C-suite members only read on average 31% of all thought leadership content that reaches their desks, according to research from Grist.
According to The value of thought leadership survey, the most commons reasons for overlooked content were due to it being too generic (63%), lacking original insight or ideas (58%) and promoting the adviser rather than addressing the reader’s needs (53%).
However, high-quality thought leadership content proved extremely useful to senior executives, with 84% saying it plays an important part in adding value to their role and, most importantly, 28% of that material makes a direct impact on decision making.
When asked which voices they valued the most in thought leadership content, senior executives cited the ideas of their clients (57%), industry experts (53%), professional services firms (44%), the public (42%) and peers (36%).
The research also revealed long-form content is less likely to be read, with 800-word articles and 300-500 word pieces seen as preferable.
Monday lunchtime proved to be the most popular time for browsing, with two-thirds of senior executives seeking out and reading thought leadership during this period.
Andrew Rogerson, founder and MD at Grist, said: “This research is great news if you are in control of your firm’s marketing and communications programme. The c-suite clearly values thought leadership and is happy to receive it from advisers.
“However, we can also see that much of this content is below par. The c-suite is a sophisticated and demanding audience, and will not respond to rehashed marketing material. Instead, thought leadership must provide a return on investment, both for the firms that invest the money to produce it and the senior executives that invest time in reading it.”
