Although the pattern measurement for the group who had been laid off was small, practically all had secured one other full-time job or freelance work. Just a few emphasised how tough it was, although, given the present aggressive local weather for job seekers. (If you’ve been laid off, think about the following tips that can assist you discover your subsequent alternative.)
Navigating the tech marketer panorama
These outcomes provide solely a glimpse of what tech entrepreneurs instructed us. To be taught extra about content material creation, content material advertising practices, and extra, learn the complete report. You’ll additionally discover out what top-performing tech entrepreneurs do in a different way, which might maybe inform your technique for the remainder of 2023.
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Cover picture by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute