How SMBs Research Before Buying

Once SMBs are aware of a product or service, where do they go to research it? We asked decision makers about their top information sources at the research stage of the sales cycle and here’s what we learned.

‍Search is #1. As is the case with sources to first learn about products and services, search is the number one source of information for SMBs of every size.

‍Midsized businesses trust ratings and reviews. For midsized businesses (MBs, 100–500 employees), ratings/review sites tie with search as the most relied-on research source.

‍Research reports matter. Across all SMB sizes, research reports consistently rank as the second or third most important information source at the research stage.

‍SMBs of all sizes look at your website:

• Very small businesses (VSBs, 1–19 employees) look to vendor sites for tips and advice (ranked 3rd) and product details (4th).
• Small businesses (SBs, 20–99 employees) place vendor product pages 3rd, tying with ratings/review sites.
• MBs put vendor resource centers 5th on their research list.

YouTube is important. SMBs lean on YouTube for product research. VSBs and SBs rank it 5th, tied with Google Gemini for SBs.

‍Customer stories sell. Case studies and success stories are influential, especially for MBs. This year, MBs rank them 3rd, tied with research reports, and value them more than smaller SMBs.

Top SMB Information Sources at the Research Stage of the Sales Cycle

What’s on the mind of the SMBs you target? With an SMB-only research focus and decades of market research expertise, Bredin delivers uniquely valuable and actionable custom and omnibus market research. Contact us to learn how we can support your visibility, product, content, PR, social, and sales goals.