Key stat: Marketing technology and direct marketing were two of the top investment priorities for US B2B marketers in 2024, while SEO and market research were two of the bottom, according to July 2024 data from Sagefrog Marketing Group.

Behind the chart:

• 41% of US B2B marketers report their marketing spending has increased in 2025, according to Sagefrog Marketing Group data.
• 20% of US B2B marketers say search engine marketing is their leading source for sale and marketing leads in 2025, per the same data.

Use this chart: This is a cue to reassess your SEO strategy. While it's tempting to chase short-term wins from paid and direct tactics, organic search still drives high-quality leads over time. Consider auditing your current SEO performance to uncover missed opportunities, aligning SEO efforts with content marketing initiatives, and making the case internally for long-term value and cost-efficiency of organic traffic.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• B2B SEO and the Shift to AI-Driven Search (EMARKETER subscription required)
• B2B Influencer Marketing (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the November 2024 Sagefrog Marketing Group "18th Edition 2025 B2B Marketing Mix Report." 373 US B2B marketers were surveyed during June 12-July 12, 2024. Respondents were mainly from SMBs (89%) representing various industries in job titles that include manager or director (60%), coordinator or specialist (22%), or other (18% including vice president, C-Level, assistant, and other).