Opinion-based material influences 99% of decision-makers when searching for vendors, according to research.
In contrast, only 58% indicated data and factual information contributed in their decision-making process. The study – conducted by Hotwire and Vanson Bourne – surveyed 1200 IT and marketing decision-makers from various sectors across the UK, US, Germany, Spain, Italy and Australia.
Case studies and analyst research at the heart of decision-making
At the beginning of their customer journey, more than half of decision-makers admitted their first step was to consult customer case studies and analyst research. The second most popular guidance material cited was thought leadership and external/internal peer opinion (44%).
Facebook retained its status as the most popular social media influencer for B2B decision-makers. But despite this, nearly half (49%) of respondents said they expected to see an increase in using Linkedin to aid purchasing decisions.
Matt Cross, UK MD at Hotwire, said: “Marketers love facts because they’re straightforward, you show people a number and tell them what it means. Historically, it’s been harder for an audience to reject facts. At the same time we’ve worried they’ll dislike our opinions and so we’ve kept our views to ourselves.
“We need to abandon the misguided assumption that B2B purchasers are as technical and methodical as their products and services and instead treat them as humans who want to be given a rounded view of a situation, warts and all.”
Technical sites still have a place in the purchasing process
Although opinion-based content was a clear winner among decision-makers, it was found the popularity of technical information sites had not dwindled. The usage of sites such as Overflow and Scribd grew by 26% among IT decision-makers.
Nearly 48% suggested vendors could improve content available to buyers by incorporating research. Some 47% also agreed dedicated topic websites would make a vendor’s content more accessible to them.
