Seven in ten B2B decision-makers say that thought leadership content is the single biggest influence on their choice of whether to work with a company or not, according to a study recently published by Edelman and LinkedIn.
The 2019 Thought Leadership Impact study suggests that content that showcases an enterprise’s authority and expertise within a particular field has a notable impact on the sales funnel. It is so influential, in fact, that 75% say that this content can lead to them signing off on a contract or purchase immediately.
“Buyers are likely to pay more to work with companies who have a clearly articulated vision – one that stands out with meaningful content and builds an authentic relationship with the audience,” VentureBeat’s Head of VB Lab and Strategic Partnerships Gina Joseph said. “This impact can not be underestimated.”
However, Joseph added that merely creating valuable content is not enough and that brands must gain a complete understanding of how to distribute content to audiences via the right medium and platform, at the right time.
The benefits of thought leadership go beyond the publication of an editorial or case study too, as almost half of C-Suite executives say that they then share content and contact information after reading or viewing. High-quality content can therefore snowball into a myriad of positive effects for a business.
While content is central to the B2B decision-making process, there is room for improvement as 60% say that they are not exposed to content with truly valuable insights on a regular basis.
