Marketing budgets are going up but expectations are flat.
That’s one of the more surprising takeaways from 10Fold’s latest research into 2025 marketing spending trends across the U.S. B2B tech landscape. In an industry that prides itself on results, nearly half (47 percent) of marketing leaders reported increased budgets, yet a majority either kept KPIs flat (19 percent) or actually scaled them back (33 percent).
In a time when every dollar spent is scrutinized, this disconnect suggests marketing leaders are taking a more cautious, and perhaps more strategic, approach. Instead of reacting with short-term pressure to prove ROI immediately, many are creating space to experiment with AI, optimize resourcing, and modernize legacy systems.
AI Isn’t Just the Future – It’s the Present
AI is now embedded in nearly every marketing decision, from hiring to campaign execution. Our research shows 82 percent of marketing executives say AI played a role in their hiring strategy for 2025. Among enterprise software companies, 65 percent increased investment in internal staff, while 61 percent also boosted agency budgets, indicating that AI is seen less as a replacement and more as an accelerant.
Interestingly, while 46 percent cited AI as a reason to increase budgets, 30 percent used it to justify cuts. The takeaway: AI’s impact isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some organizations are using it to drive efficiency and scale results, while others are using it to streamline spend and rethink team structure.
Sales Tools Are Popular, But Are They Paying Off?
While 77 percent of marketing leaders invested in sales-generating tools, making them the most prioritized spend category, only 7 percent said these tools delivered high ROI. Meanwhile, website personalization tools (20 percent), social influencer programs (17 percent), and content development (16 percent) were rated as the most effective investments, despite getting less budget allocation.
This gap between perceived value and actual spend should give CMOs pause. Are we prioritizing what our teams know works, or what’s politically easy to greenlight? The best leaders will be the ones willing to shift funding toward programs that prove themselves, not just those that are comfortable.
The Social Shift Is Real And It’s Centered on LinkedIn
Social media continues to be a vital part of the B2B marketing mix, but platforms are not all created equal. LinkedIn remains the clear winner, with 83 percent of marketers naming it their top platform. X (formerly Twitter) was a distant second at 17 percent.
What’s more, proactive thought leadership, executive social profiles, and influencer engagement are all gaining ground. However, they’re still underfunded relative to their potential ROI. Smart marketers will seize the opportunity to use these organic channels to build brand credibility, foster trust, and support lead-gen efforts with a human face.
Regional Is the New Global
Another shift: companies are deprioritizing large-scale national conferences in favor of more targeted, regional events. Smaller companies and cybersecurity firms were especially likely to prioritize regional activations over expensive, less-targeted national events. These local, focused events allow for deeper engagement with key buyers and stakeholders, without the massive spend.
The CMO Mandate: Spend Smarter, Not Just Bigger
What we’re seeing is a marketing function in transition. Budgets are rising, but slowly, and with caveats. The average growth is just 4.2 percent, and often below inflation. The key insight: budget size alone isn’t an indicator of performance. What matters more is how, and where, those dollars are being spent.
Marketing leaders in 2025 are being given more rope to innovate, but they must be intentional. Experimentation with AI, smarter resourcing models, and a pivot toward channels with demonstrated ROI will separate the forward-thinkers from the status quo.
It’s not just about spending more. It’s about proving more.
The author, Susan Thomas, is CEO and founder of 10Fold.