IT leaders are a prime buying audience for many B2B SaaS companies. The modern Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO) are no longer merely internal IT managers; they’re innovation strategists and chief risk officers.
Reaching these personas requires SaaS PR messaging that speaks to their top concerns and provides the technical depth they crave.
Insights from PAN’s C-Suite Signals report will help you craft a PR strategy that cuts through the noise — and speaks directly to the individuals you’re trying to reach.
What’s on the Mind of CTOs and CIOs?
The CTO and CIO simplify work for their organization, but they are very focused on effective, safe implementation. They want both data security and fidelity.
Cybersecurity is a top priority, from emerging threats and trends to best practices. They’re googling terms like SIEM vendors and best endpoint security for business.
They’re also interested in strategic innovation and operational excellence, actively seeking information on new cloud platforms and robotic testing tools.
And don’t forget the data; they want to know more about data analytics for business and big data management techniques. Related search phrases include data integrations such as Informatica, AWS and Snowflake.
Where Do CTOs and CIOs Get Their News?
When ChatGPT answers prompts from CTOs and CIOs, a few usual suspects rise to the top. Frequently cited pubs include:
- Reuters
- Forbes
- TechRadar
- Analytics Insight
- CIO
The LLM outputs also often feature citations from analysts, like Gartner and McKinsey, and arxiv.org, a repository of scientific papers. This suggests these leaders are seeking information validated by industry analysts and the research behind new technologies. They want strategic context and predictive insights.
When it comes to who they actively follow, CTOs/CIOs gravitate toward technology media, including ComputerWorld and InformationWeek. Their favorite podcasts and YouTube channels skew toward AI, tech trends, and strategic business analysis.
CIO.com showed up across execs’ social follows, favorite YouTube channels, and even in ChatGPT results — making it a prime outlet to pitch.
So What Does This Mean for My SaaS PR Strategy?
The takeaway: CTOs and CIOs live and breathe security, efficiency, and evidence. You can frame your PR messaging around “secure innovation” — concrete advice on how to move fast without breaking things. And back up your story with proof.
Skip general trends pieces and focus on thought leadership that solves specific problems. Think “How to Lock Down Your Cloud Pipeline Without Slowing DevOps” instead of “The Future of Cloud Security.”
Pitch technical and industry media to reach these personas, and don’t neglect podcasts.
With so many consulting firms appearing in ChatGPT results, consider building relationships with analysts. Keeping analysts informed on your brand’s product vision and customer success stories creates visibility and increases the likelihood of inclusion in their research and recommendations.
To learn more about specific search phrases and outlets that interest CTO/CIOs, download PAN’s C-Suite Signals report.
Not sure where to start? Drop us a line — PANBlast can help you turn insight into impact.