What does the C-Suite want?
Forbes Insights and Deloitte recently surveyed 300 CXOs globally on their preferred types of content and content channels, to understand what the C-suite wants from thought leadership. The survey, “Thought Leadership in Action: Strategic Content to Help CXOs Learn and Lead,” showed that the most popular content type is the whitepaper (22%), followed by business books (21%). In contrast, webinars and videos are less popular (6% and 4% respectively), revealing a preference for long-form over short-form content. This may go against current thinking that shorter is better when it comes to content, as a lot of publishers are moving towards short, snappy content that can be read easily and quickly. That’s not to say that these bite-sized content pieces are not valuable, but they should be an additional asset in support of a longer form piece, rather than the focal point in an overall content strategy.
The C-suite’s preference for long-form content is not surprising. CXOs are looking for insight and information that helps them with their strategic approach to challenges and opportunities, which is difficult to capture in short-form content. More in-depth content strands, supported by case studies and detailed research, is more appropriate for a senior audience that already has a superficial knowledge of the topic being covered. It’s not just the type of content that is important to consider; you must also think about the formats and channels you will use to deliver it. Perhaps surprisingly, the Forbes Insights study found that digital isn’t always better, as half of the CXOs surveyed said that reading print is important to them and they prefer it as a format for longer form content. In a ‘digital first’ world, this is a reminder that we shouldn’t be discounting the enduring power of traditional print.
StuartJDavidson.com
A good example of this is Airbnb, which launched a print magazine, Airbnbmag, in partnership with Hearst, in 2016. This could be considered an unexpected move for a company that is a disruptive innovator of the traditional business model. However, in a disposable digital world, the glossy, inspiring travel stories are made tangible and sensory – a great way to sell experiences.
Brian Chesky, founder of Airbnb. Forbes.com