Tension: Marketers want to reach real buyers—but still rely on shallow engagement signals instead of real purchase intent. Marketers want to reach real buyers—but still rely on shallow engagement signals instead of real purchase intent. For years, marketers have operated on the assumption that content equals awareness, and awareness eventually becomes revenue. What TechTarget understood back in 2017 is even more relevant today: in tech marketing, the content is the pipeline. Traditionally, content marketing is seen as a cost center: a branding play or top-of-funnel driver.