The Evolving Analyst Landscape: How enterprises should take advantage of their AR program in 2025

The analyst relations (AR) landscape has evolved significantly in 2024, shaped by macroeconomic pressures (ahem, administration changes), evolving AI-driven research methodologies, and an increased focus on business outcomes over technology features fueled by sales enablement.

• Much like the rest of the world, analysts are leveraging AI tools to process vast amounts of industry data, making vendor evaluations more dynamic and comprehensive. This has resulted in faster research cycles and an increased emphasis on quantitative performance metrics.
• Economic uncertainty has driven more M&A activity, requiring analysts to track ecosystem shifts and reevaluate vendor positioning frequently. Oftentimes, categories don’t exist because of this aggressive M&A environment. And while we know the time-old tale of creating a category because one doesn’t exist, we’re seeing that more than ever given how organizations merge and build out robust platforms that offer new solutions and solve new pain points. 
• Analysts now prioritize real-world ROI over technical specifications, making customer success stories and quantifiable impact essential for vendors. Proof of concept is a huge factor in these conversations. Companies may end up discussing future-looking implications based on the use case or customer experience shared with the analyst. 
• Unfortunately, firms continue to monetize research through advisory services. But we’ve seen a growing resistance to ranking vendors based on financial engagement alone. Those transactional partnerships actually limit the breadth of an analyst’s research and understanding of the entire ecosystem.
• Analysts are becoming more influential in press coverage, with major outlets increasingly citing analyst insights in reporting and as more analysts take up the pen on the editorial side. Analysts may be wading into “influencer” territory given the credibility they yield and the reach they possess.

• AI-driven innovation: Analysts want to understand how vendors are applying AI to drive efficiencies, security, and automation.
• Real-world impact: The focus is on customer case studies, measurable ROI, and long-term strategic differentiation.
• Integration & ecosystem compatibility: Analysts are evaluating how well solutions fit within broader enterprise tech stacks.
• Regulatory & compliance readiness: In industries like fintech, healthcare, and security, compliance with evolving global regulations is a major concern.

A well-executed analyst relations program is an essential part of a company’s broader PR and communications strategy, ensuring sustained visibility, credibility, and competitive positioning in the market. If you need help building out your AR program, reach out to us at hello@sourcecodecomms.com.