Engineers Spend 62% of the Buying Journey Researching Online; New Study by TREW Marketing, GlobalSpec Shows How AI, Brand Visibility, Expertise Drive Vendor Selection

State of Marketing to Engineers research available now; free webinar explores how engineers evaluate vendors in the AI era

AUSTIN, Texas, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --  Engineers research solutions independently, and brands that appear in trusted industry channels with credible technical expertise are the ones most likely to earn their attention.

That's according to the 2026 State of Marketing to Engineers research, released today by TREW Marketing and GlobalSpec, in collaboration with Elektor International Media. Now in its ninth year, the study and following State of Marketing to Engineers webinar examine how engineers and technical buyers research products, evaluate vendors, and decide which companies make the shortlist.

Access the research: https://www.trewmarketing.com/state-of-marketing-to-engineers-research-report

View the webinar:
https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/5227895/41B610E227E4222B165742ACAED7F488

Key Findings from the Research

The study highlights trends shaping how engineers gather information and evaluate vendors:

• Technical publications and vendor websites remain the top sources of product information, with publications now slightly ahead
• 53% of technical buyers say brand familiarity influenced their most recent purchase decision
• 70% of buyers are more likely to choose the better-known brand when evaluating technically similar solutions
• Technical buyers rate generative AI answers 4.7/10 for trustworthiness, up only slightly from 4.4/10 in 2025.
• AI usage is rising in research workflows, though engineers continue to validate answers through trusted sources

Together, the findings highlight a consistent pattern: engineers rely heavily on independent research and credible technical information before speaking with vendors.

Free Webinar Details Insights for Industrial Marketers

Technical marketers can access a free webinar hosted by Wendy Covey, CEO and Co-Founder of TREW Marketing; CJ Haight, Senior Marketing Manager at GlobalSpec; and Udo Bormann, Senior Marketing Manager at Elektor.

In the webinar, Covey, Haight, and Bormann explore the report's additional findings and discuss:

• Where engineers go first when researching products and vendors
• How technical publications influence credibility
• The role of engineering expertise in building trust
• How brand familiarity affects vendor selection
• How marketers can reach buyers earlier in the research process

About TREW Marketing, GlobalSpec, and Elektor

Learn more about TREW Marketing, a strategy-first marketing firm serving technical companies, at https://www.trewmarketing.com.

Learn more about GlobalSpec, and its solutions for industrial marketers, at https://www.globalspec.com/advertising.

Learn more about Elektor, a global platform connecting engineers, developers, and the electronics industry, at https://www.elektormagazine.com/partner-up.

SOURCE TREW MARKETING