Informa TechTarget Launches AI Index for B2B Marketers
August 12 2026
B2B intelligence group Informa TechTarget has launched the B2B AI Authority Index, a diagnostic tool to help B2B marketers understand and improve how they influence buyers in AI-mediated purchase journeys.
The company says AI search is reshaping the B2B buyer's journey and the broader digital marketing landscape, with recent Forrester research claiming that as many as 94% of B2B buyers are using AI tools in their research process.
The new Index taps the company's proprietary S.I.G.N.A.L. framework, which measures strength across six core capabilities:
- Strategy: AI authority is owned at the CMO level with budget, KPIs, and a long-term roadmap;
- Intelligence: A deep understanding of buyer research behavior across all channels;
- Governance: Content standards, processes, and technical frameworks are in place for AI discoverability;
- Narrative: The brand has a deliberate, documented plan for the topics it wants to own;
- Amplification: Recognition is systematically built through analysts, industry media, and other third-party sources trusted by buyers; and
- Longevity: Ongoing investment and activity to sustain authority.
The tool's self-assessment process uses 24 questions to identify specific areas of brand strength and weakness across areas that determine whether AI is likely to recommend it over a competitor's. The scores allow B2B marketers to identify their brand's AI Authority archetype from among four categories: The Newcomer, The Contributor, The Referenced, and The Authority. The assessment highlights areas for improvement and recommends actions.
'AI has officially entered the buying group,' claims Lieu Thi Pham, Vice President of Strategy - Brand and Content at Informa TechTarget. 'AI systems that scan and consume multimedia content from every corner of the web are now a key persona of the B2B buying team. Although certainly not the only source of information, AI's influence on purchase decisions cannot be underestimated or ignored.'
CEO Gary Nugent (pictured) says the company is in 'a unique position to assess [clients'] AI authority, identify opportunities to strengthen it, and then apply the full weight of our deep B2B expertise, global audience ecosystem, and comprehensive go-to-market services to help them succeed.'
Informa TechTarget is headquartered in Boston, MA and has offices in 19 global locations. Web site:
www.informatechtarget.com .
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.
