What Content Truly Engages Tech Buyers? A Data-Driven Breakdown
Capturing and sustaining buyer interest has become more complex than ever. With more stakeholders involved in the decision-making process and an overwhelming volume of information to sift through, understanding how buyers prefer to engage with content is no longer a luxury, it’s a strategic necessity.
To shed light on this, our 2025 Tech Buyer Preferences Survey asked technology buyers a crucial question: “What type of content do you find most engaging when researching technology?”
The responses revealed compelling insights into modern buyer behavior and provided clear direction for marketers building content strategies.
These results provide more than a list of the most popular types of content, they offer a roadmap for content strategy. While video emerges as the top format, the data reveals nuanced buyer behavior, preferences by company size, and distinct needs across the funnel.
Video Content: The Universal Engagement Engine
With 35.5% of buyers naming video demonstrations as their preferred content format, one thing is clear: video is not just effective, it’s dominant.
Why does video command so much attention in the tech buying process? The answer lies in the cognitive ease and clarity it offers. Buyers want to see how things work. They want to witness outcomes and visualize integration with their own environments. A well-produced demo or walkthrough delivers that clarity in ways that text alone rarely can.
But perhaps more important is the evolving role of video throughout the buying journey.
Video Content Is Expanding Across the Funnel
Video demonstrations have long been a critical asset for showcasing technical functionality, but the survey data suggests that buyers now expect video at multiple stages of their decision-making process, not just during final evaluations. The popularity of video across 35% of respondents indicates that it is increasingly valued for everything from initial brand discovery to mid-funnel feature comparisons.
- Top-of-funnel: Quick explainer videos to build awareness
- Mid-funnel: Feature breakdowns or competitive comparisons
- Bottom-of-funnel: In-depth demos showing real-world usage
This behavior shift is important. It tells us that buyers aren’t passively consuming video, they’re relying on it as a core tool for evaluation. The implication for marketers? Video should be embedded across your content ecosystem, not siloed in product pages or late-stage sales assets.
In fact, the most successful B2B marketers are pairing video with every major format. A whitepaper might open with a 60-second teaser video. A case study might include a customer testimonial clip. A how-to guide could feature embedded step-by-step tutorials.
The format has matured. And so must our strategies for using it.
Case Studies: Building Confidence Through Real-World Results
At 20%, case studies are the second most engaging format for tech buyers. A case study’s appeal lies in its power to validate. In a space where every solution claims to be “cutting-edge,” buyers want proof, not promises. Case studies deliver this proof by illustrating how others have achieved measurable outcomes using the same technology.
The beauty of a well-crafted case study is its ability to serve both rational and emotional buyer needs. On one hand, it shows tangible ROI and operational improvements. On the other, it tells a story, complete with challenges, solutions, and successes, that humanizes the technology.
This format is especially useful when buyers are trying to justify a purchase internally. If they can point to a company similar to theirs that succeeded with your product, they’re more likely to get stakeholder buy-in.
Still, the traditional case study format can be elevated. Text-heavy PDFs can be reimagined as interactive web experiences. Better yet, turn your strongest case studies into videos or visual slideshows that condense key points without diluting substance. This not only boosts engagement but also caters to mobile-first consumption habits.
Educational Content: Empowerment Through Learning
Educational content, such as how-to guides and tutorials, accounted for 17% of responses. These resources are foundational for buyers who are still defining their needs or exploring new solution categories. For them, education is a form of empowerment.
This preference suggests that many tech buyers are seeking to learn before they engage. They want to understand the problem space, evaluate solution approaches, and build internal confidence – all before talking to a sales rep. Offering educational content fulfills this need and builds brand trust.
The best educational materials are those that anticipate common challenges and solve them clearly. They don’t push products but rather position the brand as a helpful advisor. When executed well, these assets can become the top entry points to your funnel, ranking on search engines, being shared on forums, or bookmarked for future reference.
It’s also worth noting that educational content can be particularly impactful when paired with interactivity or visual aids. Embedding short videos within a guide, adding diagrams, or incorporating quizzes can transform a static resource into a dynamic learning experience.
Whitepapers and Research Reports: The Enterprise Buyer’s Toolkit
More than 16% of respondents favored whitepapers and research reports, but what’s most interesting is who favored them. Larger enterprises (with 5,000+ employees and more than $500M in revenue) ranked this format much higher.
Why? Because big decisions require big evidence. At this scale, buyers are risk-averse. They need hard data to support the feasibility, scalability, and ROI of any proposed solution.
These buyers are often looking for:
- Market trend analyses
- Benchmarks and performance comparisons
- Regulatory or compliance frameworks
- Deployment timelines and models
A solid whitepaper does more than inform, it arms internal champions with the rationale they need to sell your solution internally.
However, traditional whitepapers have a reputation problem: too long, too dry, and too technical. Today’s most effective whitepapers combine rigor with readability. Executive summaries, visual breakouts, and linked interactive charts can make dense content digestible.
Don’t abandon this format, evolve it.
Interactive Tools: Big Expectations from Small Companies
At 11%, interactive tools and calculators earned the smallest share overall, but they shine within specific segments.
Namely, smaller companies (under 1,000 employees and $250M in revenue) gravitate toward this format. Why? Because these buyers often have very specific needs, they are looking for precise, tailored answers.
Interactive tools address their needs via:
- ROI calculators
- Product selectors
- Integration readiness checklists
- Needs assessments
These tools empower users to make decisions faster, with more confidence. They also offer marketers a rich source of behavioral data: what features users explore, where they drop off, and what questions they ask.
As with other formats, interactive tools shouldn’t live in isolation. Embedding a calculator into a guide or a landing page tied to a demo video can create a much more immersive experience.
The 64.5% Lesson: Diversification Still Matters
One of the most valuable takeaways from this survey is that every type of content matters during the buying cycle. While video demonstrations were the top choice, 64.5% of tech buyers preferred other formats. This is a strong argument against focusing too narrowly on any one type of asset.
Instead, marketers should adopt a modular, multi-format strategy, using each content type where it fits best along the buyer journey and adapting based on company size and buyer intent.
A single narrative can (and should) be repurposed in multiple ways:
- A whitepaper becomes a webinar
- A case study turns into a testimonial video
- An educational guide features an embedded calculator
- A product demo is broken down into multiple short clips
This not only meets diverse buyer preferences but also extends the life and reach of your content investments.
A Blueprint for Content That Connects
Content marketing in the B2B tech space is about creating experiences that align with buyer behavior. The survey results make one thing crystal clear: modern tech buyers expect a personalized, varied, and value-rich content journey.
By leveraging video throughout the journey, validating with case studies, teaching through guides, proving with whitepapers, and simplifying with tools, marketers can build trust, relevance, and momentum with every interaction.
The takeaway isn’t to do more, it’s to do what works, with precision and purpose. In short, don’t just tell buyers why you’re the best choice. Show them. Teach them. Prove it. Let them experience it. Do that, and your content won’t just inform, it will convert.
Get the Full 2025 Tech Buyer Preferences Survey Report
This article provides insights from our comprehensive survey of senior technology decision makers. To access the full survey results, including detailed data, industry breakdowns, and key trends shaping technology adoption, download the report now: