Boston Digital Releases Quarterly Sentiment Survey on Tech Trends

BOSTON, Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Digital, a leading digital marketing agency with a client base including many of Boston's up and coming tech companies, today announced results of a new survey, "Tech & Digital: Industry Trends from the COVID-19 Pandemic." The survey canvassed 500 tech executives to determine their top challenges in 2020, how they overcame these challenges, and where they plan to invest their 2021 marketing budgets. The results overwhelmingly indicate that tech companies turned to digital solutions in 2020 to combat the drop off in leads from in-person events and tradeshows, saw positive results, and are now sticking with their strategies and planning to invest more in marketing. Click here to access the full report.

In 2020 tech executives faced a unique predicament, the majority of them saw an increased demand for their products and services, yet they faced disruptions to their sales & marketing models. Tech executives turned to digital solutions & increased digital marketing to combat challenges such as pivoting their messaging or losing face-to-face sales interactions. With the move to a digital sales & marketing model, executives reported improved client satisfaction and an overall positive impact on business. Looking ahead, it is clear that tech executives are sticking with digital and plan to increase their overall investment in marketing.

"We have just come through a period of a decade's worth of changes to technology and marketing habits in just over nine months," said Boston Digital president and CEO, Peter Prodromou. "As marketers and technologists, we need to be deeply in tune with the implications of these changes. Our survey provides a strong glimpse of the trends we, and the industry, should expect to see in 2021 and going forward."

Tech companies saw an increased demand for their products while facing disruptions to their business model. They looked to digital as the solution.

• Top three biggest challenges faced by tech companies during the COVID-19 pandemic:
• Employees' ability to use new tech
• Remote work
• Lack of in-person sales meetings.
• 88% of tech companies had difficulty pivoting their messaging.
• 95% of companies have increased their marketing activities since the start of the pandemic. Top activities increased:
• Virtual trades shows
• Email marketing campaigns
• Webinars
• Paid Social

This increase in digital marketing has positively impacted business, and as a result, tech executives are planning to invest in marketing in 2021. Both executives at companies with products that are in higher demand since the start of the COVID-19, and executives at companies that have seen lower demand, plan to invest in marketing next year. 

• 96% plan to invest in marketing in 2021. Top marketing areas companies plan to invest:
• Social Media
• Digital Marketing
• Content
• The benefits of digital are being felt both within tech companies and by their clients.
• 71% say the move to a digital sales & marketing process has had an overall positive impact on business.
• 85% say the move to a digital sales & marketing process has had a positive impact on client satisfaction.
• Other than remote work, increased digital marketing was the top change executives anticipate being permanent.

This investment needs to come with results. The digitalization of marketing means it is more measurable than ever and tech executives want to see those stats.

• 93% say tying marketing efforts to ROI will be important or very important
• 94% say analytics will be important or very important in 2021

To see more results and implications from Boston Digital's survey, read this whitepaper.

Boston Digital

Boston Digital has been delivering transformative digital marketing for 20 years. We believe digital excellence starts with a world-class website and catches fire with brilliant digital marketing services. Boston Digital helps clients across the US in industries from consumer products and life sciences to higher education, financial services, and high tech, find their "Digital Mojo", connect their brand to the people who need it most, and boost their competitive edge. www.bostondigital.com

SOURCE Boston Digital