Blog posts and short articles were used by 97% of tech marketers during the last 12 months, making written content the most popular format by far, according to the latest ‘Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends’ report for the industry from Content Marketing Institute (CMI).
The survey of 290 key decision makers and marketers at technology companies found that many were able to pivot quickly during the pandemic, with seven in 10 tweaking their messaging and targeting strategy, and two-thirds adjusting their editorial calendars.
While some semblance of normality is expected later this year, 84% believe that the changes that have been implemented recently will remain in place in the future.
This means that virtual events and webinars will be a priority as 83% said that they used these visual formats in 2020, compared to the 74% that did so in 2019.
Live streaming usage has also jumped from 13% to 33%, highlighting the way that brands have been trying to forge new relationships and nurture existing ones virtually.
While video has come to the fore, traditional formats are still relied on heavily by tech companies due to their ability to engage and convert.
Blogs and articles, long a cornerstone of content marketing campaigns, were used by 97% of tech marketers, placing them way ahead of case studies (83%) and email newsletters (83%).
More marketers are also clued in to how content performs, as 90% revealed that they now track conversions, compared to 81% a year ago.
Other top metrics for tech marketers include email engagement (90%), website traffic (90%) and website engagement (88%).
The study found that content is primarily being used for demand and lead generation, with 86% revealing that this was the main objective for their campaigns.
Looking ahead, two-thirds of respondents are expecting to spend more on content creation in 2021, making it the second most popular area of investment, just behind website enhancements (67%).
