2020 Audience Insights

for B2B Marketing in the

Year of Disruption
Media consumption trends from a
study of 11 million decision makers
across 20 industries

studioID is Industry Dive’s global content studio for marketing | © Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
2 2020 Audience Insights for B2B Marketing in the Year of Disruption

Table of Contents
Click to Navigate

/ About This Report 03

/ Part 1: 2020 Overall Themes and Insights 07
/ Part 2: Audience Insights By Industry 09
Financial Services 10
Banking, CFO
Life Sciences 14
BioPharma, Healthcare, MedTech
Retail/CPG 18
Food, Grocery, Restaurant, Retail
Logistics/Transportation 22
Supply Chain, Transport
Business Functions 25
IT, HR, Marketing
Education 29
K-12, Higher Education
Energy/Sustainability/Building 33
Smart Cities, Utility, Waste, Construction

/ Part 3: 6 Key Takeaways 37

/ About Us 41

2020 Audience Insights for B2B Marketing in the Year of Disruption

3 About This Report

About This Report

“ Our report is based on the media habits of our own

audience of 11 million executives, across
20 industries and 22 news publications.

A global health crisis, an uncertain market, and civil

unrest. When it comes to discussing overall trends for
2020, there’s no getting around the immediate and
enduring impact of the year of disruption. The cautious
and somber undertone of 2020 will roll into 2021, as
businesses continue to adapt to their new paradigm.

As leaders search for solutions and our collective

screen time soars, content remains one of the most
sustainable ways to reach audiences. However, it’s
not without its own set of common challenges, which
have only been amplified by increased competition,
shrinking budgets, and an audience fatigued by Zoom
calls and a seemingly endless loop of new stresses.
What marketers need now are reliable insights that go
beyond instincts.

So for the very first time, we’re pulling back the curtain
on our proprietary first-party audience data, revealing
key findings marketing leaders and practitioners need
to know to evolve their strategies and justify their
content budgets this year and beyond. From VPs to
C-Suites, we’ve rounded up the content consumption
habits, unique pain points, messaging approaches, and
topic clusters of today’s senior executives—holistically
and within respective niches—so you can create
standout content enhanced by authoritative data.

From our remote office to yours,

Robin Re & Lieu Pham

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4 About This Report

This report is designed

specifically for marketers
looking to up their content
game and make lasting
impressions on senior execs in
their respective industries.

But what if my industry isn’t represented?

Check out Part 1 (2020 Overall Themes and Insights)
for industry-agnostic insights, as well as Part 3 (6 Key
Takeaways) for universal lessons that all marketing
leaders can put into practice. By understanding the
common challenges execs are facing across the board,
you can take those learnings and apply them to your
niche. Plus, you can learn from industries similar to yours,
as well as the common threads between verticals. For
instance, pharmaceutical and financial services both have
compliance and regulation top of mind. The logistics and
waste industries similarly struggle with finding skilled
labor. Education and retail both have their sights set on
technology and innovation as we search for new ways to
connect in a world where we’re all (at least) six feet apart.

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5 About This Report

Research Methodology
Learn more about the data, audience, and methods used to
generate the findings for our 2020 report:

Our Data
•• Gathered from a variety of first-party sources and via in-depth analysis of
content consumption habits from our readership of 22 daily publications
•• Fresh and current—most recently, we conducted a reader survey in June
2020 with more than 20,000 respondents
•• Top-performing content is defined as content with high engagement
(pageviews, downloads, listens, and registrations) from our target readers
and measured in the timespan of January 1, 2020 to September 23, 2020

Our Audience
•• Consists of key decision makers across 20 industries
•• Represent companies and organizations from the Fortune 100 to hospitals,
universities, financial institutions, technology giants, and more
•• Hold positions of power:

61% report that they influence or

make purchasing decisions in 73% identify as having a job
level of Manager
their department/company or above

Our Internal Experts

•• 75 full-time journalists cover these industries daily, and plan their content
strategies around what industry leaders really care about
•• Audience growth division performs research on our subscriber base via
regular surveys, interviews, and engagement data analysis

TO EXPLORE ALL OF OUR PUBLICATIONS, GO TO PG. 43

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6 About This Report

How to Read This Report

Part 1
2020 Overall Themes
and Insights
Check out the industry-agnostic themes for
2020 that have emerged from our in-depth
analysis across our reader base. Relevant
to all marketers, these universal insights
will set the tone and influence strategies for
2021 and beyond.

Part 2
Audience Insights
by Industry
Deep dive into niche-specific breakdowns
across our core industry categories. Cross-
vertical marketers can explore all seven areas
to gain rich insights, while niche-focused
marketers can jump to their relevant industry.

STAY TUNED:
We’re constantly growing our coverage
Part 3 of industries. Look for new verticals and
6 Key Takeaways groupings in future editions of this report.

Put it into practice with our closing summary

and round-up of actionable takeaways
you can implement to better address your
audience and elevate your content
marketing strategy.

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7 2020 Overall Themes And Insights

Part 1
2020 Overall Themes And Insights

1
Evolving Roles, Looming The most effective marketers will be those
Burnout, and Doing More that take a wide lens to their target audience
to truly understand how they’ve evolved, and
With Less
how they can help them adapt, develop new
skillsets, take on additional leadership duties,
While the extent of impact varies from industry and stay ahead of the competition—all while
to industry, execs everywhere are facing mitigating impending burnout.
similar challenges. Their roles are changing,
they’re expected to do more with less, and
they’re under pressure to rapidly adapt their
teams to the new normal, as they themselves
are coming to terms with unfamiliar realities.
2 Staying Connected as Live
Events are Paused and
Handshakes Are Cancelled

With water cooler chats, in-person events,

and networking opportunities put on hiatus,
a sense of alienation has permeated the
25% B2B landscape. Leaders are struggling to
stay close to their industry and peers. In
of respondents in a 2020
response, marketers will need to come up
reader satisfaction survey
with innovative approaches to fill the void and
conducted by Industry Dive
foster connections across the digital space.
said they have seen their
job role/function change
during the pandemic.

With roles and authority often blurred, fluid,

79%
of our audience
or political, decision-making in the B2B space attended one to
was already a complex process. The effects five industry events/
of the pandemic will only further muddy the conferences a year in
waters, as well as fracture and protract the pre-pandemic times.
purchase cycle, making it harder to reach
key decision makers. It’s no longer as simple
as working off of one set of pain points and
needs per job function, because individuals
no longer have just one role.

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8 2020 Overall Themes And Insights

Help execs stay anchored to their industry negative, always look for ways to help leaders
by taking the role of advisor or mentor in combat the issues they’re up against.
digital content, and provide hyper-relevant
news, trend reporting, and actionable Business continuity is a prime example. It’s an
guidance so they don’t miss a beat. To find exercise rooted in coming face to face with
out what industry FAQs and issues aren’t the most daunting of threats and fears, yet by
being addressed, marketers should consider the end, there’s a sense of empowerment and
conducting a content gap analysis, so they being ready for anything. It’s a topic area that’s
can identify opportunities to participate in or naturally skyrocketed in interest in 2020.
lead conversations on updates.

When going digital with events, think

competitions, hackathons, and roundtables
that encourage interpersonal engagement. Web traffic to ‘continuity’-
At Industry Dive, we’ve converted our trade related news stories on
show products to virtual kitchenside talks for Industry Dive’s publication
the food industry. Get creative and reinvent sites in 2020 was up over
far and away from the dreaded Zoom room of
blank stares. 900%
year-over-year.
Remember: many execs are feeling a bit
lost right now. Make them feel seen with
personalized content and strategies that
demonstrate your understanding of their
predicaments and offer a sense of stability.
Consider meeting this cross-industry
An ABM (account-based marketing)
demand with a two-pronged approach:
approach is poised to work especially well
reveal unforeseen threats and cover looming
in this climate.
obstacles, and then provide resources to
remain resilient in spite of them. Give leaders

3
authoritative tips, checklists, and frameworks
More Bad News and
that will allow them to devise contingency
Business Continuity plans, and future-proof in the face of
uncertainty and economic downturn.
Today’s headlines are rife with bad news:
Based on our review of the most engaging
declining sales, stressed employees, shrinking
topics, risk mitigation and preparedness are
markets, material shortages, economic
near the top of the list, along with anything
instability, unpredictable changes to consumer
to do with loss aversion, industry challenges
habits, talent drains, and data breaches.
and opportunities, efficiency, agility, security,
While you might think everyone’s had enough
future-proofing, revenue and workforce skills.
gloom for one year, our report reveals that
Bottom line: leaders aren’t afraid of bad news
execs don’t shy away from it. On the contrary,
and the “what ifs” it brings to light—they’re
doomsday-style articles seem to do well.
terrified of being kept in the dark, and being
However, when you do accentuate the
unprepared as a result.

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9 Audience Insights By Industry

Part 2
Audience Insights By Industry
What about what’s happening within each industry
and the differences among cohorts?

What follows is a deeper dive into the content consumption preferences of

specific industry sectors from among the 20 we cover to date.

Click to navigate to your industry group of choice:

Financial Services

Life Sciences

Retail/CPG

Logistics/Transportation

Business Functions

Education

Energy/Sustainability/Building

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10 Audience Insights By Industry

Financial Services
BANKING, CFO

Money management, whether for consumers or for

your own organization, is a high-stakes responsibility.
And with a global pandemic and market uncertainty
added to the mix, pressures have only intensified as
37%
of CFO Dive
organizations move to an “all-hands-on-deck” readers (in a
model in response. recent survey)
say their role has
As roles evolve by the minute and burdens changed during
mount, financial leaders need information and the pandemic.
resources to help them stay on top of trends
and tackle challenges. Here is what we know
from our audience of 100k+ high-level banking
professionals and financial industry leadership.

Preferred Formats Industry Themes

Banking executives primarily •• Risk Mitigation and Preparedness:
engage with content they can Historically risk-averse and especially so in
digest in their own time—think today’s turbulent climate, financial services
downloadable content like leaders are gravitating toward all things risk
ebooks, reports, and white mitigation and preparedness.
papers, or response-driven
content like surveys. •• Future-Focused: Execs are looking to
the future, with a focus on how to be
In addition to this, they engage effective in their role while seeking out
well with timely webinars—both new processes and technologies to grow
live and on-demand. profitability within their organization.

•• Professional Development: One of the

few things financial execs can control right
now is themselves. CFOs are seeking ways
to self-improve and stay in demand in the
form of content that explicitly mentions best
practices and professional development.

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11 Audience Insights By Industry FINANCIAL SERVICES

Most Popular Most Popular

Topics on Banking: Topics on CFO:

1 Mobile Banking 1 Strategy & Operations

2 Coronavirus 2 Financial Reporting

3 Lending 3 Technology

4 Regulations 4 Leadership

5 SBA 5 Risk Management

Keywords That Resonate:

Risk Growth Mobile Banking

Customer Experience
Customer Retainment
Back Office Operations
Back Office Improvements

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12 Audience Insights By Industry FINANCIAL SERVICES

What Are Our Financial

Services Execs Worried About?

1 The future of the industry

and their role within it
5 Automation/technology

IT modernization (blockchain, AI,

Expectation of the CFO data management, etc)
as a change agent Leveraging AI for faster
underwriting decisions

2 Competition Automation
Back-office activities
New banking alternatives//business (servicing, default
models (fintechs, mobile apps, etc) management)

Data-visualization tools
3 Increasing customer demands
Financial analytics
Customer experience Integration of digital practice
in the rest of the company
Client retention
Lines of need
6 Economy/markets

4 Regulation Pandemic, reduction of accounts

(regional, national, global),
Privacy credit risks
Disclosure Business loans/financial
Fraud prevention assistance during recovery

Taxes
Lending to different
economic brackets 7 Risk

LIBOR and interest rates Currency risk

Tokenization Market risk
Compliance
Reputational risk

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13 Audience Insights By Industry FINANCIAL SERVICES

Top-Performing Approaches to Messaging

Motivational Industry Intel

•• “Are Your Customers Switching Banks?” •• “3 Ways AI Will Transform Banking in 2020”
•• “How Financial Services Firms Can Protect •• “Top 5 Financial Issues to be Mindful of
Revenues and Improve Resilience” in 2020”

MESSAGING TIP FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES MESSAGING TIP FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES
Avoid negativity spirals. If your For shorter form content like blogs,
content addresses common fears and avoid trying to tackle too many issues
challenges, ensure it also provides at once. Focused coverage tends to
methods and resources to help resonate best with this audience.
financial leaders navigate
and overcome.

Educational
•• “How CFOs Can Leverage AI to
Boost Productivity”

•• “Best Practices for ERP Migration”

MESSAGING TIP FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES

Distill in-depth educational content via
action-oriented summaries to give your
audience a jumping off point.

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14 Audience Insights By Industry

Life Sciences
BIOPHARMA, HEALTHCARE, MEDTECH

From drug development to patient diagnostics, the business of

health has been put to the test like never before in 2020. Life
science executives are in need of accurate, timely information to
catalyze new ways of thinking and inspire life-saving innovations.

Here is what we know about content preferences from our

audience of 600k+ biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device,
diagnostic, hospital, and other healthcare executives.

Preferred Formats •• The Race to Revolutionize: Life science

leaders are in a head-to-head battle with
competitors (and regulators), vying to be
Life science leaders primarily the first to reach a new discovery or lead
engage with “quick-hit” content an industry innovation. This audience is
they can download and digest inspired by timely coverage on next-gen
in their own time. We see high concepts like wearables, cutting-edge
engagement with blog posts, diagnostic approaches, and novel ways to
guides, and case studies, utilize data. They also value updates on
specifically. regulations that could make or break their
business.

Industry Themes •• Costs & Payment Models: Money is a

persistent stressor for this group, and they
need reliable information that helps them
•• Patient-Facing Issues: 2020 forced radical secure funding and spend wisely. As their
transformation of the typical doctor-patient patients grow increasingly burdened by
in-office experience. Execs need resources healthcare costs, this audience requires
that allow them to continue to put their current coverage on advancements in
patients first as they strive to keep pace legislation and consumer payment models.
with the demand for and innovations within
telemedicine, the shift to digital,
and transparency.

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15 Audience Insights By Industry LIFE SCIENCES

Most Popular Topics Most Popular Topics

on BioPharma: on Healthcare:

1 Clinical Trials 1 Telehealth

2 Alzheimer’s 2 Congress

3 Pharma Restructuring 3 Opioid Crisis

4 Immuno-oncology 4 Payer

5 Rare Diseases 5 CMS

Most Popular Topics Keywords That Resonate:

on MedTech:
Transparency Patient
1 Diagnostics Management Drug Pricing
Payment Models
2 Warning Letters
Transformation
3 FDA

4 Manufacturing

5 Funding

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16 Audience Insights By Industry LIFE SCIENCES

What Are Our Life Sciences

Execs Worried About?

1 Regulations
4 Legal/litigation

Patient privacy Malpractice

ACA Patents
Interoperability Safety
FDA & drug/device approvals

5 Costs

2 Company & product risks

CMS alternative payment models
Supply chain Drug pricing transparency
Reimbursement R&D costs
Changes in demand Clinical trial efficiencies

3 Technology

Cybersecurity
Patient data
Wearables
EMRs

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17 Audience Insights By Industry LIFE SCIENCES

Top-Performing Approaches to Messaging

Solutions-Based Forward-Facing
•• “How Pharmaceutical Companies Can •• “Understanding the Future of Connected
Reinvent the Way They Go To Market” Devices in Medtech”

•• “Workforce Management Lessons Learned •• “What Covid-19 Means for the Industry
from Covid-19” Moving Forward”

MESSAGING TIP FOR LIFE SCIENCES MESSAGING TIP FOR LIFE SCIENCES
This group knows the challenges For shorter form content like blogs,
they face. Help them overcome these avoid trying to tackle too many issues
obstacles with applicable, action- at once. Focused coverage tends to
oriented advice. resonate best with this audience.

High-Level
•• “How to Leverage Your Health Data for
Improved Decision Making”

•• “Using Real-World Evidence in Medical

Device Development”

MESSAGING TIP FOR LIFE SCIENCES

Steer clear of product pitching.
Instead, focus on broader industry
trends and patient sentiments to
drive demand.

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18 Audience Insights By Industry

Retail/CPG
FOOD, GROCERY, RESTAURANT, AND RETAIL

Tasked with satisfying consumer demands from apparel to wine,

leaders in the retail and CPG space are fixated on staying close to
their consumers and in tune with their industry.

Here is what we know about content preferences from our audience

of 1.3M consumer-oriented decision makers in food and beverage,
grocery, restaurant, and retail establishments.

Preferred Formats Industry Themes

They engage with content that •• Recency: Developments move at warp
allows them to visualize the speed in the retail/CPG world. Leaders
suggestions and apply them to are constantly on the hunt for resources
their own business, like case and recommendations that are up-to-date
studies, virtual demonstrations, and relevant with real-time consumer
podcasts, and webinars. preferences.

•• Adaptation: In a year that turned once-

busy brick and mortars into ghost towns,
execs are looking for insights to reimagine
legacy business models and open new
avenues of shopping that consumers
are comfortable with. They’re especially
interested in the steps and technology
their competitors are utilizing to do so.

•• Generational: This group is highly focused

on matching tactics to generational habits
and cohort-based insights. While Gen Z
and Millennials tend to take the spotlight,
they also look out for content that stirs up
novel approaches to engaging Boomers
and Gen X.

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19 Audience Insights By Industry RETAIL/CPG

Most Popular Topics Most Popular Topics

on Retail Dive: on Food Dive:

1 Distressed Retail 1 PepsiCo

2 Off-Price Retail 2 Soda

3 Brick-and-Mortar 3 Cannabis

4 Department Stores 4 Plant-Based

5 Consumer Behavior 5 M&A

Most Popular Topics Most Popular Topics

on Grocery Dive: on Restaurant Dive:

1 Whole Foods 1 Generation Z

2 Walmart 2 Ethnic Cuisine

3 Delivery 3 Earnings/Financing

4 Albertsons 4 Casual Dining

5 Meal Kits 5 Franchising

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20 Audience Insights By Industry RETAIL/CPG

What Are Our Retail/CPG

Execs Worried About?

1 Bankruptcies/store closures/
acquisitions

Earnings

2 Consumer trends

DTC
BOPIS
In-store experiences
Future of department stores/grocery
stores/restaurants, etc.
Alternative ingredients

Plant-based
Cannabis
Keywords That Resonate:
3 Technology and innovation
Disruption Bankruptcy
Amazon competition
Consumer Trends/Preferences

4 Supply/inventory Future Growth Sustainability

Coronavirus impact
Alternative Health-Conscious
Amazon Personalization
Gen Z DTC Ghost Kitchens
Delivery

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21 Audience Insights By Industry RETAIL/CPG

Top-Performing Approaches to Messaging

Doomsday Going Beyond

the “What”
•• “Disrupt or Be Disrupted”
•• “Is Your Product Information Accurate?” •• “The Anatomy of a Surefire Product Launch”
•• “How the Best Brands Go to Market”
MESSAGING TIP FOR RETAIL/CPG
Don’t be afraid to tap into fears, MESSAGING TIP FOR RETAIL/CPG
but always look for ways—either in
These leaders see a lot of custom
summary or with follow-up content—to
content. Cut through the fluff and help
help execs conquer these issues.
them take action by delving into the
“why?” or the “how.”

Playing to the
Competitive Broad Trends
•• “Want to Join the Ranks of the World’s •• “Three Trends Taking Root Today That Will
Top-Performing Brands?” Shape the Future of E-commerce”

•• “Why Nike and Ikea Stopped Selling •• “How Grocers Can Leverage
on Amazon” Consumer Analytics”

•• “Best Practices for ERP Migration”

MESSAGING TIP FOR RETAIL/CPG

MESSAGING TIP FOR RETAIL/CPG

Avoid alienating potential customers
with content that’s too niche (whether
Aid this group in their constant quest it be a specific product, ingredient,
to keep up with their competitors or market).
by covering developments from big
names in the competitive landscape.

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22 Audience Insights By Industry

Logistics/Transportation
SUPPLY CHAIN, TRANSPORT

Thanks to a domino effect, the year of disruption has wreaked havoc

on long-functioning systems and processes in the logistics and
transportation space. These execs are tasked with repairing broken
supply chains and future-proofing them while they’re at it.

Here is what we know about content preferences from our audience

of 300,000 executives in supply chain, logistics, fulfillment,
trucking, and transportation.

Preferred Formats Industry Themes

A transient group, this audience •• Resiliency: Up against partners going
prefers prescriptive content that’s out of commission, incalculable demand,
easy to take with them, like case and trying to keep profitable yet safe and
studies, checklists, podcasts, and socially distanced workplaces running, this
survey insights. audience is seeking actionable strategies
to bounce back after taking some
critical hits.

•• Optimization: With the industry in the

midst of a technological renaissance
that’s only been accelerated by the
pandemic, leaders are taking notes from
giants like Amazon to bring in technology
like analytics and automation to drive
efficiency across their operations.

•• Foresight-Focused: This risk-averse

audience knows the best way around
uncertainty is to plan for it. They look for
content that helps them stay ahead of
evolving regulations and labor trends, as
well as utilitarian resources to influence
their long-term planning.

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23 Audience Insights By Industry LOGISTICS/TRANSPORATION

Most Popular Topics Most Popular Topics

on Supply Chain Dive: on Transport Dive:

1 Operations 1 Technology

2 Risk/Resilience 2 Operations

3 Procurement 3 Equipment

4 Demand Planning 4 Workforce

5 Inventory Management 5 Infrastructure

Keywords That Resonate:

Technology Operations
Efficiency Planning Disruption
Agility Preparedness Last Mile
Capacity Predictive
Profitability Strategies
Amazon Freight Emissions

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24 Audience Insights By Industry LOGISTICS/TRANSPORATION

What Are Our Logistics/ Top-Performing Approaches

Transportation Execs to Messaging
Worried About?
Doomsday
1 Changes in regulation
•• “Mitigating the Risk of Lost Assets”
Tariffs
•• “Managing Capacity During the
Labor laws Trucking Crisis”

2 Mass exceptions MESSAGING TIP FOR LOGISTICS/

TRANSPORTATION
Partners, vendors, suppliers Consider coupling Doomsday
going bankrupt approaches with themes like
agility and preparedness to
Delays
drive engagement.
Unpredictable demand
from pandemic

3 Technology and innovation Industry Intel

Amazon competition
•• “The State of Supply Chain Visibility”
Robotics and automation
•• “How Under Armour Uses Predictive
Analytics to Maintain a Resilient

4 Labor Supply Chain”

Attracting and retaining

top talent MESSAGING TIP FOR LOGISTICS/
TRANSPORTATION
Staffing + seasonality
Test out pairing a fact- or tech-based
Workplace strikes and unions
angle with a competitor story to
Workplace safety really resonate with logistics and
transportation execs.

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25 Audience Insights By Industry

Business Functions
IT, HR, MARKETING

Often the unsung heroes of an organization, cross-business functions are what

keeps every company running like a well-oiled machine and evolving into the
future. Tasked with everything from driving talent to keeping information systems
modern, this category has a number nuances and complexities.

Here is what we know about content preferences from our audience of

2M decision makers in the roles of IT, HR & workforce management, digital
marketing, social media, and brand management.

Preferred Formats modernizing their programs with rich data

and a human approach.

Our readers actively pursue •• Professional Development: Readers

information and resources that across this industry are on a quest for
help them grow in their roles betterment. They seek thoughtful content
and better serve the companies, that will help them become stronger
brands, systems, and people they leaders, enhance their skill sets, and
manage. This group is responsive keep them up to speed in terms of critical
to a variety of content formats. industry advancements.

•• Results-First Mentality: Success for many

Industry Themes leaders in this group is defined by their
ability to deliver tangible results against
•• Ahead of the Curve: Across their their strategies. If they can’t make a case
respective categories, this group is for an initiative with impactful data, the
collectively focused on staying ahead likelihood they’ll take that approach falls.
of the curve. IT is looking for education They pay attention to content that outlines
around topics like risk mitigation, clear value propositions and demonstrates
preparedness, and security/fraud with an return on investment.
emphasis on resiliency. HR is concerned
with keeping pace with rapid workplace
transformation, and implementing talent-
attractors like progressive benefits
and policies. Marketing is focused on
pushing the boundaries of creative and

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26 Audience Insights By Industry BUSINESS FUNCTIONS

Most Popular Topics Most Popular Topics

on CIO Dive: on HR Dive:

1 Communication 1 Leave

2 Collaboration 2 Onboarding

3 C-Suite Leadership 3 Worksite

4 AWS 4 Retention

5 Big Data 5 Wage & Hour

Most Popular Topics Keywords That Resonate:

on Marketing Dive:
Transformation Inclusion
1 Creative Talent Gap ROI Data Privacy
Data-Driven Results
2 Video

3 Analytics

4 Social Media

5 Tech

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27 Audience Insights By Industry BUSINESS FUNCTIONS

What Are Our Business Functions

Execs Worried About?

1 Talent acquisition & retention

4 Technology and
platform advancements
Attracting qualified candidates
Major shift in digital infrastructure
Keeping talent engaged
and landscape
and relevant
Diversity, inclusion, and
representation of all in workforce
and advertising
5 Authenticity and brand building

Shifting to human-first advertising,

language, systems, etc.
2 Privacy and data security

Managing systems
User permissions
Data regulations/limitations (GDPR,
CCPA, third-party cookies)

3 Influencing business strategy

Budgetary concerns
Getting C-suite buy-in
Proving ROI

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28 Audience Insights By Industry BUSINESS FUNCTIONS

Top-Performing Approaches to Messaging

Real-World Aspirational
Applications •• “5 Attributes of High-Performing
Marketing Teams”
•• “The Anatomy of a Hypersuccesful
Ad Campaign” •• “How CIOs Lead IT Transformations”
•• “Transforming Workplaces with
Smarter Technology” MESSAGING TIP FOR
BUSINESS FUNCTIONS
Cross-business execs are the
MESSAGING TIP FOR backbones of their organizations and
BUSINESS FUNCTIONS
are tasked with driving innovation.
Help this metrics-minded group Ensure aspirational content is paired
visualize how these concepts could with practical application.
impact their worlds by peppering
content with quantitative proof points.

Controversial
•• “Is it Time to Ditch the Annual Review?”
•• “Are You Overlooking a Key
Employee Benefit?”

MESSAGING TIP FOR

BUSINESS FUNCTIONS
Don’t shy away from stirring the pot.
This audience isn’t afraid of change—
they’re afraid of stagnation.

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29 Audience Insights By Industry

Education
K-12, HIGHER EDUCATION

Amidst a sudden upheaval to the foundations of

traditional, in-person learning, and the months of
looming uncertainty that have followed, education 53%
of K-12 Dive
has been put through the ringer in 2020. Industry
readers (in a
leaders have had no choice but to take on new
recent survey)
responsibilities and rapidly re-assess and re-design
say their role has
well-established approaches—all while attempting
changed during
to shield flustered students from negative
the pandemic.
ripple effects.

Here is what we know about content preferences

from our audience of 400,000 administrators at K-12
and higher education institutions.

Preferred Formats Fostering an A+ Staff: Education execs

know their students are only as good
as their teachers, and their teachers are
Educators and administrators only as good as their leadership. They’re
are engaging with virtual looking for content that helps them attract
content like conferences, and retain top talent and drive excellence
panels and webinars, as well as from the top-down.
easy to access assets that are
immediately actionable for •• Embracing New Technology: While
their classrooms and campuses. this industry was experimenting with
new technology pre-pandemic, it wasn’t
Industry Themes necessarily top of their list. All that’s
changed in the last year, as educators have
become laser-focused on adapting old
•• Student-Centric: Every decision our educational models to a socially distanced
education execs make is tied to nurturing society via technology. They need insights
students to achieve the highest level of on what approaches work—anchored in
success they’re capable of. Even coverage positive student outcomes—to put their
on the most efficient cost-saving strategies often limited budgets where it counts.
and groundbreaking tech will go nowhere
with these leaders unless it can be tied
back to positive results for students.

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30 Audience Insights By Industry EDUCATION

Most Popular Topics Most Popular

on Higher Education: Topics on K-12:

1 Artificial Intelligence 1 Classroom Management

2 Online Learning 2 School Management

3 Title IX 3 Assessment

4 Department of Education 4 Principals

5 Ed Tech 5 Superintendents

Keywords That Resonate:

Student Success
Digital/Online Learning
Student Engagement/Progress/Readiness

Change
Learning Management
Remote Learning

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31 Audience Insights By Industry EDUCATION

What Are Our Education Execs

Worried About?

1 Handling crisis/unpredictability/
unknown
4 Recruiting and leadership

Recruiting and retaining high

School reopenings quality teachers
Hybrid learning Changing roles and expectations of
principals and superintendents

2 Budgets and policies

Offering professional development
and continued learning

Funding
ESSA
Curriculum 5 School culture

Student safety
3 Student transitions Social-emotional learning
Impact of poverty and housing
Early childhood education
on education
into kindergarten
Post-secondary career
development
Literacy programs

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32 Audience Insights By Industry EDUCATION

Top-Performing Approaches to Messaging

FOMO Commiserate
•• “How Growth-Focused Institutions are •• “Navigating Content Challenges in the Age
Modernizing Financial Aid” of Remote Learning”

•• “Is Your Institution Using Data?” •• “How to Humanize Asynchronous

Online Learning”

MESSAGING TIP FOR EDUCATION

Schools, especially in the Higher MESSAGING TIP FOR EDUCATION
Education space, need to remain Education execs are exhausted
hypercompetitive to attract students. from all the rapid changes they’ve
Fuel their drive to stay in the loop with undergone this year. Engage them
content that lays the stepping stones with authority, but win them over with
to advancement. a little empathy.

Student-First
•• “How Digital Literacy Will Empower Your
Students to Thrive in Their Careers”

•• “How Colleges are Fostering Better

Student Outcomes”

MESSAGING TIP FOR EDUCATION

Little piques an education execs’
interest quite like content about
approaches that positively impact
students. Where possible, back
facts and performance stories with
quantitative results that demonstrate
student success.

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33 Audience Insights By Industry

Energy/Sustainability/Building
SMART CITIES, UTILITY, WASTE, AND CONSTRUCTION

While cities across the globe appeared to go dormant for portions of 2020, our
energy, sustainability, and building execs were inundated with new obstacles
as construction projects came to a screeching halt and unprecedented stresses
were put on public services, municipalities, and the grid.

Here is what we know about content preferences from our audience of

1M+ leaders in construction, energy, waste & recycling, policymaking,
and sustainability.

Preferred Formats •• Labor-Conscious: Faced with

unpredictable working conditions and a
skills drain crisis, industry execs encounter
Our readers are eager to further unique challenges when it comes to
their understanding through ensuring the safety and sustainability of
downloadable content, whether their workforce. They’re looking for content
in the format of white papers, that provides them with novel approaches
blog posts or guides. They also to attracting diverse talent and ways to
engage with short webinars keep them safe and happy while they’re at
and podcasts. work.

•• Pioneering: Leaders in this industry have

Industry Themes the weight of a deteriorating climate on
their shoulders, and a responsibility to
ensure they’re doing all they can to lessen
•• Concerned with Compliance: Execs in and reverse the damage done. They seek
this space are no strangers to red tape informative yet utilitarian content that
and rulebooks. The success of their will help them pioneer across areas like
workers, projects, and livelihoods depends alternative energy and renewables, and
on staying compliant. They need timely build smarter, more sustainable cities.
and accurate reporting on standards as
they evolve, and guidance on how to
ensure they’re meeting them in their own
business.

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34 Audience Insights By Industry ENERGY/SUSTAINABILITY/BUILDING

Most Popular Topics Most Popular Topics

on Construction: on Smart Cities:

1 M&As 1 Parking

2 OSHA/Compliance 2 Public Transit

3 Economy 3 Carbon Emissions

4 Airports 4 Bikes

5 Codes/Standards 5 Conferences

Most Popular Topics Most Popular Topics

on Utility: on Waste:

1 State Regulations 1 Labor

2 Solar 2 Organics

3 Commercial/Utility Storage 3 Waste Pro

4 Air/Carbon 4 Advanced Disposal

5 Federal Regulations 5 Republic Services

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35 Audience Insights By Industry ENERGY/SUSTAINABILITY/BUILDING

What Are Our Energy/

Sustainability/Building Execs
Worried About?

1 Labor
4 Regulatory and policy developments

Diversity Zero waste initiatives

Aging workforce Climate policies
Skilled labor supply Clean energy bills
Safety (OSHA)

2 Climate change 5 Connectivity trends

IoT design
Impact on city infrastructures
and costs Increased demand on grid

Environmental taxes 5G impact

Sustainability
Keywords That Resonate:
3 Cybersecurity & privacy
Smart Connected Resilience
Grid protection
Cyberattacks on cities and utilities Clean Grid Vertical City
Sustainable Materials
Force Majeure AI
Future Renewables

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36 Audience Insights By Industry ENERGY/SUSTAINABILITY/BUILDING

Top-Performing Approaches to Messaging

Clear Value Action-Oriented

Proposition •• “Building the Resilient Power Grid of the
21st Century”
•• “What Online Marketplaces Can Do for
Solar Providers” •• “Completing Construction Projects On Time
and On Budget”
•• “How to Transform Jobsite Safety in 2020”
•• “Transforming Workplaces with MESSAGING TIP FOR ENERGY/
Smarter Technology” SUSTAINABILITY/BUILDING
This audience appreciates a boots-
to-the-ground approach that mirrors
MESSAGING TIP FOR ENERGY/ their working styles. Avoid getting too
SUSTAINABILITY/BUILDING
in the weeds with abstract concepts,
Keep in mind this audience has and opt for concrete stories
little time or patience for fluff. Help and advice.
them visualize how your content will
enhance their businesses with

Aspirational
direct proposals.

•• “Lessons From the First Smart City”

•• “How Leading Utilities are Planning for a
Post-Pandemic World”

MESSAGING TIP FOR ENERGY/

SUSTAINABILITY/BUILDING
Don’t forget that in many ways,
these industry execs are tasked with
saving the world and building the
future. Allow them to envision how
their efforts can directly contribute to
personal betterment, as well as a more
sustainable society for all.

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37 6 Key Takeaways

Part 3

6 Key Takeaways

1 Note that Some Things

Haven’t Changed

In a year defined by volatility, there are a

few key channels and habits that have
remained steady:

of Industry Dive’s of Industry Dive’s

80% reader survey
audience in 2020
54% reader survey audience
in 2020 regularly
regularly access access information
information relevant relevant to their job
to their job via via LinkedIn
email newsletters

of Industry Dive’s ranked this as the

reader survey most important
audience in 2020 said element of a virtual
82% relevancy of topics
is very or extremely
46% event in Industry
Dive’s reader survey
important to them audience in 2020
when choosing a
news source

TOPIC RELEVANCE ALWAYS A KEY HEARING FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS

FACTOR IN CHOOSING A SOURCE IS VALUED
OF INFORMATION

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38 6 Key Takeaways

left the station, be sure your participation

2 Rethink Your
Format Assumptions
involves a unique, thought-provoking angle
so it doesn’t get lost in the mix. This style of
topical and reactive content is a little harder
to pull off but has a strong potential to pull in
The collective wisdom is that webinars, audiences and catch their attention. Cardinal
whitepapers and emails are sure things caveat: never sacrifice quality and credibility
for B2B audiences. Although these tactics in the name of timeliness, which brings us to
are prominent across the board, content point 4.
preferences differ greatly across industries.

4 Focus on Quality and

So take pause and check that you’re
investing in the content types that match Credibility—They’re Still
your audience’s media consumption habits. Differentiators
For example, the Life Sciences audience
preferred short-form content like blogs
and case studies, whereas Finance leaders In a world where content is highly
preferred longer-form pieces. Our retail/CPG commoditized, investing in research and
audiences were intrigued by visual content quality is also critical in building reputation
and timely webinars, and in the transport and trust. Quality content doesn’t just mean
industry, prescriptive content, like checklists, high production values. It’s also about
did best. diligence and following processes. Always
start with a problem or insight (from data

3 Don’t Hesitate—Participate
and Lead Conversations on
Key Issues
mining), engage through targeted content (by
industry), and always opt to leave the journey
open (rather than forcing a solution).

Don’t neglect the foundations of good

In an environment of rapid change, timely or storytelling. Ensure your content flows
topical content is more valuable than ever, logically, is concise, and clear. Adopt the
as revealed by many of our top performing tone of a peer or trusted advisor, speak
topics. Our data shows that people are to pain points, take angles that add to
interested in keeping up with changes in their the conversation, and use language your
industry and issues that impact their jobs. Tap audience is familiar with. Professionals in the
into newsworthy content as it relates to your buying committee need to read facts and
business, and invest in topical content; topical consider opinions so they can speak with
is considered timely, relevant and current confidence and build a business case for a
including industry news, current events and new strategy, so ground content in their world
your own company news that tells a story (not and ensure that each piece can be backed up
traditional PR). As new issues emerge, there’s by data.
a short window to lead the conversation.
Credibility is a key characteristic found
Mobilize quickly and look to break news. across our top-performing content. Most
And if you’re jumping on a train that’s already of these audiences are key decision makers

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39 6 Key Takeaways

who are accomplished experts in the field. heightened their anxieties, and ushered in
If your content is lacking authority, these an unprecedented kind of discomfort, as
leaders will see right through it, and they’ll our research indicates. There’s an increased
walk away with a poor (and often lasting) pressure for execs to not only keep up, but
impression of your brand. Consider job to step up and prove themselves. Ultimately,
function, vertical, and whether the content these professionals know that knowledge
needs to be non-technical or technical in is the key to future-proofing their careers,
nature accordingly. Establish internal experts becoming better at their jobs, and making
and SMEs. Do your homework and don’t impacts on their businesses. As indicated
skimp on investing in the resources you need by our key 2020 themes and insights,
to ensure that every piece of content that professional development and future-
carries your logo is synonymous proofing careers was a key area of interest
with expertise. across the board, resonating especially with
people working in IT, HR, Marketing, and
Financial Services. On a company level, it’s

5 Balance “Why?” and

“How” Content
all about industry intel and keeping up with
the competition, outsmarting and outthinking
them in all areas of business.

Focus on both “why?” and “how” content. While these leaders and companies have
“Why?” is centered around thought a strong desire for betterment, their time
leadership; trends, point-of-views, discussion, has grown more limited and their plates are
debates and the big ideas, whereas the plumb-full. So it’s up to marketers to craft
“how” are resources, templates, guides, and and curate the resources they need (and
ultimately “how-tos”. Most industry players didn’t even know they needed) while they
in the landscape are confident about talking put out fires and tackle the challenges each
conceptually about topics but few actually new day in the year of disruption brings. If
deep dive into the “how to.” We recommend you can help them rise to the top of a highly
you be selective about the topics you write competitive and volatile job market while
about, ensuring that every piece of content they’re spread thin, their trust in and loyalty to
provides a helpful perspective or practical your brand will follow.

“
advice (rooted in expertise) your customer
can put to use in their organization.

Remember: leaders aren’t

6 Give Them the Upper Hand afraid of bad news
and the “what ifs” it brings
to light—they’re
B2B professionals have always sought terrified of being kept in
information and content to help them
with their job. But the double-blow of
the dark, and being
pandemic and recession has thrown them unprepared as a result.
into unexpected and expanded roles,

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40 2020 Audience Insights for B2B Marketing in the Year of Disruption

In Conclusion
While we hope this report is valuable
in crafting content that hits home
with your desired audience, there’s
another data source that you should
not overlook. It’s your own content
program.
Your own content program is a testing laboratory; it’s your own
proprietary tool that allows you to gather and analyze data to further
engagement. It allows you to really understand the topics your very
own audiences are interested in, what issues matter to them, and in
turn, serve them with the reliable information they’re after.

We use our own content (our Dive Publications) to learn about our
audiences, and we believe it’s the best way to make educated
decisions on where to invest. We’ll keep the insights coming, but
it’s our hope that you’ll build your own first-party audience data to
complement secondary sources, since your program isn’t quite like
anybody else’s.

We’ll leave you with this advice: take a big-picture approach to content
marketing. Its value extends far beyond generating revenue. It allows
you to get to know your audience and build better customers in ways
that few other marketing tactics can. After all, content isn’t your most
valuable asset—your audience is.

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41 2020 Audience Insights for B2B Marketing in the Year of Disruption

About Us
/About studioID
studioID is Industry Dive’s global content studio recognized for creating
award-winning content marketing for brands. Our mission is to help brands
deliver value through content, powering insights-fueled content programs
that nurture prospects and customers from discovery through to purchase,
connecting brand to demand.

We achieve this through our ROI rich tool kit: Deep industry expertise,
first-party audience insights, an editorial approach to branded storytelling,
and targeted distribution capabilities. Our holistic approach and expertise
in content marketing strategy, content development, amplification, and
measurement make us a valuable partner to brands looking to make
an impact.

/About Industry Dive

Industry Dive is a leading business journalism company. More than 11
million decision-makers across 20 competitive industries rely on its
exclusive insight and analysis delivered through 22 publications.

/ Contact Us
Visit Message

studioid.com studioID@industrydive.com

Explore and subscribe to the Industry Dive

publications mentioned in this study

industrydive.com/industries

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42 2020 Audience Insights for B2B Marketing in the Year of Disruption

About the Authors

Robin Re Lieu Pham

VP of Marketing, Industry Dive VP of Strategy & Creative Services,
Industry Dive
With 10 years of B2B marketing experience,
Robin Re has built her career upon her With more than 17 years of industry
knack for building demand and nurturing experience, Lieu Pham’s expertise in
audiences. As VP of Marketing at Industry marketing, media, and advertising has led her
Dive, she helped grow the brand into one to exciting roles far and wide—across North
of the business world’s fastest-expanding America, APAC and EMEA, in both startup and
providers of journalism with an audience enterprise environments. With an approach
of 11+ million decision-makers in the most that blends innovation with tried-and-true
competitive industries. Prior to joining the methodologies, she develops the frameworks,
Industry Dive team in 2014, she spearheaded thought leadership content, sales-enablement
online marketing and cross-promotional materials, and workshops that drive client
social media efforts at the largest small success in her current role as Industry Dive’s
business association in the United States. In Vice President of Strategy and Creative
2016, Robin was named a Folio: 30 Under Services for studioID. Particularly skilled at
30 Honoree—a collection of the brightest navigating cross-functionally, she has a track
and most innovative individuals working in record for leading high-performing content
magazine media under the age of 30. Most teams through and beyond acquisitions.
recently, she was honored to be named one Always eager to share her perspectives, she’s
of DCA Live’s 2020 Star CMOs. a regular speaker at industry events and a
mentor with She Runs it, an organization
dedicated to paving fulfilling career paths for
women in advertising.
Linkedin

Linkedin

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