LinkedIn Benchmarks for B2B Success OR The B2B Benchmark Report: What Will Actually Move Pipeline in 2026

The B2B world is noisy right now… almost as much as a honk-y traffic jam in Times Square.

There’s too much going on at once. Organic search feels unpredictable, CPCs are climbing (and jittery) like they’ve had too much caffeine, and gated content is… well, let’s just say no one wants to open those gates.

So instead of guessing what’s working, we analyzed performance data from 100+ B2B companies and survey responses from 125+ senior marketers.

The result is our 67-page Benchmark Report packed with uncomfortable truths, delightful surprises, and a snowman hidden somewhere in the middle. Yes, really.

If you want the short version, here’s the state of B2B marketing in 2025, backed entirely by what the data actually shows.

TLDR

• B2B buyer behavior has changed significantly, and traditional channels aren’t performing as they used to.
• LinkedIn is becoming the center of modern GTM because it influences buyers long before they enter a formal evaluation.
• The platform isn’t just a top-of-funnel channel anymore; it amplifies paid search, outbound, and content performance across the entire buying loop.
• Creative formats and brand-first strategies are evolving fast, with richer in-feed content outperforming old-school gated plays.
• To win in 2026, marketers must operate in a non-linear loop, show up early, and empower buying committees with consistent, credible engagement across channels.

B2B Benchmark Report: The B2B market shift you can’t ignore

1. Organic Search Is Getting Tougher

Search is still important, but it’s no longer the dependable traffic engine it once was.

• The median organic traffic change was –1.25%
• Among companies with large traffic volumes (50K+), 67% saw a decline

But, here’s the thing, even with traffic dropping, organic conversion rates increased by 21.4% on average for those with declining traffic

Fewer people are arriving, but the right people still are. Basically, quality is still winning.

2. Paid Search Is Under Real Pressure

Paid search is having a rough year.

• Median paid search traffic dropped 39%
• CPCs increased 24%
• And 65% of companies saw conversion rates decline

This is the channel equivalent of “it’s not you, it’s me.” No matter how well you optimize, auction dynamics and buyer behavior are changing the economics.

3. Gated Content Isn’t Pulling Its Weight

The gates aren’t just creaking, they’re closing with loud thuds.

• Webinar registrations dropped 12.7%
• Ebook downloads dropped 5%
• Report downloads dropped 26.3% among established programs

Buyers now prefer research through LLM summaries, peers, communities and platforms like LinkedIn.

4. Demo Requests Are Holding Strong

Despite turbulence up-funnel, demo requests grew:

• Median demo growth was 17.4%
• And 63% of organizations reported an increase in demos

It lines up with a key Forrester insight included in the report: 92% of B2B buyers begin their journey with at least one vendor in mind, and 41% already have a preferred vendor before evaluation begins.

By the time they fill a form, the decision is already halfway made.

Why is LinkedIn quietly becoming the new B2B Operating System?

You’ve probably noticed CMOs talking a lot more about LinkedIn lately. That’s not nostalgia for early-2000s networking. It’s because the data shows a decisive shift.

Budgets are moving at the speed of light 

Between Q3 2024 and Q3 2025:

• LinkedIn budgets grew 31.7%
• Google budgets grew 6%
• LinkedIn’s share of digital budgets increased from 31.3% to 37.6%
• Google’s share reduced from 68.7% to 62.4%

This is not your usual “let’s test and learn” moment, it’s more like the Great Reallocation (at the executive level).

Brand and Engagement Are Back in Fashion

Marketers finally have proof that brand pays off.

• Brand awareness and engagement campaigns increased from 17.5% to 31.3% of objective share
• Lead generation campaign share dropped from 53.9% to 39.4%

When buyers form preferences early, showing up early matters.

Creative Formats Are Evolving

What’s working:

• Video ads and document ads both increased their spend share (from 11.9% to 16.6%)
• Single-image ads declined sharply
• CTV spend increased from 0.5% to 6.3%
• Offsite delivery increased from 12.9% to 16.7%

Buyers want richer stories, not static rectangles.

The Most Interesting Finding: LinkedIn Makes Every Other Channel Better

This section is where marketers usually lean in.

Across the companies evaluated:

1. Paid Search Performs Better After LinkedIn Exposure

• Paid search leads were 14.3% influenced by LinkedIn first
• ICP accounts convert 46% better in paid search after seeing LinkedIn ads
  

2. Outbound Performs Better

• SDR meeting-to-deal conversion increased 43% when accounts had seen LinkedIn ads
  

3. Content Performs Better

• ICP accounts converted 112% better on website content pages after seeing LinkedIn ads

My point is, LinkedIn is amplifying everything.

So, where do you stand? Don’t be shy… come, benchmark yourself

Here are some of the medians pulled from the Benchmarking Framework:

• Organic traffic: –1.25%
• Organic conversion rate: –2.5%
• Paid search traffic: –39%
• Paid search conversion: –20%
• Demo requests: 17.4%
• LinkedIn budget share: Around 40.6%

If you're above these numbers, great. If you're below them, also great… you now know exactly what to fix.

So What Should Marketers Actually Do With All This?

1. Build Presence Before Buyers Enter the Market

Since 92% start with a vendor already in mind, waiting for in-market buyers is a losing game. Show up with:

• Executive thought leadership
• Ungated value content
• Category POVs
• Insight-rich document ads

2. Treat LinkedIn as a Full-Journey Channel

Awareness, interest, consideration, validation… LinkedIn supports all of it, especially with:

• Thought Leader Ads
• Document Ads
• Website retargeting
• Predictive Audiences
• Matched audiences

3. Shift From Linear Funnels to Non-Linear Loops

Modern buyers loop, pause, reappear, consult peers and re-research.
Your marketing has to follow them, not force them into a stage.

4. Track What Actually Moves Accounts Forward

This is where tracking and measuring tools step in.

How Factors Helps (This is not a sales pitch, or is it?)

The report makes one thing obvious. To operate in a loop instead of a funnel, you need clean, connected buyer intelligence.

1. Company Intelligence (LinkedIn’s new API + Factors)

Unifies:

• Paid LinkedIn engagement
• Organic LinkedIn activity
• Website behavior
• CRM activity
• G2 and intent data

This lets you create buying-stage rules and trigger the right plays when accounts heat up.

2. LinkedIn CAPI

With automated bidding rising from 27.6% to 37.5% of campaigns, accurate server-side conversions matter more than ever. 

Factors helps send pipeline events like MQLs, SQLs and meetings straight to LinkedIn.

3. AdPilot for LinkedIn

Helps you:

• Control impressions at an account level
• Reduce over-serving top accounts
• Redistribute spend to underserved ones

Descope used this to increase ROI by 22% and reduce wasted impressions by 17%..

Okay, that’s enough from me, you can directly download the full Benchmark Report here. Trust me, your future pipeline will thank you.

In a Nutshell

Paid search is under pressure, organic traffic is thinning, and gated content is losing traction… LinkedIn is rewriting the rules of B2B go-to-market strategy. This benchmark report, built from the data of over 100 companies and 125+ senior marketers, reveals a shift in buyer behavior and the growing dominance of LinkedIn across the full funnel.

From surging demo requests (+17.4%) to skyrocketing ad effectiveness when paired with LinkedIn exposure, the platform isn’t just top-of-funnel anymore; it’s influencing decisions throughout the buying loop. Creative formats like document and video ads are outperforming legacy assets, while brand and engagement budgets have more than doubled.

More tellingly, paid search, outbound, and even website content convert significantly better when LinkedIn is part of the journey. With LinkedIn budgets growing 5x faster than Google’s, this is less a trend and more an executive-level reallocation.

To compete in 2026, marketers need to operate in loops, not funnels, showing up early, tracking behavior across platforms, and using connected tools to move accounts forward with credibility and precision.

FAQs for B2B Benchmark Report

Q. Why is organic traffic declining even though conversion rates are improving?

Because buyers aren’t browsing the web the way they used to. They are researching through LLM summaries, LinkedIn, communities, and trusted sources. Those who do arrive are higher-intent, which explains the 21.4% uplift in organic conversions despite median traffic dropping 1.25%

Q. Should we reduce paid search budgets since results are dropping?

Not necessarily. Paid search isn’t dead; it’s just strained. With median traffic down 39% and CPCs up 24%, the math has changed. The best performers are pairing paid search with LinkedIn exposure, which lifts search conversions by 46%

Q. Is gated content still worth producing?

Only if it’s exceptional. The report shows steep declines in webinar, ebook, and report performance (down 12.7%, 5%, and 26.3%, respectively). Buyers now prefer ungated content, document ads, and in-feed value.

Q. Why did LinkedIn budgets grow 5x faster than Google?

Because marketers are following return on investment, not trends. LinkedIn delivered stronger performance across the buying committee, better ICP alignment, and a 44% revenue return advantage over Google. Budgets grew 31.7% on LinkedIn vs 6% on Google.

Q. Is LinkedIn only good for brand awareness?

Not at all. Yes, brand and engagement campaigns increased from 17.5 to 31.3%, but LinkedIn also drives:

• Better paid search conversions
• Stronger outbound success (43% lift)
• Higher content conversions (112%)
• Larger ACVs (28.6% higher than Google-sourced deals)

LinkedIn is becoming a full-journey channel.

Q. What creative formats work best on LinkedIn now?

Video and document ads. Both increased from 11.9 to 16.6% of spend. Single image ads are declining as buyers prefer richer formats and in-feed content consumption. CTV and offsite delivery also saw strong growth.

Q. How do I know where my company stands?

Use the Benchmark Framework in the report. Some medians:

• Organic traffic: –1.25%
• Paid search traffic: –39%
• Demo requests: 17.4% growth
• LinkedIn budget share: roughly 40.6% for median performers

If you're above or near these values, you’re aligned with top performers.

Q. Where does Factors come in without this feeling like a sales pitch?

The report makes it obvious that modern buying requires:

• Connected account journeys
• Visibility across paid and organic LinkedIn
• Better conversion signals for automated bidding
• Account-level impression control

Factors helps with LinkedIn CAPI, Company Intelligence, Smart Reach, and AdPilot, all of which support the behaviors the report uncovers.