For B2B marketers this year isn't going to be about chasing the next big thing, it's going to be about keeping up. AI is rising, expectations are rising and so is the pressure to deliver more, faster, and with greater impact.
The way B2B brands connect, communicate and convert is shifting. Efficiency still matters, but so does relevance, experience and credibility.
So what should B2B marketing leaders be focusing their priorities on as 2026 unfolds?
Here are five key trends we predict will shape the year ahead.
The way B2B brands connect, communicate and convert is shifting. Efficiency still matters, but so does relevance, experience and credibility.
So what should B2B marketing leaders be focusing their priorities on as 2026 unfolds?
Here are five key trends we predict will shape the year ahead.
The B2B marketing reset for 2026
1. The Millennial Coming of AgeGenerational clustering is a clumsy way to segment an audience; however, the shift is undeniable. According to research from Collective Measures, Millennials (44 years and younger) now make up 59% of B2B decision makers, and their expectations are reshaping how brands need to communicate.
This is a generation that grew up through global financial crashes, institutional failures, job insecurity and a global pandemic. As a result of that, they value straight-talking, practical solutions over lofty promises.
In 2026, 86% of B2B buyers want more tailored experiences. More than just getting their names right on an email, B2B businesses need to recognise the buyer’s reality, not just their identity. They need to understand their pressures, priorities and constraints and speak directly to them. Brands that ignore this risk sounding out of touch as messaging, content and experiences need to reflect the realities of this new generation of decision makers.
2. The Friction-Free Funnel
Forrester research shows that around 80% of B2B buyers now prefer to research and evaluate solutions through digital self-service, especially in the early stages of the buying journey. Greater self-service means greater control, with the ability to make informed decisions at their own pace. It’s a good way to allow buyers to explore, compare and consider what options could work for their business.
However, they won’t know if they really work until they speak to an expert. Someone with the ability to understand the specifics of their situation, clarify assumptions and help make suitable decisions. As a result, 2026 will see leading organisations rethinking their b2b digital marketing, investing more deliberately in the transition between digital and personal, not treating them as separate channels, but as a connected experience.
This year businesses need to make it easy for buyers to move seamlessly from self-guided discovery to expert conversation, which doesn’t just mean a buyer moving from MQL to SQL but a process that delivers greater confidence to the buyer, for their benefit. Frictionless handovers between digital and human touchpoints will define which brands earn trust and loyalty.
3. The Everywhere Effect
Research from Target suggests that B2B buyers now use more than 10 channels throughout a typical purchase journey, moving from networks to social platforms, online forums and publications. Your brand website is just one stop along the way, and they could even bypass it altogether. That's why channel-specific content is no longer a nice-to-have and should be a fundamental part of your marketing strategy.
Buyers expect information to feel native to the platform or channel they're using, not just copied and pasted from somewhere else. In 2026, smart B2B brands will invest in understanding how each channel is being used so they can serve meaningful content in a way that really meets their buyers' needs.
For many in-house teams, working with a specialist B2B marketing agency can help bring a multi-channel strategy to life, ensuring content is tailored, consistent and optimised for how buyers actually behave across platforms.
4. Interaction Drives Reaction Static content is increasingly giving way to interactive experiences, supported by Forbes research showing they can generate up to 53% higher engagement than passive formats. Tools like self-diagnosis assessments, calculators and decision guides allow buyers to test assumptions, explore scenarios and build confidence both individually and with buying committees.
Looking ahead, interactive content will play an even bigger role in helping buyers to reduce uncertainty and move forward with much a clearer sense of purpose and fit.
5. Bold over Bland Entertainment isn't usually a consideration in B2B, but that doesn't mean it has to be dull either. Combining insightful, educational content with creative delivery is what helps brands to stand out, especially in crowded thought leadership spaces.
Around 56% of B2B buyers already use thought leadership content as part of their evaluation process to help reduce uncertainty, which is why many businesses invest time and resources to produce it. In complex purchases, thought leadership acts as a proxy for competence: if a business can clearly explain the landscape, the risks, and the implications of different choices, buyers infer that it can also be trusted to operate within that complexity.
In 2026, thought leadership will need to be both educational and entertaining by design. This doesn’t dilute credibility, it actually strengthens it, especially for brands investing in long-term b2b brand building to stay ahead in competitive markets. Buyers are more likely to trust, recall, and act on content that's naturally more engaging. Think less whitepaper, more TED Talk: informative, memorable and respectful of its audience's time.
Buyers expect information to feel native to the platform or channel they're using, not just copied and pasted from somewhere else. In 2026, smart B2B brands will invest in understanding how each channel is being used so they can serve meaningful content in a way that really meets their buyers' needs.
For many in-house teams, working with a specialist B2B marketing agency can help bring a multi-channel strategy to life, ensuring content is tailored, consistent and optimised for how buyers actually behave across platforms.
4. Interaction Drives Reaction Static content is increasingly giving way to interactive experiences, supported by Forbes research showing they can generate up to 53% higher engagement than passive formats. Tools like self-diagnosis assessments, calculators and decision guides allow buyers to test assumptions, explore scenarios and build confidence both individually and with buying committees.
Looking ahead, interactive content will play an even bigger role in helping buyers to reduce uncertainty and move forward with much a clearer sense of purpose and fit.
5. Bold over Bland Entertainment isn't usually a consideration in B2B, but that doesn't mean it has to be dull either. Combining insightful, educational content with creative delivery is what helps brands to stand out, especially in crowded thought leadership spaces.
Around 56% of B2B buyers already use thought leadership content as part of their evaluation process to help reduce uncertainty, which is why many businesses invest time and resources to produce it. In complex purchases, thought leadership acts as a proxy for competence: if a business can clearly explain the landscape, the risks, and the implications of different choices, buyers infer that it can also be trusted to operate within that complexity.
In 2026, thought leadership will need to be both educational and entertaining by design. This doesn’t dilute credibility, it actually strengthens it, especially for brands investing in long-term b2b brand building to stay ahead in competitive markets. Buyers are more likely to trust, recall, and act on content that's naturally more engaging. Think less whitepaper, more TED Talk: informative, memorable and respectful of its audience's time.
Alex Bone
Strategy Director
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This is what B2B marketing looks like in 2026
Most of the trends outlined here didn't appear overnight, but expectations are rising and so is the bar for what 'good' B2B marketing looks like. You already know your audience, the goal now is to refine your messaging and make every interaction feel intentional. Content and channel planning matter more than ever before but it's the quality of the experience that will set brands apart.We'd love to hear how your team is approaching the next 12 months and any specific challenges you may be facing. If you'd like to talk it through, drop us an email at hello@uppb2b.co.uk.
