The 2026 Enterprise Architecture Emotional Footprint Report from Info-Tech Research Group identifies the leading EA solutions that stand out for user satisfaction and vendor relationships. Based on verified end-user reviews from the firm’s SoftwareReviews platform, the report highlights top vendors that help organizations better understand their technology environments, manage architectural complexity, and support effective planning and governance.

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Info-Tech Research Group has named five Champions in its 2026 Enterprise Architecture Emotional Footprint Report. Enterprise Architecture (EA) software gives organizations a clearer view of how their business capabilities, applications, data, and technology fit together. As IT environments become more complex and transformation priorities evolve, these platforms can help leaders assess dependencies, plan technology changes, and make better-informed decisions about their architecture.

Architecture platforms support capabilities such as dependency mapping, scenario planning, standards management, and architecture repositories. By providing a connected view of an organization’s systems, data, processes, and technology, these platforms can help teams evaluate the potential impact of changes, strengthen governance, and maintain greater consistency as the technology environment evolves.

Info-Tech’s Emotional Footprint measures high-level user sentiment by aggregating responses across 25 questions, creating a powerful indicator of overall user feeling toward the vendor and product. The result is the Net Emotional Footprint (NEF), a composite score that reflects the overall emotional tone of user feedback.

The 2026 Enterprise Architecture Champions are as follows:

OrbusInfinity, +91 NEF, recognized for being caring.Bizzdesign Hopex, +94 NEF, ranked high for being generous.QualiWare Enterprise Architect, +88 NEF, ranked high for being respectful.Ardoq, +86 NEF, ranked high for being trustworthy.ABACUS, +91 NEF, ranked high for being effective.

“Enterprise architecture is most valuable when it gives leaders a practical view of how technology decisions affect the wider organization,” says Abbas Jaffery, principal advisory director at Info-Tech Research Group. “The right platform can turn complex relationships into actionable insights, helping teams collaborate more effectively, assess the impact of change, and make more confident technology investment decisions. User feedback is critical because it shows how these solutions perform in real-world environments, not just how they look on paper.”

User assessments of software categories on SoftwareReviews provide an accurate and detailed view of the constantly changing market. Info-Tech’s reports are informed by data from users and IT professionals who have direct experience with the software throughout the procurement, implementation, and maintenance processes.

Read the full report:  2026 Enterprise Architecture Emotional Footprint Report

To learn more about Info-Tech’s Vendor Awards, including how Data Quadrant and Emotional Footprint recognition are determined using verified end-user feedback and the underlying evaluation criteria, visit Info-Tech’s Vendor Awards page, powered by SoftwareReviews.

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is the “get things done” partner for over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing leaders worldwide. The fastest growing research and advisory firm, Info-Tech, enables leaders to make well-informed decisions and transform their organizations through AI, strategic foresight, step-by-step methodologies, practical tools, industry-leading advisory, and training programs. For nearly 30 years, tens of thousands of private and public organizations have trusted Info-Tech to lead their most important initiatives through periods of change and deliver outcomes that truly matter.

To learn more about Info-Tech’s HR research and advisory services, visit McLean & Company, and for data-driven software buying insights and vendor evaluations, visit the firm’s SoftwareReviews platform.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software, as well as hundreds of industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

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The article explains how businesses can evaluate IT support, security, communication, continuity, and planning before choosing a provider.

HOBBS, N.M., Aug. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — How do you choose the right managed IT partner? A HelloNation article featuring insights from Managed IT Expert Lionel Fermin of GlobaTech Solutions in Hobbs, New Mexico, explains what businesses should consider before selecting a provider.

The HelloNation article explains that choosing a technology provider involves more than finding someone who can fix computers. Technology supports communication, customer service, financial systems, security, and many other daily operations. A reliable provider should understand how these systems work together across a business.

The article notes that companies should begin by reviewing what managed IT services actually include. Some providers focus mostly on technical support, while others also assist with cybersecurity, system monitoring, technology planning, and future technology needs. Businesses should understand which systems are covered and when support is available.

Response times are another important consideration. The article explains that a provider should describe how support requests are prioritized and assigned. Businesses should also know how they will receive updates while technical problems are being addressed.

Clear communication becomes especially important during an outage or security incident. The article notes that employees and managers need to understand what happened, who is addressing the problem, and what comes next. Providers should be able to explain technical issues in plain language so business leaders can make informed decisions.

Cybersecurity should also be discussed before a company selects a managed IT partner. The article describes several protections businesses may need, including software updates, access controls, monitoring, employee training, and secure backups. Providers should also explain how they identify and respond to possible threats.

The article explains that business continuity goes beyond maintaining data backups. A continuity plan should address how employees access systems and communicate during disruptions. It should also identify recovery responsibilities and determine which important systems should return first.

Technology planning is another sign that a provider is looking beyond daily support. The article notes that businesses may need to replace equipment, improve security, add software, or update older systems. Planning helps leaders decide which investments need attention now and which can wait.

As businesses grow, these decisions can become more important. Managed IT Expert Lionel Fermin’s insights featured in the article address the value of reviewing network capacity, software needs, security controls, and equipment replacement schedules before existing systems become strained.

Accountability and documentation are also important parts of a long-term technology relationship. The article explains that business leaders should know who handles key tasks and how the provider measures its work. Clear documentation can also make troubleshooting faster and strengthen business continuity during unexpected disruptions.

Cost remains part of the decision, but price alone may not reflect the full value of managed IT services. The article advises businesses to compare what agreements actually cover and identify services that could result in additional charges. Providers should also explain the business reasons behind recommended technology investments.

The article concludes that selecting a provider comes down to technical skill, communication, accountability, security, and planning. The right relationship should support daily operations, prepare the organization for disruptions, and help leaders understand how technology fits into broader business goals.

Choosing the Right Managed IT Partner features insights from Lionel Fermin, Managed IT Expert of Hobbs, New Mexico, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation
HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

www.hellonation.com

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Four new guides from the Portland agency cover LLM SEO, AI readability, budget reallocation, and 33 daily methods for ranking in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.

PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gravitate, a 27-year-old Portland-based digital marketing and web design agency, today published a series of research-backed guides establishing a practice framework for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): the discipline of earning citations in AI-generated search results across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and Bing Copilot.

The guides arrive as AI-generated answers displace traditional organic traffic at a measurable rate. Ahrefs tracked a 58% drop in clicks for top-ranking pages when a Google AI Overview appears, up from 34.5% just eight months prior. Semrush found 83% of AI Overview searches end without a single click. For businesses that built revenue pipelines on organic search, the existing playbook no longer produces the same return.

“The brands getting left behind are not losing because their product is worse,” said Rory Piecuch, SEO and AI Search Specialist at Gravitate. “They are losing because AI engines are not finding their content citable. That is a structural problem, and it has a structural fix.”

Gravitate’s research covers four interconnected areas of AI search visibility

The agency’s AI Readability Optimization guide details nine steps for structuring content so large language models can process, extract, and cite it. The framework includes answer-first formatting, sentence-level clarity rules, and entity attribution practices that make content retrievable by AI systems. Gravitate’s own content ranked number one in Google AI Overviews within a day of applying the framework.

“AI Search SEO: How to Rank on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini,” authored by Matt Malone, Gravitate’s VP of Growth, covers LLM SEO from a structural standpoint: schema markup, entity-rich content, prompt optimization for brand visibility, and how to measure citation rate and share of model as primary KPIs. The guide also includes a free GEO Audit Checklist.

The budget guide introduces a 70/30 allocation model for search spend. Gravitate recommends keeping 70% to 85% on core SEO and ring-fencing 15% to 30% for AI search visibility work, broken into six fundable line items: content refreshes, digital PR, original research, entity and author authority, structured data, and citation tracking tools.

A fourth guide, covering 33 practical AI methods the team uses daily in client SEO work, rounds out the series with applied tactics across keyword research, content optimization, and competitive analysis.

The business case is now supported by conversion data, not just traffic figures. Forrester research found 94% of B2B buyers use AI during their buying process and that 69% of B2B marketers surveyed called AI visibility a top CEO priority in 2026. Semrush data shows AI-referred visitors convert at 4.4 times the rate of traditional organic traffic. Ahrefs puts that ceiling at 23 times on high-intent queries.

Gravitate has applied this methodology across client work spanning B2B technology, e-commerce, legal, and healthcare, producing 723% organic traffic growth on its own site using the same approach.

Businesses looking to benchmark their current standing can access Gravitate’s AI Readiness Audit, which scores pages across 36 AI visibility factors before any budget is allocated.

Read the research series:

AI Search SEO: How to Rank on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini: gravitatedesign.com/blog/ai-search-seo/AI Readability Optimization: The Key to AI Search Traffic: gravitatedesign.com/blog/ai-readability-optimization/How to Adapt Your SEO Budget for AI Search: gravitatedesign.com/blog/how-to-adapt-seo-budget-for-ai-search/How to Use AI for SEO: 33 Easy Methods I Use Daily: gravitatedesign.com/blog/ai-for-seo/Start with an AI Readiness Audit:
https://www.gravitatedesign.com/service/ai-seo/

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?

AEO is the practice of structuring content so AI-powered search tools, including Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and Bing Copilot, can retrieve, summarize, and cite it in their responses. Where traditional SEO targets a ranked link on a results page, AEO targets the answer itself. The goal is to be the source AI cites, not a result a user has to scroll past.

How is AEO different from traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO earns rankings. AEO earns citations. The underlying signals overlap: technical health, authoritative content, and topical depth matter in both. The difference is in execution. AEO requires answer-first formatting, entity attribution, structured data, and digital PR that builds the verifiable footprint AI systems look for when choosing sources. Brands that treat AEO as a separate strategy from SEO are making a false distinction. It is the same foundation optimized for where search is going.

How do I know if my content is showing up in AI search results?

Most businesses do not know, and that is the problem. Citation rate and share of model are the two primary metrics to track: how often your brand appears in AI answers, and how often it appears relative to competitors across the same prompts. Tools like Otterly AI, Peec AI, and Semrush’s AI Toolkit track citations across major AI platforms. Gravitate’s AI Readiness Audit scores pages across 36 visibility factors to establish a baseline before any tracking or budget decisions are made.

How does Gravitate help businesses with AI search visibility?

Gravitate’s AI SEO service covers the full stack: content audits and answer-first rewrites, technical optimization, schema implementation, entity and author authority building, digital PR, and citation tracking. Engagements typically begin with an AI Readiness Audit, which scores existing pages and surfaces the highest-impact opportunities before any execution begins. Most clients see first citation gains within 60 to 90 days of optimization work.

About Gravitate

Gravitate is a full-service digital marketing and web design agency based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1999, the agency has launched more than 500 websites and built growth marketing programs across SEO, paid media, CRO, and analytics for clients in B2B technology, e-commerce, legal, healthcare, and consumer brands. Gravitate does not report on impressions, followers, or clicks unless they are tied to revenue. More at gravitatedesign.com.

Media Contact
Matt Malone
VP of Growth, Gravitate
matt.malone@gravitatedesign.com 
https://www.gravitatedesign.com/service/ai-seo/

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