Hello, World!
Decoded is our quarterly look at the people making B2B tech buying decisions.
For this report, we spoke to 100 CIOs about how they research and buy tech, the content they enjoy and engage with, and how enterprise tech and IT suppliers can cut through their feeds and grab their attention.
Watch our latest podcast for a discussion of the findings or dive into the report below to explore the data in full.
If you’d like to learn more about the findings — or how Wildfire can help you reach CIOs more effectively — get in touch with our team.
CIOs under pressure
Let's start with the good news. CIOs are overwhelmingly optimistic about the future. Budgets are growing, investment is increasing — and they're turning to external technology partners more than ever before to help deliver on their ambitions.
The challenge is that every investment has to earn its place. CIOs are under intense pressure to justify spending and prove commercial impact. That means the days of leading with features are over. The suppliers that stand out are the ones that make a compelling business case, showing not just what their technology does, but what it delivers.
Where do CIOs go to research new technology suppliers?
1. Search engines (67%)
2. AI tools (67%)
3. YouTube (53%)
4. Analyst reports (46%)
5. LinkedIn (43%)
How CIOs research new tech
CIOs don't discover tech suppliers in one place. They build a picture over time, comparing what they find across search, AI, analysts, the media and their professional networks before deciding who deserves their attention. And one channel has climbed the rankings at remarkable speed. AI is now one of the most influential sources CIOs use when researching new tech suppliers — second only to search engines, which themselves are becoming increasingly AI-powered.
How CIOs stay informed
It's one thing to know where CIOs go to research new technology. But what about the other 95% of the time, when they're not actively in the market to buy?
Our data shows CIOs are now using AI to learn best practices, keep up with industry trends and teach themselves new tech. In short, if your content isn't showing up in AI, you're missing many of the moments when CIOs are learning, forming opinions and shaping future purchases.
Learn best practices
Keep up with industry trends
Learn new tools and tech
1. AI chat (34%)
1. AI chat (33%)
1. AI chat (40%)
2. Short-form video (30%)
2. Live conversations (30%)
2. Long-form video (32%)
3. Long-form video (28%)
3. Short-form written content (29%)
3. Interactive tools and demos (30%)
Who do CIOs trust?
The dominance of AI in discovery also extends to trust. CIOs now trust AI recommendations more than analyst reports, business publications and search engines when researching technology vendors.
But don't mistake this for AI replacing traditional comms channels. If anything, it makes them more important. AI doesn't recommend brands because they claim to be experts. It recommends brands that have earned authority elsewhere.
Which sources do CIOs trust when researching new tech?
1. Recommendations from AI (42%)
2. Analyst reports (32%)
3. Business magazines and sites (28%)
4. Search engine results (27%)
5. Recommendations from colleagues (26%)
How to get recommended by AI
Original research, independent media coverage, recognised experts and high-quality thought leadership all strengthen the signals that AI uses when recommending brands. The stronger your reputation across the wider web, the stronger your visibility becomes inside AI.
Want to learn more about how AI recommends your brand? Read our guide to Generative Engine Optimisation for all the details.
What do CIOs want from tech brands?
Being recommended is one thing. Being trusted is another.
CIOs make decisions that affect security, resilience and business continuity. It's no surprise, then, that trust is the quality they value most in their tech suppliers.
But trust doesn't have to mean playing it safe with your comms. CIOs also value creativity and ambition. The brands that will stand out are the ones that combine fresh thinking with the credibility and market recognition needed to back it up.
Traits CIOs look for from tech suppliers:
1. Trusted (59%)
2. Creative (51%)
3. Safe / Secure (44%)
4. Ambitious (43%)
5. Well-known (43%)
How to build trust with CIOs
With trust ranked as the number one quality CIOs value in tech suppliers, your reputation has never been more important. So how do you become a brand that CIOs can trust?
1. Clear data and evidence (52%)
2. Creative or original thinking (49%)
3. Strong presence in the industry (48%)
To better understand these signals, let’s break each one down in turn:
Clear data and evidence
The quickest way to lose credibility is to tell CIOs what everyone else is already saying.
Original research, customer data and proprietary insights give CIOs something genuinely useful while demonstrating real expertise. They also provide one of the strongest foundations for media coverage, industry discussion and building a reputation as a trusted authority.
strong industry presence
CIOs don't judge technology vendors solely on their products. They base their decisions on how visible and credible they are across the wider industry.
Independent media coverage, recognised experts and a strong reputation all influence buying decisions. In fact, many CIOs see a lack of third-party validation as a warning sign, making industry visibility an important part of the buying process.
Creative or original thinking
It sounds paradoxical, but playing it safe rarely builds confidence.
CIOs aren't looking for the same technology as everyone else; they're looking for an advantage. The brands that inspire confidence are rarely the ones repeating the same messages as their competitors. They're the ones with a distinctive point of view, memorable communications and people worth listening to.
Creative approaches make you recognisable. And recognition builds trust.
get the full cio media list
Want to know which publications CIOs read? Enter your email below and we'll send you the complete list of specialist technology titles ranked by readership, helping you build a more targeted media relations strategy to reach the publications your buyers actually trust.
is your next campaign cio ready?
Complete our two-minute benchmark and get a tailored report showing how your current approach to reaching CIOs aligns with their priorities — plus personalised marketing and PR recommendations.
Quick Calculator
looking to work with the uk’s top it pr agency?
If you’re looking to build your tech brand’s credibility, earn more attention or become a brand that CIOs remember, book a call with our team. We’d love to explore your goals and discuss how Wildfire can help.