The Sources SMBs Use to Research Your Offerings

We recently surveyed 500 SMB principals to find out which media they use to research products and services for their business – in other words, which information sources are best at helping SMBs understand your offerings. The answer varies quite a bit by company size.

Very small businesses (VSBs, with fewer than 20 employees) and small businesses (SBs, with 20 to 99 employees) are both most likely to use search, whether to find out about your offerings or alternatives to them. They are both next most likely to use business or general news sites.

SBs, however, are equally likely to use the resource section of your site – which is in the top five for all SMBs, regardless of size. After the news sites, VSBs rely most on research reports, followed by your site resource center, and YouTube. Rounding out the top five research information sources for SBs are research reports and checklists or worksheets.  

Midsized businesses (MBs, with 100 to 500 employees) have a slightly different go-to set of information sources to research your offerings. They turn first to business or general news sites, followed by rating or review sites. After that, they lean most heavily on search, the product section of your website, and articles, for example on the resource center of your website.

Top Five Information Sources to Support SMB Product Research

Source: Bredin Omnibus

Looking for deeper insight into your target SMB?  Bredin’s global research gives you in-depth, actionable insights to improve your go-to-market, product, pricing, UX, and other strategies. We also generate uniquely valuable data for high-impact content, PR, social, and sales support programs.