How B2B buyers use social media, peers, and AI to research vendors

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in July 2016 and has been updated for 2026 with new research on how B2B buyers use social media, peer reviews, and AI to research vendors.

When we first wrote this post, the big news was that B2B buyers had started using social media to research vendors. That’s no longer news. Today’s buyers move between LinkedIn, YouTube, peer reviews, industry communities, and AI tools like ChatGPT before they ever talk to a salesperson. And by the time they do reach out, most have already decided who they like.

Here, we walk you through what the latest research says about how B2B buyers research vendors, which channels matter most, and what supply chain, logistics, and manufacturing companies should do about it.

Quick answer: do B2B buyers use social media to research vendors?

Yes. Social media is one of several channels B2B buyers use to research vendors, alongside peer reviews, word of mouth, and increasingly AI tools. LinkedIn’s research found that nearly two-thirds of B2B buyers say social video helps shape their buying decisions. Buyers also do most of their research on their own, so your social presence is often how they first judge whether you’re credible.

Buyers do most of their research before they talk to you

The biggest shift in B2B buying is how much happens without you. In the 6sense 2025 B2B Buyer Experience Report, which surveyed nearly 4,000 buyers:

• Buyers made first contact with sellers about 61% of the way through their buying journey.
• Buyers, not sellers, initiated 79% of engagements.
• 94% of buyers had already ranked their shortlist by preference before engaging sellers.
• The vendor that won the selection phase went on to win the deal 77% of the time.

In other words, buyers are forming opinions about your company long before your sales team gets a chance to make its case. Social media, your website, reviews, and AI answers are doing that selling for you, whether you’re managing them or not.

How B2B buyers use social media today

LinkedIn is still the center of B2B social

For supply chain companies, LinkedIn is where buyers, partners, and future employees are most likely to see you. Buyers use it to check out your company page, see what your leaders are posting, find out who they know at your company, and get a feel for your expertise. A quiet or outdated LinkedIn presence sends a signal, and it’s not a good one.

Video is shaping buying decisions

Video has become one of the most influential formats in B2B. According to the LinkedIn B2B Institute, nearly two-thirds of B2B buyers say social video helps shape their buying decisions. The same research found that vendors known across the whole buying group from the start are 20 times more likely to be bought than those known only through an expert recommendation.

For supply chain companies, video is a natural fit: facility tours, equipment demos, customer stories, and short explainers from your own experts all help buyers see what working with you would actually be like.

Peers and reviews still carry weight

B2B buyers trust other buyers. TrustRadius’s 2026 B2B Buying Disconnect report found that most buyers consult customer reviews during their purchase journey and more than half speak with a peer along the way. Industry groups, LinkedIn conversations, and word of mouth from people buyers already trust remain some of the strongest influences on a shortlist.

AI is now part of the research process, too

The newest research channel is AI. Forrester reports that 94% of business buyers now use AI in their buying process. And in G2’s 2026 research, 51% of B2B software buyers said they start their research with an AI chatbot more often than with Google, up from 29% a year earlier.

That matters for social media, too. AI tools pull from what’s published about you across the web, including your LinkedIn presence, reviews, and mentions in industry publications. A consistent, active presence makes it easier for AI tools to understand and recommend your company. Here’s more on how logistics companies get recommended by ChatGPT and AI search.

What buyers expect when they find you

Whether a buyer finds you on LinkedIn, through a peer, or in an AI answer, they’re looking for the same things:

• Proof you understand their world. Content that speaks to their specific industry, challenges, and terminology.
• Real expertise. Insight from people at your company, not just promotional posts.
• Evidence. Case studies, customer stories, and specifics that back up your claims.
• Consistency. The same story on your website, LinkedIn, review sites, and sales conversations.
• A fast response. When they finally reach out, they expect to hear back quickly. Here’s why lead response time matters so much.

How supply chain companies can show up where buyers research

• Keep your LinkedIn company page current. Update your description, services, locations, and featured content so it matches your website.
• Get your experts posting. Posts from real people at your company often reach more buyers than company page posts. Your team members can be some of your best brand ambassadors.
• Invest in short video. Facility walkthroughs, project highlights, and quick tips from your team give buyers a reason to stop scrolling.
• Ask happy customers for reviews and referrals. Make it easy for satisfied customers to vouch for you on Google, LinkedIn, and industry directories.
• Show up in industry conversations. Comment on trade publication posts, participate in association groups, and share takeaways from trade shows.
• Connect social to your pipeline. Track how social and AI referrals turn into website visits, leads, and opportunities in your CRM.

Questions we’ve gotten about B2B buyers and social media

Q: Which social media platform is best for B2B supply chain companies?
A: For most supply chain, logistics, and manufacturing companies, LinkedIn is the top priority because that’s where buyers, partners, and candidates spend time professionally. YouTube is a strong second for video content like facility tours and demos.

Q: Do B2B buyers really make decisions based on social media?
A: Social media rarely closes a deal on its own, but it shapes which vendors make the shortlist. Since buyers do most of their research before contacting sellers, your social presence often forms their first impression of your company.

Q: Should our employees post on LinkedIn or just the company page?
A: Both. The company page is your official presence, but posts from real people, especially leaders and subject matter experts, tend to earn more engagement and trust.

Q: How does social media affect AI search?
A: AI tools draw on information published across the web, including professional profiles, reviews, and industry mentions. A consistent, active presence helps AI tools understand what your company does and makes it more likely you’ll be recommended.

Want to reach more buyers where they research?

Fronetics works exclusively with supply chain, logistics, and manufacturing companies, and we help clients build a presence on LinkedIn, in search, and in AI answers that turns researchers into buyers. Get in touch to talk about where your buyers are finding you.

Related posts:

• Why 88% of B2B marketers use social media
• Report: Social media and the logistics and supply chain industries
• Need leads? Try social prospecting