How your decision maker finds information
Service companies like Accenture, IBM, FedEx, General Electric, Siemens and UPS approached Google wanting to know more about how to reach C-level executives at large corporations. The question at hand - and until now, largely a matter of conjecture - was how executives spent their online time and the type of content they might consume.
Here's some of the highlights ...
- The usual stereotype has the C-Suite delegating their research duties. Not anymore. The study, which was released by Forbes Insights, reveals that over half (53 percent) prefer to do the searching themselves.
- Executives are more likely to click links from content rather than ads (no surprise there), the less intrusive the ad, the more likely they are to follow the link. 86 percent occasionally or frequently click on linked words from online articles and content. 58 percent click on paid search listings in search engines. 53 percent click on website banner ads and 37 percent click on pop-up or interruptive ads.
- When compared by age, executives under 50 are significantly more inclined to click through links or ads.
- Businesses looking to catch the eye of younger C-level executives might have a better chance with video than text. 33 percent of C-level executives under age 50 reveal that they view work-related videos daily on business-related web sites. This compares with just 11 percent of those aged over 50. This will only increase as the next generation moves in.
Executives were also asked to rate the value of different online and offline information sources. Across the board, search engines were considered more important than other options for locating information, including interacting with colleagues.
- 87 percent rated general search engines as very valuable.
- 77 percent listed guidance from colleagues at work.
- Guidance from personal networks was next at 65 percent.
- Links from online content scored 58 percent.
- 54 percent valued subscription search engines.
- Guidance from outside advisors scored lower, but still significant at 53 percent.
The survey is based on one-on-one interviews with 354 executives of US companies with annual sales exceeding US$1 billion. 47 percent held C-level positions and the remainder held senior-level positions.
Get more headlines every month - Subscribe to 7 Seconds
