Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  December 12, 2024

Original Research: Your Edge in Competitive Content Marketing

The biggest challenge in content marketing today is ensuring that your perspectives stand out among a sea of good ideas. One way to do that is through original research.

According to Redpoint’s 2024-2025 Blueprint for High-Impact Content, original research, including data analysis and peer interviews, has the biggest influence on buyer purchasing decisions and brand authority. Specifically, their research found:

• B2B buyers are 2.5 times more likely to share content with original research and 2 times more likely to provide their personal data to access it than content without original research.
• 91% of B2B buyers say original research reports increase brand awareness, and 93% trust brands more that invest in it.
• 54% of B2B buyers equally trust brand-conducted and third-party research, with 29% trusting brand-conducted research more.

Why Original Research is the Key to Influencing Buyer Decisions

The findings highlight the importance of leveraging original research to capture attention, build trust, and establish your brand as a leading authority in your industry. Here are two significant takeaways:

• Educational content no longer persuades prospects. When looking at the types of content that most influence a prospect’s perception of a brand as an industry authority, how-to or educational content is at the bottom of the list (13%). That’s because the internet is flooded with material from unrecognized experts. This is the difference between being helpful yet invisible and being a known authority.

• C-suite buyers like and want original research. Seventy-seven percent of these buyers become more aware of businesses through research, and 75% say it builds trust in the source. For other buyers lower on the org chart, the trust stat drops to 55%.

The report makes a strong case for adding research to your content repertoire. Review all the findings and consider how to use your own research to become an authority in your industry.

Listen: 2 Ways Smaller Shops Can Create Original Research 

Now Read This:

• The Best Way to Influence Customers
• Brand and Message Strategy for Thought Leaders

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