State of Marketing to Engineers Research Report

Survey Results

 

Seeking Answers

 

Forty-three percent of engineers will filter through at least five pages of search results to find what they’re looking for. Similar to 2020, when we last inquired about this topic, only four percent stick to the first page of search results.

 

When searching for work-related information using a search engine, how many pages of results are you willing to review before you select a page to visit or restart your search? (n = 697)

 

“Even in the era of Google’s snippets featured prominently on page one, engineers keep the mouse moving, searching numerous pages deep to find ultra-specific information from trusted sources. Leverage this behavior by running content campaigns centered upon customer pain points and niche applications.”

-- Wendy Covey, CEO and Co-Founder, TREW Marketing

 

When searching online, 51 percent of engineers avoid paid search ads at all costs. However, if a paid link demonstrates a direct connection to search inquiry or clearly links to a familiar site, 44 percent will click.

To see how engineers interact with paid search links, download the full report. 

 

Channels & Site Organization

 

Most engineers go directly to supplier / vendor websites when researching a specific product or service. Nearly half say they consult trusted industry resources like online trade publications and/or directory websites. New this year, respondents were given the option to select “LinkedIn” (rather than “Social media” more generally). Fourteen percent selected LinkedIn as a place to find product or service information.

 

Where do you routinely seek information when researching a product or service for a work-related purchase? Select all that apply. (n = 700)

 

“Top manufacturers and distributors continue to indicate they promote their products in key industry directories, like GlobalSpec, as they know their customers value the search tools and other content we provide in order to help them with their research and sourcing needs. They want to be in every possible search path they can.”

-- Mike Perryman, Senior Director of Sales, GlobalSpec

 

Once they land on a vendor’s site, engineers overwhelmingly prefer that content is organized by product or solution type.

 

How do you prefer business-to-business (B2B) vendors organize content on their websites? (n = 697)

 

Content Preferences

 

About half of engineers say they review one to five pieces of content, on average, as part of their vendor consideration process. Thirty-four percent will review six to ten, and 12 percent—mostly in Engineering / R&D roles—are looking for more.

To see how many pieces of content engineers typically review before making a purchase, download the full report.

Consistent with years past, engineers find content with specific technical detail (e.g., datasheets and CAD drawings) to be the most valuable in their decision-making processes. Secondary to technical documentation, engineers find value in content that provides information on use and implementation (e.g., product demos, reviews, and case studies).

 

What form(s) of content do you find most valuable when researching to make a significant work-related purchase? Please select all that apply. (n = 699)

 

“Engineers want content with substance. They need hard product data to specify products for their designs, which is why deliverables like CAD models, PDF datasheets, and demo videos are critical for industrial manufacturers.”

-- Adam Beck, Marketing Director, CADENAS PARTSolutions

 

Content attributed to engineering experts, technical product managers, and industry analysts are considered the most trustworthy from an engineer’s perspective. Still, technical authors aren’t trusted sources by default.

 

Technical content can be written and published by a variety of professionals. To what extent do you trust the following authors? 

 

“It is encouraging to see our investment in providing compelling content from our engineering experts validated as the most trusted source of information for engineers.”

-- Rich Goldman, Director of Product Marketing, Ansys

 

Newsletters

 

After a two-year slide, newsletter subscriptions may be starting to level off. 

Weekly and monthly delivery cadences are most preferred—not too many, not too few.

To engineers, information on upcoming vendor releases and industry trends / news are the most compelling aspects of a newsletter, followed shortly by research data and case studies.

To see how newsletter subscriptions have trended over the past three years, download the full report.

 

Social Media & Sharing

 

YouTube, LinkedIn, and GitHub help engineers stay up to date on the latest trends and technology. TikTok was a new addition to our research in 2023; 29 percent of engineers use the platform, but only eight percent consider it a valuable resource for keeping up with the industry.

 

How valuable are each of the following social media platforms when seeking information on the latest engineering technologies, industry trends, and products?

 

When we zoom in on YouTube, LinkedIn, and GitHub, younger technical buyers are more likely to recognize these platforms as “extremely” or “very” valuable.

 

“Engineers love learning and researching on YouTube. It’s a great platform for vendor-created and community-sourced product demos, deep-dive topical learning, and the occasional wacky project build. Hot take: keep an eye on TikTok, I have a feeling it’s poised for major growth in the science & technology space.”

-- Daniel Bogdanoff, Resident Geek, Keysight

 

When reflecting on their time on LinkedIn, research data is the most eye-catching, with 77 percent of engineers saying they’ll always or sometimes stop scrolling to check it out.

To see what kind of content makes engineers stop scrolling on LinkedIn, download the full report.

 

Industry Experts

 

Eighty-four percent of engineers turn to some sort of expert(s) or pundit(s) in the industry. Fifty-five percent look for information on industry trends, 39 percent seek trusted opinions, and 34 percent are looking for vendor endorsements. Of those who say they don’t follow industry experts, 79 percent are over the age of 45.

 

Fill in the blank. Select all that apply. I look to specific industry experts / pundits to __________. (n = 640)

 

“Content developed under a thought leadership label gets sidetracked into promoting products instead of valuable insights. In Forrester’s 2021 Content Preferences Survey, 63% of respondents found vendor content to be more focused on style than substance.”

-- Lisa Gately, Principal Analyst, Forrester

 

Forty-two percent of engineers find industry experts and pundits through technical publications. Some find influencers through social means by turning to LinkedIn, YouTube, and conferences.

 

Think of your go-to industry expert / pundit. How did you discover them? (n = 528)

 

“Articles in technical publications remain the most effective way for individuals and companies to establish and maintain a reputation for technical expertise. In this world of ephemeral marketing, technical articles will document and preserve the history of innovation and contribution for decades.”

-- Gary Lerude, Editor, Microwave Journal

 

Podcasts

 

In line with 2022, 73 percent of engineers listen to work-related podcasts. Forty-five percent spend less than an hour listening to podcasts, while another 28 percent listen for an hour or more—up slightly from last year. Of those who don’t listen to work-related podcasts, 74 percent are over the age of 45.

Of those who listen to work-related podcasts, 82 percent would prefer a duration of 30 minutes or less. Fifty-five percent say 15 minutes tops.

 

What is the ideal length for a podcast? (n = 470)

 

Most engineers who turn to podcasts are seeking educational “how-to” information, industry expert opinions, or details on trends and news.

 

In-Person Events

 

When thinking about the year ahead, 28 percent of engineers plan to attend about the same amount of in-person industry events as they did in 2019 (pre-pandemic). Twenty-seven percent say they’ll be attending more.

Seventeen percent say they’re planning to attend fewer in-person industry events than they did pre-pandemic. Most engineers cite travel/transportation logistics, the availability of virtual industry events, and budget cuts as the main cause for this change. Budget cuts are not confined to any particular industry.

To see what elements most influence an engineer's experience and decision to attend an in-person event, download the full report.

 

Interaction with Sales

 

Engineers still spend much of the buying process online. Forty-one percent spend between a quarter and half of the buying process online, and 33 percent spend over half of the buying process online.

Thinking back to their most recent work-related vendor purchases, engineers say they were motivated to interact with sales to validate the research they’d done online independently. Technical complexity was also a major factor. Only 5 percent of respondents said they’d prefer not to interact with a salesperson at all.

 

Think about your most recent work-related vendor purchases and fill in the blank. ______________ motivated me to interact with a salesperson for the first time. (n = 539)

 

Consistent with 2022, 51 percent of engineers prefer their initial salesperson interaction to happen via email. 23 percent would prefer a phone call. In-person meetings are still less desirable with only 9 percent selecting this as their preference. Chat adoption remains low, dropping one percentage point since last year. New this year, participants were offered the option to select “LinkedIn direct messages;” only one percent preferred this option.

For additional insights, download the full report. 

Watch the Webinar

 

Join Wendy Covey and CJ Haight as they share important findings from the research on the content, online search, and buying preferences of engineers and technical buyers.