Table of Contents
B2B Ad Spend Overview
B2B digital advertising has grown dramatically, nearly tripling from pre-pandemic levels. Understanding the B2B advertising landscape helps contextualise channel investments and benchmark performance.
Global B2B digital ad spend is expected to reach $48.15 billion by 2026, nearly 3x pre-pandemic levels. 61% of B2B marketers cite PPC as their most effective paid channel for lead generation.
Global B2B digital ad spend (2026)
Source: eMarketer
Growth vs pre-pandemic levels
Source: eMarketer
B2B marketers citing PPC as most effective
Source: DemandGen
US B2B digital ad spend
Source: eMarketer
Annual B2B ad spend growth
Source: eMarketer
B2B marketers increasing digital spend
Source: Gartner
B2B Advertising Trends
- Digital dominance: 70%+ of B2B marketing budgets now allocated to digital channels
- Account-based marketing: 87% of B2B marketers report ABM delivers higher ROI
- Content integration: Paid media increasingly used to amplify content marketing
- Multi-channel: Average B2B buyer engages with 13+ content pieces before purchasing
- Intent data: 62% of B2B marketers now use intent data for targeting
B2B Budget Allocation
- Paid search: 25-35% of B2B digital budget
- LinkedIn: 15-25% of B2B digital budget
- Display/Programmatic: 15-20% of B2B digital budget
- Content syndication: 10-15% of B2B digital budget
- ABM platforms: 10-15% of B2B digital budget
LinkedIn Advertising
LinkedIn is the dominant platform for B2B advertising, offering unmatched professional targeting despite higher costs than other platforms.
65% of B2B companies have acquired customers via LinkedIn. The platform delivers an average conversion rate of 3.11% and median CPM of $31 for SaaS & Tech companies, though CPC averages $75.86 - the highest of major platforms.
B2B companies acquiring customers via LinkedIn
Source: LinkedIn
Average LinkedIn conversion rate
Source: WordStream
Average LinkedIn CPC
Source: WordStream
Median CPM (SaaS & Tech)
Source: Metadata.io
Video impression share (up from 17%)
Source: Metadata.io
LinkedIn members globally
Source: LinkedIn
LinkedIn Ad Performance by Format
- Sponsored Content: Most common format, 0.4-0.8% CTR typical
- Message Ads: 30-40% open rates, but limited to 1 message per member/30 days
- Video Ads: 28% of impressions now video (up from 17% in 2024)
- Carousel Ads: Higher engagement for storytelling and multiple products
- Document Ads: Effective for lead magnets and thought leadership
LinkedIn Targeting Effectiveness
- Job title targeting: Most effective for specific decision-maker targeting
- Company size: Critical for segmenting SMB vs enterprise campaigns
- Industry targeting: Enables sector-specific messaging and offers
- Skills targeting: Useful for technical and professional audiences
- Matched audiences: Website retargeting and account lists drive lowest CPL
LinkedIn by Industry Benchmarks
| Industry | Median CPM | Video % |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS & Tech | $31 | 28% |
| Financial Services | $38 | 22% |
| Healthcare | $35 | 18% |
| Professional Services | $29 | 24% |
| Manufacturing | $26 | 15% |
B2B Search Advertising
Google Ads remains critical for B2B lead generation, capturing high-intent searches at the research phase. B2B search requires different strategies than B2C due to longer sales cycles.
B2B PPC strategies require patience - 90+ day sales cycles are normal, and 52% of B2B ads mistakenly point to homepages rather than targeted landing pages. Proper landing page strategy can improve conversion rates by 25-40%.
Average B2B CPC
Source: WordStream
Average B2B CTR
Source: WordStream
Average B2B CVR
Source: WordStream
Average B2B CPA
Source: WordStream
Typical B2B sales cycle
Source: Gartner
B2B ads pointing to homepage (mistake)
Source: HubSpot
B2B Search Strategy Insights
- Keyword intent: Focus on solution-aware and problem-aware keywords
- Landing pages: Industry-specific or use-case pages outperform generic
- Lead quality: B2B prioritises lead quality over volume
- Remarketing: Critical given long sales cycles - stay top of mind
- Competitor targeting: Effective for comparison-stage buyers
B2B CPL Ranges by Industry
- Enterprise SaaS: $200-$819 CPL, highest deal values
- SMB SaaS: $70-$200 CPL, faster cycles
- Professional Services: $150-$400 CPL, varies by service type
- Manufacturing: $100-$300 CPL, technical audience
- Financial Services: $175-$450 CPL, regulated, high compliance
Content & Lead Generation
B2B buyers consume significant content before engaging with sales. Paid media increasingly integrates with content marketing for lead generation.
96% of B2B prospects research solutions before talking to sales, and 79% say sales enablement content is essential to their decision. 46% of B2B buyers use social media for research during their buying journey.
Prospects research before talking to sales
Source: DemandGen
Say sales content is essential
Source: DemandGen
B2B buyers using social for research
Source: DemandGen
Content pieces consumed before purchase
Source: Forrester
Buyers rely on content for decisions
Source: DemandGen
More leads from content vs paid per $
Source: DemandGen
B2B Content Marketing Integration
- Gated content: Whitepapers and ebooks drive 30-40% of B2B leads
- Webinar promotion: Paid media drives 40-60% of webinar registrations
- Content syndication: Third-party platforms deliver scale for top-funnel
- Retargeting sequences: Content consumption triggers follow-up campaigns
Lead Generation Benchmarks
- Webinar conversion: 35-45% registration to attendee rate
- Content download: 20-30% form completion rate for valuable content
- Demo request: Highest intent, lowest volume lead type
- Free trial: 15-25% trial to paid conversion for SaaS
B2B vs B2C Comparisons
Understanding key differences between B2B and B2C advertising helps set appropriate expectations and strategies.
B2B campaigns typically have higher CPCs ($3.33 vs $1.68 B2C average) but justify this with significantly higher customer lifetime values. B2B requires longer attribution windows - 90-180 days vs 7-30 days for B2C.
Key B2B vs B2C Differences
| Metric | B2B | B2C |
|---|---|---|
| Average CPC | $3.33 | $1.68 |
| Average CTR | 2.41% | 4.73% |
| Average CVR | 3.04% | 3.58% |
| Sales Cycle | 90-180 days | 1-30 days |
| Decision Makers | 6-10 people | 1-2 people |
| Attribution Window | 90-180 days | 7-30 days |
B2B-Specific Considerations
- Multiple stakeholders: Average B2B purchase involves 6-10 decision-makers
- Account-based approach: Targeting companies, not just individuals
- Longer nurturing: More touchpoints needed before conversion
- Higher LTV: Justifies higher acquisition costs
- Relationship focus: Brand and trust more important than impulse
About This Data
These B2B advertising statistics are compiled from eMarketer, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, WordStream, DemandGen Report, Gartner, Metadata.io, and industry surveys. Data represents 2025-2026 measurements.
Important note: B2B performance varies significantly by industry, deal size, and sales cycle length. Enterprise SaaS benchmarks differ substantially from SMB-focused businesses.