The Benefits of the New Features at Gartner Peer Insights
In this article, we’ll introduce Gartner Peer Insights, explore some of its new features, and outline the benefits of correctly leveraging tech review sitesWhat Are Tech Review Sites? Tech review sites are specialized online venues that evaluate and provide insights about various technological products, services, and innovations. These sites serve as crucial resources... More. To conclude, we’ll explain some of the advantages of outsourcing the management of your online presence.
What is Gartner Peer Insights?
Gartner Peer Insights is a centralized, online ratings platform where IT decision-makers can review enterprise solutions and gain information from real-life customers before investing in new products. The platform is free to both vendors and reviewers alike and can be used regardless of whether you have a Gartner subscription. It accomplishes a few core functions:
- Connects interested enterprise buyers with ‘best in the business’ companies. Professionals know that the products and services they see on Gartner Peer Insights are not limited to sponsored vendors; all are invited, providing interested shoppers with a fair and honest comparison of the best companies.
- Provides free feedback to vendors. Gartner Peer Insights is a forum where vendors can post their products and garner reviews free of charge. This free feedback helps vendors see how they stack up against the competition and what buyers are looking for.
- Contributes to mutually beneficial market research. Gartner uses the contributions from Gartner Peer Insights to influence its Magic Quadrant research and other reports. These reports, in turn, benefit potential buyers, vendors, and the security and technology industries at large.
And ultimately, it provides free customer advocacyCustomer advocacy is a form of customer service in which organizations use customers as spokespeople. Customer advocacy is a focused approach to customer service, supported by marketing techniques. Engaging the... More (similar to employee advocacy), which is key to success in digital marketingWhat is Digital Marketing? Digital marketing—or online marketing—is a catch-all term for promoting brands using the Internet and other forms of digital communication. Digital marketers use various marketing channels, such... More. While all reviews are voluntary and participation is free, each review is connected to a verified individual and approved by Gartner before posting. Anecdotally, Gartner Peer Insights is one of the most trusted and highly regarded review sites for professionals in the technology space.
The Latest from the 2025 Gartner Peer Insights Webinar
According to the latest Gartner Peer Insights Biannual Vendor Webinar on January 22nd, 2025, the peer review site is more relevant than ever, with ‘exposure to Gartner clients’ growing by a staggering 24% in the past year alone. That means that vendors listing on the site would have had their products and reviews reach nearly a quarter more people than last year, which is an incredible growth in marketing reach (and for free).
Also, there was an astronomical 47% increase in unique page views on peer content, denoting that buyers are reviewing those reviews more than ever. Vendors are encouraged to ensure they are correctly listed and capable of taking full advantage of that growth.
In addition to double-digit increases, here’s what else was new:
- A new tool to source reviews directly at your events; get custom landing pages, QR codes, and boosted performance tracking.
- The number of times other vendors were considered in an evaluation (“vendor consideration frequency”) will now be factored into the User Interest & Adoption score.
- Plus, vendors can look forward to new Vendor Portal enhancements.
Gartner Peer Insights Q&A
Some highlights of the 2025 Gartner Peer Insights Biannual Vendor Webinar Q&A included the following:
Incentivizing customers to leave a review.
The whole point of vendor involvement is to garner reviews that cast them in the best light and put them ahead of the competition in ‘public opinion.’ However, the review process can be tedious. While Gartner sets up campaigns to garner as many reviews for its vendors as possible, vendors were also encouraged to set up their own incentive programs (see the Vendor-Funded Gift Card Overview and Incentive Policies) and dedicated teams.
How is Magic Quadrant placement determined?
Gartner uses various factors when deciding how vendors will appear in its highly anticipated Magic Quadrant for each new technology market. Those factors include primarily in-depth primary and secondary research, including interactions with end-user clients, technology providers, and industry leaders, content from academic, journalistic, and scientific sources, and Peer Insights.
How do vendors improve the review sourcing process to improve follow-through?
Vendors looking to automate this process are encouraged to reference the Review Sourcing Strategies document and Email Template for tips. There is no limit to the number of review sourcing links a vendor can put out, and customers can be asked to submit a review from LinkedIn. However, it is recommended that vendors engage on a one-to-one basis and not post the request as a general link to their LinkedIn audienceWhat is a LinkedIn Audience? A LinkedIn audience is made up of professionals and businesses across various industries who use the platform for networking, career development, and sharing industry insights.... More to avoid non-customers responding.
The Power of Peer Review Technology Sites
Never underestimate the power of a professional review. Research indicates that 94% of B2B buyers use online review sites, and 89% of those who do check them often (or always) before purchasing new business software. That may be why the following is true:
The majority of buyers use review sites at all stages of the buyer’s journey: Awareness (64%), Consideration (68%), and Decision (54%).
A B2B buyer will trust their peers and other secondary sources (online reviews, analysts, consultants) 16% more than sales and marketing materials from the vendors themselves.
Technology buyers find reviews invaluable, with 61% saying they are one of the information sources that most influence their purchasing decisions. By extension, this should mean that vendors find reviews invaluable as well.
Simply put, correctly leveraging tech review sites gives companies a powerful upper hand in B2B marketing. The potential of word-of-mouth is enormous, and that’s what Gartner Peer Insights and other professional review sites provide for the technology space. Companies that do not engage simply miss out on a giant—even critical—opportunity to compete.
Why Outsource?
The Bora team boasts a solid history of successfully managing the online presence of cybersecurity service providers across leading review platforms. We excel at gathering high-quality reviews and showcasing success stories. Our efforts have enabled clients to secure prominent placements in the Gartner Magic Quadrant and other significant industry reports.
By effectively utilizing customer feedback, we enhance product presentations and marketing strategies, consistently driving our clients’ success. Working closely with our clients’ marketing teams, we are always ready to provide guidance and committed to delivering our best—this collaborative approach is at the heart of our partnership.
