If Gartner Peer Insights were a game, it would be hot potato.
Here’s why: Maybe in your organization, marketing thinks product should own it. Product passes it off to customer success, who lobs it to sales. Sometimes it gets chucked over to analyst relations (AR) too — but darn it, that potato’s hot, and it’s hurriedly flung to someone else.
But here’s the thing: AR should have a grip on Peer Insights, even if they’re not owning it outright.
We know, we know: It’s hard to add another thing to an already jam-packed day. But here are six reasons why your AR team — or your internal team, in conjunction with an agency or service provider — should take an active role.
#1 — It’s Gartner. That means it matters.
Gartner’s brand carries serious weight, even outside of analyst research. That’s why reviews on Gartner Peer Insights — Gartner’s platform where end-users review and rate enterprise tech solutions — grab attention.
But here’s what makes the reviews more impactful: In addition to impacting Magic Quadrants, they’re used to fuel Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer (VOC) reports. These are Gartner-branded research documents featuring a 2×2 comparison grid, visually similar to a Magic Quadrant (MQ) but based on real customer reviews.
Factoring in user interest and adoption (X axis) and overall experience (Y axis), here’s how VOC reports categorize vendors:
- “Customers’ Choice” (upper right, similar to MQ Leader positioning)
- “Strong Performer” (upper left)
- “Established” (lower right), and
- “Aspiring” (lower left)
Unlike MQs, there are no placement dots or rankings — just alphabetical listings within each quadrant.
#2 — Gartner Peer Insights is becoming more embedded in Gartner research.
Here’s why AR should care: Review data on Gartner Peer Insights is often used for MQ customer reference information.
But it doesn’t stop there. As shared in a webinar last month, Gartner is doubling down on Peer Insights:
- More links to Peer Insights and VOC reports will soon appear in Market Guides and other Gartner research.
- Greater/tighter integration on Gartner.com search means Peer Insights content will be easier to find.
In short: Gartner Peer Insights isn’t just a review platform — it’s becoming a bigger part of how Gartner evaluates and writes about markets and vendors.
#3 — No MQ in your market? No problem.
Ok, we get it. You want a Magic Quadrant. But if your market isn’t covered in an MQ, there’s still
a big opportunity for it to be featured in a VOC report.
Why? Unlike MQs, which only cover select markets, all active Peer Insights markets (a much broader landscape) are eligible for a VOC report. That means:
- You can still land in a Gartner-branded document (VOC report) that customers and prospects take seriously.
- AR can play a key role in driving review data to strengthen your positioning.
So if there’s no MQ to showcase, a VOC report can be the next best thing and a strategic advantage.
#4 — Not pleased with your MQ placement? Offset it with a VOC win.
Let’s be real: Not every MQ placement is a reason to pop champagne. If you’re less than psyched about your ranking, a stellar VOC placement can offset that — balancing out the narrative and aiding in the sales cycle.
- Earned Customers’ Choice? Lean into it, and highlight a Gartner report where you do rank highly.
- Got dinged on functionality or support? Peer Insights quotes and VOC data can offer a more nuanced, customer-driven perspective.
In short: If your MQ story isn’t perfect, a stellar VOC report can be a powerful counterweight. Smart AR teams use both to shape market perception.
#5 — Gartner Peer Insights and VOC reports are exploding in growth!
If you’re not prioritizing Gartner Peer Insights, now’s the time to change that. The platform is expanding fast, and vendors that actively engage are reaping the benefits. Check out these eye-opening Peer Insights stats from Gartner’s January webinar:
- 700,000+ verified reviews and counting
- 772 markets covered, a 26% year-over-year increase
- 553 expert/analyst-defined markets + 219 Peer Insights-defined markets (the latter growing 72% YoY)
- 26,000 vendor products and services listed (15% YoY growth)
- 129 VOC reports published in 2024, up 42% from 2023
- 50% YoY growth in reviews sourced
This all adds up to more opportunities to be listed by Gartner — both in traditional research and in the growing volume of Peer Insights-based content, including VOC reports and “Peer Lessons Learned” documents. Leaning in now can help you maximize visibility and impact.
#6 — You can brag about Peer Insights reviews on social media
For AR and comms pros, Gartner’s Content Compliance Policy is a familiar rulebook — especially the “avoid company-specific quotes” part. So, while you can promote an MQ placement, for instance (such as on social media, in a press release, on a landing page, etc.), you can’t cite vendor strengths directly from the report.
But here’s the good news: Gartner Peer Insights plays by different rules.
- You CAN use positive reviews on Peer Insights in social campaigns.
- They’re Gartner-branded — providing additional and important third-party credibility.
- 750+ vendors are already using review snippets — a good opportunity to show, via Gartner, why your users love you.
More key changes to know
Gartner recently outlined other major updates to Peer Insights, alongside its continued growth and deeper integration with Gartner research.
- New VOC scoring methodology (April 2025) – Weightings for industry, company size, and region are being adjusted. Why? Previously, vendors with high review counts in limited demographics may have had a “disproportionate positional advantage” on the X axis. The update gives greater consideration to vendors with a diverse customer base, when that diversity is reflected in reviews. Gartner’s advice? “We encourage vendors to source a diverse set of reviews across industries, company size, and regions.”
- New VOC data point — Gartner will factor in responses to “What other vendors did you consider in your evaluation?” This will highlight which companies are frequently competing head-to-head in real buying decisions — a plus for companies whose names come up a lot in prospect decision-making.
AR and marketing teams take heed: These changes and growth are more reasons to create or refine your Peer Insights strategy, or work with a trusted partner to do so.
ARInsights’ Services team can help
Navigating Gartner Peer Insights (as well as other peer reviews platforms) strategically can make a big impact — on analyst perception, sales conversations and market positioning. Whether you’re looking to launch a review management program or refine your approach, ARInsights’ Services team can provide hands-on support, assisting your internal team or running point. We help clients:
- Identify the best customer advocates
- Increase new business and renewal win rates
- Positively influence analyst opinions/evaluations
- Turn reviews into revenue
Interested in refining your Peer Insights strategy or picking our brains? Our Services team would love to chat: Hit us up.
It’s not that hot — hold onto the ‘hot potato’!
As Gartner Peer Insights expands — and becomes even more closely tied to analyst research and AR — there’s a real opportunity for analyst relations teams to get involved and demonstrate impact.
So when you find yourself holding what feels like a Peer Insights “hot potato,” don’t just pass it off (or better yet, don’t wait for it to be thrown your way). Instead, turn it into a strategic advantage. With AR playing a role, you can transform customer feedback into analyst influence, stronger positioning and improved market perception. Good luck!
