What Content and Channels do CIOs Really Engage with in 2025?
Written by Steph Macleod – Board Director – Head of Tech
Reaching CIOs has never been more critical or more complicated. In the high-stakes world of enterprise technology, these leaders control multi-million-pound investments, influence long-term strategy, and ultimately decide which vendors are trusted to drive transformation.
But in a landscape defined by AI hype, digital saturation, and evolving buyer behaviours, the path to credibility has shifted. Our latest research based on insights from 250 UK CIOs, reveals that reputation is everything and what platforms, stories and tones actually influence their decisions.
The Reputational Reality
A striking 45% of CIOs say a good or excellent reputation is the primary reason they choose a tech vendor—above product features, pricing, or innovation. In a crowded market where differentiation is difficult, what your audience believes about your brand is often more powerful than what your sales deck claims. But what exactly shapes that reputation today and is your PR strategy match-fit?
What Builds Trust and What Breaks It
Our research found that trust is won through credibility, transparency, and proof—not volume. Generic messaging, buzzword overload, and self-congratulatory content are not only ineffective—they’re actively harming brand trust.
Instead, CIOs told us they value:
- Thought leadership grounded in reality
- Customer stories that show practical impact
- Clarity over complexity
- Consistency across media and social channels
This signals a major opportunity for comms leaders to reframe their strategies around what CIOs actually care about.
Media and Messaging That Cuts Through
While traditional media still holds sway, our study shows that CIO media habits are evolving fast, with platforms such as Reddit growing in influence.
And when it comes to discovery, AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are becoming the new front door for vendor research. CIOs are relying less on static SEO and more on credible, earned, and expert-led content. That means PR and communications strategies need to evolve fast – with a renewed focus on discoverability, authority, authenticity and simplicity.
In summary, the data shows that there is a growing divide between what enterprise tech vendors say and what decision-makers need to hear. This gap is where reputation is either built or broken.
If you’re leading communications for a technology vendor and want to understand how to close the growing gap between brand messaging and CIO expectations, this report is a must-read.
Discover what builds trust and what erodes it, which platforms and messages truly resonate with CIOs, the content that drives decisions and how to reposition your brand for credibility in an AI-first world where traditional tactics are falling short.
Pre-register for the report here or contact contact Steph MacLeod, Head of Tech at Cavendish on steph.macleod@cavendishconsulting.com to arrange a meeting.
Share:
Keep reading…
He who shouts loudest wins . . . or does he?
Explore how brands are navigating political pressures and staying true to their values. Learn about the Authenticity Advantage framework and its impact on brand reputation.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Just one piece of the puzzle.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill aims to boost economic growth through planning reforms, strategic planning, and clean energy initiatives, but faces delays due to amendments and local government re-organisation.
Where does your audience ‘show up’?
Knowing how and where people want to engage in the planning process is vital to success. Digital engagement is transforming the planning process for Britain’s built environment. Learn how to reach the right audience with the right message and boost support for development projects.
Subscribe to The Edit
To receive our bi-monthly update of carefully curated expert comment, follow the link below to subscribe to The Edit.
From strategy, research and insight to current affairs, creativity and communications, we’ll cover the issues you care about . . . with a Cavendish twist.
Senedd 2026: A new voting system, more seats, and a multi-party government.
It’s just over a year until people in Wales will go to the polls to elect members to the Senedd. And what a crucial election it’s going to be. Current polling suggests Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru, and Reform UK are all vying to become the largest party.
Our panel explored what the complicated new voting system means in terms of the way Senedd seats will be allocated, what the new Government might look like, and what it means for your organisation in terms of engaging with political parties and the policy making process in the run up to May 2026.
In this session, our panellists discussed:
- The new voting system, how it works and what it means for each of the political parties, as well as launching a new report on the changes.
- Why a more fractured politics in Wales means that the outcomes of elections in Wales over the last 25 years won’t be replicated next May.
- What this means for the formation of the next Welsh Government, and the possible outcomes.
- The launch of the new Cavendish Cymru seat projector, which will keep you up to date with how the various parties are faring in the twelve months ahead and help you gauge where you need to focus your engagement.
