TechChannel Reader Survey Confirms TechBeat’s Trustworthy Reputation
Technical tutorials and articles about new technologies garner the most interest from Power Systems users, while concerns over AI and security keep readers up at night
At TechChannel, we’re constantly in touch with IT professionals like you, so we tend to have a strong sense of how well we’re serving our readers. However, it’s still important to have the cold, hard data.
That was the idea behind a recent survey of Power Systems readers who receive the weekly TechBeat newsletter from TechChannel.
“[The survey results] affirm what we've been told in the past: that we're trustworthy, we're reliable, we're relevant, we're useful. We're a go-to resource,” says Mari Adamson-Bray, TechChannel’s publishing director.
All 102 of the survey respondents expressed some level of agreement that TechBeat “is a trusted source of relevant IT news and information,” with 85% agreeing unequivocally. “We take great pride in that statistic alone,” Bray says.
Meanwhile, 90% of respondents agreed or somewhat agreed that TechBeat “contains informative content that I can’t find anywhere else,” and 76% expressed some level of agreement that the newsletter is their “go-to resource for discovering relevant technology solutions for my business.”
Audience Interests and Anxieties
As solution seekers, survey respondents strongly value the tutorials and technology tips found through TechBeat; 80% of respondents said those resources are among the newsletter’s most valuable offerings. This has been a recent area of focus for the TechChannel team. “We've made a concerted effort over the past three years to increase the content in that regard. And clearly, we need to keep upping that,” says Evelyn Hoover, TechChannel’s editor-in-chief.
Attracting even more attention are articles on new technologies and trends, as 85% of respondents expressed a high level of interest in such content. “As far as emerging technologies, AI obviously tops that list,” Hoover observes. Indeed, when readers were asked the open-ended question, “What keeps you up at night?” AI was among the most common responses.
Another response to that question was security, a topic that TechBeat will continue to cover, Hoover promises. “Data breaches are obviously another thing that is a constant,” she says. “So, figuring out how to help people better secure their systems is really important, and the cost of the data breaches keeps going up.”
Connecting the IBM Power Systems Community
By linking to TechChannel’s deep well of industry news and technical content, TechBeat serves as a natural hub for the Power Systems community. In fact, 91% of survey respondents expressed some level of agreement that TechBeat connects them to their community and industry voices. “That is really important, and something we've really worked on doing since we launched TechChannel in 2021,” Hoover says.
Efforts to foster community include TechChannel’s annual Rising Stars initiative, which recognizes newcomers to the IBM Z or Power Systems ecosystems who have already made a significant impact on their organization or platform.
Another goal of the Rising Stars program is to foster the next generation of technologists in a field that needs fresh talent—68% of survey respondents were age 55 or older. This “skills gap has been recognized in the industry,” Bray says. “...it's an ongoing challenge for us to reach those younger technologists.”
Hoover adds, “It also speaks to the need for video and for podcasts, and formats that are possibly more appealing to those younger technologists as they're entering their careers.” Webinars are especially in demand, with 62% of survey respondents expressing a high level of interest in the format, making it the third most popular type of content offered by TechChannel, behind articles on new technologies and how-to guides.
Modernization is a constant topic of conversation for Hoover. “Some people on this platform in particular are still using green screens, so they're still using technology from way back in the day.” One of the TechChannel team’s goals, she continues, is “finding ways to help [readers] think about moving their systems forward.”
Changes Coming to TechBeat
In the spirit of progress, TechChannel is drawing from the recent reader feedback to inspire changes to the TechBeat newsletter. Readers can expect the refreshed version of the weekly roundup to hit their inboxes this fall.
While the newsletter’s look and feel are changing, its purpose will remain the same, according to Hoover: “to provide any kind of content that's going to help our readers achieve what they want to achieve, and hopefully do their jobs better, faster and easier.”
As the TechChannel team works toward that mission, Bray finds it helpful to remember, “We're not the experts. We're the storytellers about the technology. And that's what makes us excel.”