IDC is often treated like the poor cousin at the analyst relations family gathering – quieter, less flashy and easy to overlook. But in many markets, it’s the firm with the strongest local influence and the deepest data. And its rated research report, the IDC MarketScape, isn’t just a knock-off Gartner Magic Quadrant.
With more than 1,300 analysts and unrivalled local coverage, IDC is actually one of the major global technology firms. Once you’re named in the IDC ProductScape, you need to prepare for potential inclusion in the MarketScape. This is an evaluation built on hard data, local insight and its own scoring model. Done well, it can boost credibility in priority markets. Done badly, it can quietly damage your reputation. You can read the basics on the IDC MarketScape here.
All too often, we see vendors fumble their opportunity to position well in IDC’s landmark evaluation. Here, we’ll talk about 5 of the most common mistakes vendors make with the IDC MarketScape.
Mistake #1: Underestimating IDC’s global weight.
You wouldn’t submit the same pitch deck to your investors, customers and press, so why do so many vendors treat analyst firms like they’re interchangeable? At Starsight, we see it all the time: teams obsessed with a single Magic Quadrant, while their IDC MarketScape submission is an afterthought. IDC (and all the other analyst firms out there) doesn’t just shadow Gartner, it serves a different function, speaks to a different audience and, in many regions, has a different kind of influence altogether.
And in many regions, IDC is the firm that locals are most familiar with. IDC has stronger local presence than the other FIGs (Forrester, IDC, Gartner), backed by a huge network of regional analysts and deeply segmented market data. In markets like APAC and EMEA, IDC is often the firm buyers turn to for validation, not just visibility. That’s because their data is local, granular and trusted. If your AR programme is too US-centric or assumes IDC is a non-player, you’re likely missing influence where it matters. IDC’s regional clout isn’t just about sales enablement –it affects your inclusion in the IDC MarketScape itself as you have to be a worldwide player to show up. We see it often: vendors treating IDC like a global broadcast when in fact it’s an influential network of regional specialists. To do well, you need an engagement strategy that reflects that reality.
Mistake #2: Treating IDC MarketScapes like a Gartner Magic Quadrant knock-off.
Analysts are not impressed by vendors who take their Gartner MQ or Forrester Wave submission, lightly rebrand it and call it a day. Analysts are not a monolith. Each firm – and each rated research report – has its own set of questions, priorities and scoring logic. Where Gartner may focus on revenue and roadmap, IDC might be digging for regional footprint or specific capabilities.
Simply repurposing content might save time, but it also reduces your credibility. We’ve seen vendors penalised not for weak answers, but for failing to answer the question they were actually asked. IDC RFIs often require specific proof points and quantifiable evidence, they are the international data corporation after all. If you’re vague or off-topic, you’ll score lower, no matter how slick your response sounds elsewhere. Nuance matters. If you want to perform well in a MarketScape, you have to meet IDC on its own terms. That means answering the right questions, in the right way, for the right audience.
Mistake #3: Not knowing what moves the dot.
For all the time vendors spend trying to “move the dot”, too few stop to understand what the axes actually measure. Unlike Gartner or Forrester, IDC uses a three-axis model in its MarketScape: capabilities, strategy and market share. Market share is represented by bubble size and is determined through IDC’s own data. It’s much harder to influence, but the other two aspects are fully within your control.
Critically, each MarketScape has a unique emphasis across those axes. Some lean heavily on current capabilities, others weight future strategy more strongly. Vendors that focus only on what they offer today risk being marked down on long-term vision. But the reverse is just as damaging. Presenting an inflated roadmap during your vendor briefing with little evidence to back it up won’t score well either. IDC is sceptical of vague promises and overblown innovation. Success means aligning your POV to the specific weighting of the report. At Starsight, we always advise vendors to balance what’s important for your brand story with what the analyst is scoring you on.
Mistake #4: Forgetting your references still matter.
We often see vendors hold their best references back for the Magic Quadrant, assuming that’s where they’ll matter most. But Gartner has shifted its focus to Peer Insights, meaning traditional references play a smaller role. IDC, on the other hand, still relies on direct interviews. Those conversations aren’t just box-ticking exercises; they’re treated as validation points across both capabilities and strategy. A strong reference can strengthen your case. A weak or inconsistent one can sink it. Make sure your reference customers are not just happy, but informed. Brief them on what IDC is likely to ask and align on your messaging.
Mistake #5: Not seeing IDC as category makers.
IDC is the spreadsheet behind the market strategy. Its analysts and numbers-led research, like their market shares, are credibility builders for enterprise buyers who need data to justify spend. It’s also a top resource for VCs and private equity firms sizing up their next investment.
IDC’s data-focus means they can spot clearer categories than others. IDC’s methodology is grounded in deep market sizing and segmentation, often defining niches Gartner hasn’t yet formalised. For vendors in emerging spaces, that can mean a better category fit and a better shot at standing out. Their market-driven inclusion also means more vendors have a chance at featuring in the report. At Starsight, we often see vendors get stuck trying to force fit into the wrong Magic Quadrant year after year, unaware that the IDC MarketScape offers more accessible, strategic ground. But if IDC analysts haven’t heard from you until the RFI drops, it’s already too late.
So, lock in or lose out.
IDC’s MarketScape isn’t just another box to tick on the AR checklist. It’s a chance to show up in front of the right buyers, in the right regions, with the credibility that comes from a data-led process. But if you treat it like a copy-paste job from your last Gartner MQ, you’ll not only miss that chance, you might quietly damage your standing with an audience that really matters.
The smartest analyst relations programmes don’t just chase one report. They know when to invest, how to prioritise and what each evaluation is really looking for. If you want help figuring that out, or getting it done, Starsight can help. We’ve supported vendors through every stage of the IDC MarketScape, from early groundwork to final dot placement. Get in touch if you want to take the MarketScape seriously and start to show up on that bubble graph with a programmatic, year-long AR plan that puts you on the analysts’ radar.
Read the latest Starsight Transmissions.
- The IDC MarketScape: Everything you need to know.
- The ultimate guide to an effective analyst advisory session.
- De-risking in a downturn: Why AR is a 100x ROI tactic?
