Key Takeaways from EndeavorB2B's 2026 Marketing Benchmark Report
Key Highlights
- Budgets are increasing in 2026, with a focus on driving revenue through digital advertising and in-person events, but marketers must prove the value of their investments.
- Lead generation remains a challenge, with no single channel dominating; success depends on integrated, multi-channel campaigns that support the entire buyer journey.
- In-person events are gaining importance for building trust, but their success depends on strategic planning before, during and after the event to maximize ROI.
- Webinars and videos are underinvested despite delivering strong results; marketers should leverage these formats more strategically across multiple content types.
- Effective budget allocation requires understanding which channels produce high-quality leads and aligning investments with formats that foster trust and engagement.
Times of transition can highlight vulnerabilities and leave marketers wondering where to turn next. As we settle into 2026, the industry is navigating major shifts in spending habits, AI integration, buyer behavior and the renewed importance of in-person connection.
EndeavorB2B surveyed 228 marketing professionals in the 2026 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report, which paints a clearer picture of where marketers are investing, what is still getting in the way and which channels are showing the strongest signs of business impact. The data does not point to one easy answer. Instead, it shows a more disciplined marketing environment, where teams are being asked to spend smarter, connect channels more intentionally and prove value in ways that go beyond volume alone.
Why 2026 marketing budgets are rising — and why scrutiny is rising with them
After several years of tight pocketbooks, marketing budgets are finally on the rise, with 56% of respondents expecting budget increases (36% anticipate a 1-15% increase and 20% anticipate a >20% increase).
That is good news, but it should not be mistaken for a return to growth at all costs. If anything, the budget rebound raises the stakes. With more dollars available, marketers will likely face more pressure to show where that money is going and what it is producing.
The top objective remains driving revenue, cited by 53% of respondents. Digital advertising continues to be the top budget priority at 60%, followed by events at 42%. Those choices show marketers are still focused on reach, visibility and pipeline. But current decision-makers have an entire digital marketplace at their fingertips, and rather than being swept in by a polished sales pitch, they are looking for peer recommendations, authentic expertise and content that helps them make better decisions.
More budget may help marketers reach more people, but it will not automatically help them earn more trust.
What the benchmark report reveals about B2B lead generation challenges
Although lead generation commands 33% of marketing budgets, it remains a pain point: 39% of marketers cite it as their toughest challenge, with no simple solution in sight. That disconnect is important. Marketers are already investing heavily in lead gen, but the problem is far from solved.
The report also shows that no single channel clearly dominates in producing the highest-quality leads. When asked which channels produced the highest-quality leads, the answers were split: email marketing (46%), in-person events (44%), event marketing (44%), content marketing (43%), referral/word-of-mouth (42%), paid advertising (39%), webinars/event (37%), and social media (35%).
At first glance, that may look like a crowded field. But the narrow gap between the top-performing channels reveals that marketers may not have a “best channel” problem as much as a channel integration problem.
Email, events, content and referrals are all doing meaningful work, but likely at different points in the buyer journey. Email may help nurture interest. Events may create trust and urgency. Content may educate buyers before they talk to sales. Referrals may validate decisions already in motion.
That makes it risky to overcorrect toward one channel just because it performs slightly better in isolation — successful marketers must understand how each channel contributes to lead quality, momentum and conversion.
Why no single lead generation channel is enough in 2026
Without a clear leader, a multi-channel approach remains the best bet. But “multi-channel” should not mean simply showing up in more places. It means making those channels work together.
A campaign that starts with thought leadership, continues through targeted email, extends into an event conversation and is reinforced by sales follow-up will likely create more value than a collection of disconnected tactics. The benchmark data suggests buyers are not moving through one clean path. They are gathering information, checking credibility and comparing options across multiple touchpoints before they engage.
That means marketers need to meet their audience where they already are, but also make the experience feel connected. Seamless campaign integration across channels will have the biggest impact because it helps reinforce the same message, build familiarity and keep the brand relevant as buyers move from awareness to consideration to action.
Why in-person events are becoming a bigger part of B2B marketing strategy
In-person events are back in a big way. According to the report, 49% of respondents are increasing in-person event budgets. Of those organizations, 38% generate a quarter to half of all leads from in-person events.
The return of in-person events also points to a larger issue: Trust is harder to earn in a heavily digital environment. Buyers are sorting through more content, more automated outreach and more AI-assisted messaging than ever. Face-to-face interactions can create the credibility that digital channels often struggle to build on their own.
But higher event spend only pays off if marketers treat events as part of a full-funnel strategy, not a three-day brand appearance. The strongest event strategies start before the event with audience targeting, appointment-setting and content planning. They continue on-site through meaningful conversations, session coverage and relationship-building. And they extend after the event through follow-up, nurture campaigns, sales enablement and repurposed content.
Why webinars and video may be underused despite strong business results
One of the clearest gaps in the report is the distance between what marketers say works and where they continue to invest.
While in-person event investment appears to match its perceived value, webinars/virtual events and videos are underinvested in despite ranking No. 1 and No. 2 in delivering business results. Their investment trails behind blogs and articles, which may reflect how marketing teams actually operate. Written content is familiar, flexible and often easier to produce within existing workflows. Video and webinars typically require more planning, more coordination and more confidence in the message.
But if webinars and video are delivering stronger business results, marketers should take that seriously. This doesn't mean marketers should abandon blogs, articles or written thought leadership, but they should consider using written content more strategically to support higher-performing formats. For example, a single webinar can become a blog series, a sales enablement asset, a social campaign, a newsletter feature and a short-form video package. A strong video interview can fuel written recaps, email nurture and event follow-up.
How marketers should align budget with channels that actually perform
The 2026 benchmark data points to a more disciplined era of marketing. Budgets may be improving, but the easy answers are not. Lead quality is spread across channels. Events are gaining budget because trust is harder to earn digitally. Video and webinars appear to be outperforming their investment levels. Digital advertising still matters, but it cannot carry the full weight of revenue growth on its own.
For marketers, the next step is not simply to spend more. It is to audit where budget, performance and buyer behavior are out of alignment. Make sure your team is asking the hard questions:
- Which channels generate the most leads, and which generate the best leads?
- Where are prospects most likely to move from passive interest to active engagement?
- Are event leads being nurtured effectively after the booth is packed up?
- Are webinars and videos getting enough support, or are teams overinvesting in easier formats because the workflows are already in place?
- Is content helping buyers make decisions, or simply adding more noise to the marketplace?
The answers will look different for every organization, but marketing success will depend on reallocating budget to channels and formats that build trust, not just drive traffic.
Invest in hybrid campaigns that blend content, community and conversation. Build connected strategies around the channels already producing quality engagement. Use in-person events to deepen relationships, webinars and video to deliver substance, and content to extend the value across the full buyer journey.
Meeting your audience where they are still matters. But the marketers who lead in 2026 will go one step further. They will know why their audience is there, what they need next and how each marketing investment moves them closer to a decision.
The 2026 Marketing Benchmark Report gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how your peers are planning, investing, and adapting for the year ahead. Use their real-world insights to pressure-test your own strategy, fine-tune where your budget goes, and see how your thoughts stack up against broader industry benchmarks.
About the Author
Leah Marxhausen
Contributor
Leah Marxhausen is a content manager with Endeavor Business Media’s Content Studio, where she leads the development and execution of custom B2B content programs across all of Endeavor’s markets. She partners closely with clients, subject matter experts, and internal teams to deliver high-quality, insight-driven content.
Leah is particularly passionate about helping clients tell meaningful stories that perform — combining strong editorial standards with strategic GEO and SEO optimization to ensure content reaches and resonates with the right audience. She brings a detail-oriented, collaborative approach to every stage of the content life cycle.
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