How architects really research products: what global surveys tell us
Surveys of architects in the US, Europe, Latin America and worldwide point the same way: specifiers find ideas in editorial and search, check facts on manufacturer websites, and decide based on proof. Here is what the data says — and what it means for brands in India.
Discovery starts with editorial and search
In ArchDaily’s 2020 survey of 585 professionals across 83 countries — 70% of them architects — the most-used sources for finding products and inspiration were ArchDaily itself (84%), Google (68%), specialised magazines (59%) and Pinterest (58%). Visiting local projects was also cited as a source of ideas.
BIMobject’s 2025 report, based on 1,352 AEC professionals worldwide, adds a newer channel: product discovery is increasingly happening inside the tools architects already use, through BIM libraries, search engines and design-software plug-ins.
Then they go to the manufacturer
When it is time for technical detail, architects go straight to the source. ArchDaily found 89% use manufacturers’ websites for technical research, followed by showroom visits (65%) and online catalogues (60%). The AIA’s Architect’s Journey to Specification study reports a similar picture in the US: 85% visit manufacturer websites, 82% review manufacturer technical information, and 86% contact a manufacturer representative during research.
The AIA also found that architects remain the most influential group in finding new products, with manufacturers the main external influence — and that roughly a fifth of respondents are starting to use AI in product research.
Proof decides
What tips a decision? In the ArchDaily survey, 91% said seeing a product applied in another project influences their choice, ahead of peer recommendations (70%) and previous experience with the manufacturer (66%). Physical samples, technical data sheets and high-quality photos of applied products were the materials they valued most.
The India lens
We have not found a published, India-specific survey of architects’ online research habits — so treat these global findings as a guide, not a measurement of the Indian market. From ArchVibe’s work with Indian specifiers, the same pattern holds: they avoid sales calls, research on their own time, and want proof in real projects.
- Be findable in the editorial, search and video places architects browse.
- Make your website a technical resource — spec sheets, installation detail, applied-project photos.
- Lead with real projects, ideally Indian ones, because proof in application is the strongest persuader.
- Reach the verified specifier so that discovery content reaches the people who actually write the spec.
- Architects discover in editorial, search and Pinterest; they verify on manufacturer websites.
- Seeing a product applied in a real project is the strongest persuader (91% in ArchDaily’s survey).
- Published India-specific data is scarce — global patterns are a guide, not a measure.