Written by Florie Lhuillier, Head of Cybersecurity, CCGroup
Working in the cybersecurity industry is like continuously training for a marathon. I'm nervous at first, but I'm excited to try something new. Then immediately the problem of what you were trying to do becomes very clear.
There aren't many people you can rely on to do this other than yourself. The increased risk of nicks and injuries is very real, and external factors such as bad weather and heat create obstacles to training.
Additionally, more and more runners are registering to participate in the same event, making the goal of standing out and being in the top 10% even more difficult.
The reality for cybersecurity professionals today can feel equally unforgiving. As global economic uncertainty continues, talent shortages worsen, geopolitical events and new technologies such as AI make cyberattacks more likely and increasingly sophisticated, new cybersecurity startups are emerging. It is appearing.
These cybersecurity marketing trends are making the role of those responsible for driving solutions much more challenging and are causing them to rethink their strategies. Let's take a closer look.
Skill shortage is real
According to the report, companies in the UK and US that reported a decline in investment last year cited talent shortages as the main reason. A recent study by the UK government found that 50% of all UK businesses lack basic cybersecurity skills, and that there will be over 160,000 cybersecurity jobs posted in 2023, which is expected to increase in 2022. He was also found to have increased by 30%.
The skills gap in the industry is real and will continue to grow unless organizational resources are redirected to security departments for support or companies develop talent from within and improve the skills of their employees through proper training. It will continue to expand.
The target area of cyberattacks is expanding
The economic downturn and geopolitical conflicts the world is experiencing are also driving the expansion of attack surfaces. While pro-Russian hackers launch politically motivated cyberattacks on Western infrastructure, cybercrime groups are stepping up their efforts and knocking on more doors, especially on smaller groups. They need to make money too, especially in a turbulent economic climate.
Advances in technology such as generative AI are another reason for the rise in cyberattacks. From business email compromise attacks and malicious chatbots to deepfake phishing, the creation and proliferation of AI-driven hacker tools like WormGPT and FraudGPT are lowering the barrier to entry and democratizing the execution of many types of attacks. has been made into This makes the need for businesses to stay responsive to threats even more important.
Significant investments are being made, but challenges remain
Even as the world enters what experts call a “polycrisis” (inflation, climate change, war in Ukraine), the market for cybersecurity products remains, at least at first glance, booming. According to the same report mentioned above, 78% of businesses in the US and 58% of businesses in the UK increased their investments in the last year.
Meanwhile, 81% of all businesses are considering partnering with a new cybersecurity technology supplier in the next 12 months. Companies are also identifying gaps in existing cybersecurity solutions and looking for vendors that can better address their needs, especially in the areas of endpoint security, application security, and fraud prevention.
But looking ahead, 37% of U.S. companies expect to reduce their workforce in the next 12 months. Similarly, 24% of UK businesses plan to cut spending. The main argument on both sides of the pond is that this change is good for the bottom line.
This means that cybersecurity vendors must redouble their sales and marketing efforts and further emphasize the uniqueness and cost-effectiveness of their products if they want to attract the attention of buyers.
The provider landscape is changing
Finally, the proliferation of attacks that cost trillions of dollars each year also creates a huge market opportunity for cybersecurity. Analyst firm Gartner predicts that end-user spending on the information security and risk management market will reach $267.3 billion in 2026.
According to IT-Harvest, there are over 3,740 cybersecurity vendors around the world, and the provider landscape has become extremely competitive and dynamic, with new startups emerging every day that want a piece of the pie. Masu.
All of these factors are causing cybersecurity vendors to re-evaluate their marketing efforts to help companies address the growing skills gap, manage cybersecurity threats, and limit, if not eliminate, exposure to risks. That means you need to help ensure business resilience.
Adapting your cybersecurity marketing strategy
To do this, marketing teams need to analyze, adjust and adapt what they're doing on a regular basis to what's happening in the market, from overall strategy to new technologies, tools and trends. .
Returning to the running analogy, marathon training will never be perfect for anyone. Bumps in the road are part of the journey. But it's not about what happens, whether you get injured or whether you finish your run, it's about how you react to it and what you learn from it.
Marketers must first identify where they want to be in 12 or 24 months and where they are now. Do you want to increase awareness or improve RFP conversion rates? Are your current channel and content strategies aligned with this goal? You need a third party, ideally a coach, to Take the time to analyze what you did (or didn't do) and what you could have done better.
Just like when a race doesn't go as planned despite all your training. Did you have the proper equipment, clothing, and fuel that day? If not, be sure to adjust your strategy and program to adapt to external factors before your next one. Only then will you have the best chance of success.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this guest post are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Cyber Express. The content provided by the author is the author's opinion and is not intended to defame any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or any other person.
