And just like that, we’re already nearing the final days of 2023 (woah). As we step into the new year, the landscape for interactive demos is ever evolving, with some exciting trends shaping the way businesses engage better with their audiences. In this article, we’ll share our predictions and the latest trends that’ll define the category in 2024.
Here our some of our observations on interactive demo content from this year:
- Ungated content experiences received higher engagement (26% over gated content)
- Interactive Demo integrations with software research tools (like G2) supported the need for better buyer enablement
- B2B buyers continue to expect personalized website experiences similar to B2C
5 predictions for interactive demos in 2024
Interactive demos will continue to play a huge role in modern buying cycles as buyers seek more “try before buy" experiences.
1. Demand for deeper intent data and insights
Companies will seek more intent data behind their demos to understand their buyers better. Marketers need to know how and when their top of funnel interactive demos are converting buyers — getting an inside look at where buyers are spending time engaging, the types of demo content selected most, and even at what point they’re deciding to reach out and take the next step. This type of engagement data also proves valuable for sales teams wanting to have better conversations with prospects. A big focus will be quickly sharing data with sales teams in an effort to accelerate cycles.
As it relates to Tourial Demo Centers — personalized content hubs for your prospects to find the important info they need — buyers answer prompts, self-selecting into the content they want to view, and then sales teams can gain valuable insights for discovery based on those answers.
2. Bigger budgets, but continued tech consolidation
This year we saw tighter budgets and a big focus on need to haves vs. nice to haves when it came to software. In 2024, Gartner forecasts spend in SaaS alone to grow 19% from 2023. And, according to G2’s Buyer Behavior Report, 58% of executive leaders (VPs, SVPs, C-suite) say spending will increase this upcoming year.
In an effort to cut back on nonessential spending, we’ll still see companies wanting to work with fewer vendors and choose those that can offer cross-departmental solutions (instead of multiple niche tools). With this in mind, interactive demo providers that can solve for multiple use cases will make for a better fit for a lot of buyers. Beyond their own offerings, software companies will also need to think strategically about their ability to integrate with buyers’ existing tech stacks to meet demands for fast and easy solutions.
3. Buyers will seek quicker ROI from companies
While spending increases, vendors will also feel pressure to quick value. For those anticipating higher spend on software in 2024, realizing ROI within 6 months will be a necessity and an important factor during the buying process (G2 Buyer Behavior Report). So companies need to focus on showing how their offering can drive value (not just telling).
4. Hyper-personalization within self-serve buyer experiences
B2B buyers will continue to expect seamless experiences similar to B2C interactions and even more personalization. More self-serve options will also be in demand at every stage of the buying journey. Companies will need to leverage interactive content to engage prospects and deliver personalized experiences that educate fast.
Easy access to self-education helps buyers understand your product by quickly getting a sense of “how” it works, bridging any complexity, and even help them envision using it in their workflows. If they can’t find the information about your product that they’re looking for, they might not evaluate it all.
5. AI will continue to fuel content creation
This year was full of companies launching AI features left and right, especially in the content creation space. OpenView even reports that 77% of SaaS companies have either launched AI features or had AI on their product roadmap in 2023.
One big trend we anticipate for 2024 is AI-driven interactive demos. Think content recommendations for demos, iterations on copy to test demo variations (so you can see what gets more engagement or converts better), or automatic language translations to quickly reach global audiences.
Separate from AI-driven demos, we also foresee companies using interactive demos to showcase their own AI features and products.
Warmly, added two AI tools to their sales orchestration platform this year: Warm AI Chat and AI Prospector. They’re using interactive demos to showcase how these features work to automatically engage website visitors and send outbound emails to prospects matching ICP.
New year, new (and more) interactive demos
As we look ahead to 2024, interactive demos (and the demand for them) show no signs of slowing down. Buyers will continue to want self-serve experiences that both educate and engage, and the power of interactive demos lies in their ability to bridge that gap. If you’re ready to drive better engagement, more conversions and revenue with interactive demos, Tourial is here to help.