The annual IDG Customer Engagement survey looks at the role content consumption plays in the purchase process for major technology products and services, and provides insights for tech marketers to map their engagement touch-points to customers’ information needs.

1. IDG Communications, Inc.
2018 Customer Engagement
EDUCATING CUSTOMERS ALONG THEIR BUYERS’ JOURNEY

2. IDG Communications, Inc.
2
75%
12%
6%
4%3%
Purpose & Methodology
To gain a better understandingof the varioustypes and volume of content consumedthroughoutthe purchase
process for major technologyproductsand services. It also looks to gain insightinto the preferencesof IT
decision-makerswith regard to IT solutionprovider contact and follow-upduringthe purchaseprocess.
SURVEY GOAL
AUDIENCE BASE
CIO, Computerworld, CSO, InfoWorld,
ITworld, Macworld, Network World, and
PCWorld site visitors, LinkedIn Forums and
email invitations to audience base.
NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS 30
COLLECTION METHOD
Online questionnaire
1,237
IT LEADERSHIP
All survey respondentsare involved in the
purchase process for major IT or security
products and services.
Business Mgmt
Manufacturing 15%
Technology 14%
Financial Services 12%
Education 10%
Government/Nonprofit 9%
Services (legal, consulting, real estate) 9%
Telecommunications & Utilities 7%
Retail, Wholesale & Distribution 6%
Healthcare 5%
JOB TITLES
TOTAL RESPONDENTS
TOPREPRESENTEDINDUSTRIES
AVERAGE
COMPANYSIZE
13,223EMPLOYEES
Exec IT
IT Pro
IT Mgmt
Other
GLOBAL RESPONSE
North America: 52% APAC: 24%
EMEA: 21% LATAM: 3%
Source: 2018 IDG Customer Engagement Survey

3. IDG Communications, Inc.
IT Exec IT Mgmt. IT Pro
Biz
Mgmt.
54% 57% 49% 52%
50% 56% 51% 40%
30% 35% 33% 27%
28% 18% 21% 23%
26% 27% 17% 25%
23% 22% 11% 31%
17% 15% 20% 10%17%
22%
25%
26%
31%
49%
54%
Based on job title
Based on where your organization
is in the purchase process
Based on content you previously searched
Based on company size
Based on your responsibilities
Based on the technology platform(s)
already installed at your organization
Based on your industry
Content Tailored by Industry
Most Beneficial
Q. If a company were to provide you with content that is tailored specifically to you, how would you prefer the content to
be tailored?
Source: 2018 IDG Customer Engagement Research
3
2
1
5
7
6
3
4
2
1
7
3
5
6
4
2
1
7
6
5
4
3
1
2
7
5
6
4
3
93%
would like content
tailored for them
(up from 90%
in 2017)

4. IDG Communications, Inc.
Product Information Most Relied Upon
Q. When making the following purchases, which types of information or content did you rely on most? (net results)
Source: 2018 IDG Customer Engagement Research
4
24%
26%
28%
30%
30%
31%
33%
35%
39%
42%
43%
45%
48%
50%
51%
55%
56%
Opinion columns
Vendor directories
How-to content/information
Third-party market research
Buyer's guides
ROI tool, calculator or other asessment
Discussions in forums/online communities/social media
Peer presentations
Feature article about trends, strategies, management
Case studies
Feature article about technologies
Interviews with tech experts
Analyst research (e.g., IDC, Gartner, Forrester)
Vendor presentations
Technology news
Product testing/reviews/opinions
Product demos/product literature
ENT: 53% / SMB: 59%
ENT: 56% / SMB: 45%
ENT: 53% / SMB: 42%
ENT: 39% / SMB: 30%
ENT: 35% / SMB: 26%
ENT: 36% / SMB: 23%
EMEA: 56%
APAC: 66%
NA: 51%
EMEA: 31%
APAC: 30%
NA: 22%

5. IDG Communications, Inc.
Vendors Must Prove Viability
Q. Which of the following best describes your company’s posture regarding new/emerging vendors?
Source: 2018 IDG Customer Engagement Research
5
3%
53%
17%
27%
Those that evaluate new
vendors only after a
recommendation are
likely to have more
vendors on their
final short list.
4 vendors
vs.
3overall
We will evaluate
new/emerging
vendors after they
have proven
their viability
Company policy does
not allow us to
consider new/
emerging vendors
We will evaluate new/
emerging vendors only
upon recommendation
from our trusted
peers/network
We’re open to being
among the first clients
of a new/emerging vendor
55% IN 2017
21% IN 2017
21% IN 2017

6. IDG Communications, Inc.
EXEC IT IT MGMT IT PRO BIZ MGMT
72% 54% 61% 42%
66% 54% 48% 60%
54% 56% 45% 40%
54% 47% 45% 58%
54% 41% 37% 54%
48% 36% 53% 21%
48% 27% 51% 35%
44% 32% 28% 29%
42% 37% 37% 33%
43% 31% 40% 33%
39% 26% 29% 35%
38% 27% 35% 33%
35% 29% 51% 21%
Exec. IT More Voracious Content
Consumers
Q. Have you registered online (i.e., provided your name, title, address, email, etc.) to receive information (white papers,
case studies, webinars, product specifications/pricing, product demos and the like) about any of the following enterprise
technology solutions in the past 6 months?
Source: 2018 IDG Customer Engagement Survey
6
34%
36%
36%
40%
40%
41%
45%
45%
51%
52%
52%
63%
67%
66%
64%
64%
60%
60%
59%
55%
55%
49%
48%
48%
37%
33%
Desktops/Laptops
Telecommunications
IoT Devices
Web applications
Enterprise software (non-SaaS)
Mobility
Networking
Servers/Storage
Data & analytics
Enterprise software (SaaS)
IT services
Cloud computing
Security
Yes
No
SUMMARY OF YES

7. IDG Communications, Inc.
On-Demand Webcasts the Way to Go
Source: 2018 IDG Customer Engagement Survey
7
Q. How do you prefer to watch webcasts?
Prefer to watch
recorded version
on-demand
Prefer to watch liveNo Preference
51% 24% 22%
96%watch webcasts

8. IDG Communications, Inc.
Vendor Interaction Top of Mind
when Selecting Events to Attend
Q. Have you attended the following types of industry or job-related events in the last 12 months?
Source: 2018 IDG Customer Engagement Survey
8
21%
43%
46%
47%
54%
55%
56%
57%
71%
Events hosted by venture capitalists
Roundtable style events
Vendor user group conferences
National events
Events produced by an
independent third-party
Regional events
Trade shows
Vendor-run roadshows/events
Events where I have the opportunity
to interact with the vendors
respondents rank
vendor presentations
at events as their
#1 information source
during the purchase process

9. IDG Communications, Inc.
Content Consumption Gap
Q. How long after you register for/download a piece of content do you typically read/consume it? Q. How soon after consuming the
proper amount of content related to a specific enterprise IT/security solution would you typically like to be contacted by a sales
representative? Q. Thinking of the work-related content that you have downloaded in the past 12 months (e.g., whitepapers, articles,
reports, webcasts, podcasts, etc.), how much has ultimately provided you with actionable information?
Source: 2017 & 2018 IDG Customer Engagement Research
9
2%
2%
6%
11%
34%
45%
Not Sure
More than 2 weeks later
1-2 Weeks later
4-6 Days later
2-3 Days later
That day
Average number of days
before content is read:
Sales follow-up
should happen
6+ days
after content
is consumed
EXEC. IT: 2.75
IT MGMT.: 2.75
IT PRO: 3.24
BIZ MGMT.: 2.352.75