Why Nobody Gives a Crap About Your Software Marketing Content

In the before times, trade publications were the go-to resource for technical product insights. These insights were funded by print advertising. But print revenues have been sliding for the last quarter century as interactive programs with measurable results overtake print and even digital display where results are diffuse and something hoped for long term.

Publishers have had to grapple with the idea that their advertiser has become the new publisher. With access to opt-in lists and social syndication, they have less reason to rely on a cost-per-thousand insertion order to get to market. As publisher revenues decline, editorial staffs have shrunk. While most trade publishers focused on the top of the funnel rather than mid-funnel where deeper product insights become central, the hollowing out of experienced journalists does not improve publishers' prospects.

The Importance of Objectivity

One thing lost in the decline of trade publications is objectivity. An individual advertiser has a goal that may prevent them from sharing certain insights or addressing certain topics in top-of-funnel communications used to drive awareness and leads.

Once a prospect is in the pipeline, objectivity becomes even more important. In comparing or making a decision between two complex technical products, listening only to vendors is problematic. There are third party analyst firms like Gartner, but the expense and organizational overhead are not feasible every software company. Oftentimes, emerging or vertical software products are not addressed by analysts anyway.

According to Informa Tech Target, "third-party content accomplishes what even the very best vendor-authored content simply cannot on its own: a vendor-agnostic and neutral voice that validates topic and market trends, creates trust with vendor-neutral product comparisons and reviews and empowers buyers to navigate any market hype. These independently produced assets are, indeed, high-value assets for your business. Utilizing third-party content garners audience trust while growing brand awareness, providing unbiased topical information and technical advice, and differentiating yourself from competitors."

How To Benefit from Objectivity in Software Marketing Content

I was for a long time the internal content engine for an enterprise software company, and enjoyed packaging up the insights of internal thought leaders as gated content, placed articles, podcasts and more.

But my best performing top-of-funnel content was more substantive than this. Conducting primary research and releasing the results to the market gives prospects legitimate, objective insights they won't get anywhere else.

And while product briefs and demo videos are appropriate to syndicate to qualified prospects deeper into a sales cycle, if that product-related insight comes from a third party, it performs even better. After all, if your name is on it, and you have a horse in the race, that is hard to ignore.

At Rathmann Insights, we work with software companies to conduct primary research to create deep insights that work at top of funnel, to build that opt-in list. And we generate the third party product insights in whitepapers, videos and other formats that deliver the honesty and objectivity that prospects crave while making decisions that will impact their business.

Learn More About Our Fixed-Price Software Marketing Analyst Services

Ways to Inject Objectivity Into Your Marketing Content

• Syndicate content from third party sources like Gartner, if you have a membership.

• Involve customers in your content--plan to approach 10 customers to get three to convert into approved case studies.

• Conduct primary research, perhaps with a partner like Endeavor Business Intelligence, and syndicate it to drive top of funnel activity and earned media.

• Retain third parties to generate custom third party explainer content about your product--they should be knowledgeable about the industry and known to be freethinking rather than coin-operated in their viewpoints and statements.

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