B2B buying behavior continues to evolve, with review sites such as G2 – Play a more critical role in the buyer’s journey.
A new research from winterThis phenomenon was revealed based on survey responses from 100 B2B SaaS marketing executives. According to the reply, 81% of people read third-party reviews When reviewing software.
While this report is full of interesting insights into the role of review platforms in influencing software purchasing decisions, here are three key findings that I think stand out the most.
- The initial research phase focused on review websites
The B2B buyer’s journey often begins with sourcing potential suppliers and solutions. Research shows that a large proportion of respondents (approximately 54%) begin supplier research through category searches on Google. This initial stage often leads them to review sites like G2.
These platforms act as a portal for potential buyers, providing a comprehensive overview of available solutions, user feedback and ratings. This trend emphasizes the importance of maintaining a strong, positive presence on these review sites, as they are critical to forming a buyer’s initial consideration.
- The power of psychological availability and word-of-mouth cannot be overstated.
Psychological availability refers to the ease with which a brand comes to mind in a purchasing situation. Combined with word-of-mouth recommendations, these factors can significantly influence B2B purchasing decisions. In fact, word-of-mouth recommendations were the most heavily weighted among survey respondents (73%) and played the biggest role in determining which vendors they considered.
Research points out that online reviews play a crucial role in enhancing psychological availability. Buyers often refer to these reviews during the decision-making process and rely on the experiences and opinions of other users to guide their choices. This reliance on peer feedback highlights the critical role of review sites in building trust and credibility among potential buyers.
- Educate yourself with third-party reviews
One notable trend found in the research is the self-education phase, with 91% of buyers already having a good understanding of the supplier by the time they attend a sales meeting. This is largely due to the wealth of information available on review sites.
When buyers engage directly with a supplier, they typically consult numerous reviews on the platform to gain insight into the product’s strengths, weaknesses, and how it compares to competitors. This smart sourcing approach highlights the need for suppliers to actively manage their online reputation and engage in reviews to ensure accurate representation.
The results of the Wynter study illustrate the integral role review sites play in the B2B buyer journey. These platforms not only help buyers discover and evaluate potential solutions, but also create an environment of trust through transparency and peer feedback.
For software vendors, the impact is clear: a strong, positive presence on peer-review sites can significantly influence purchasing decisions, so actively engaging in and managing their online reputation is crucial.
As the B2B landscape continues to evolve and reflect consumer shopping behavior, the importance of review sites like G2 in the buyer’s journey will only increase. They are critical in forming initial considerations, increasing psychological availability through word-of-mouth, and promoting buyer self-education. For software vendors who want to succeed in this competitive environment, understanding and leveraging the power of these platforms is critical.
Software vendors, learn more about generating real reviews from real users on G2.
