B2B marketing is undergoing a generational shift. Millennial and Gen Z buyers now dominate purchasing committees, and they bring consumer-grade expectations to business transactions. They want self-service options, digital-first experiences, and frictionless transactions. Meanwhile, AI is transforming how marketers target, personalize, and measure campaigns. US B2B digital ad spending reached just over $20 billion in 2025, per EMARKETER, as brands compete for attention across an increasingly fragmented channel mix.

What is B2B marketing, and how is it evolving?

B2B marketing involves promoting products, services, or information between businesses rather than to individual consumers. It typically encompasses longer sales cycles, multiple decision-makers, and relationship-driven purchasing.

The evolution centers on one shift: B2B buyers now expect B2C-style experiences. Digital self-service is replacing relationship-based sales. Buyers conduct independent research, compare vendors online, and are 80% through their buying process before engaging with a sales rep, per Forrester. Video and display advertising are gaining share as marketers shift toward formats built for storytelling and mid-funnel visibility rather than direct response.

Why are B2B buyers expecting B2C-style experiences?

The workforce has changed. Millennials and Gen Z now dominate B2B purchasing, and they bring consumer habits to work. Four factors drive their expectations:

• Digital fluency. These buyers grew up with Amazon, Netflix, and mobile-first interfaces. Clunky B2B portals and manual forms feel outdated.
• Self-service preference. 68% of millennial B2B buyers prefer self-service research tools over speaking to a sales rep, per Salesforce data cited by Digital Commerce 360.
• Dissatisfaction with vendors. 90% of millennial and Gen Z buyers report dissatisfaction with vendors in at least one area, compared with 71% of older buyers, according to Forrester.
• Speed expectations. These buyers expect instant responses, clear pricing, and seamless checkout. Delays that older generations tolerated now cost vendors deals.

How has the B2B buyer demographic changed?

The shift is dramatic. Millennials and Gen Z make up 71% of B2B buyers, up from 64% in 2022, according to Forrester. In deals worth more than $1 million, 67% of buyers come from these two cohorts.

This changes everything from channel selection to content format. Gen Z (78%) and millennials (68%) find social video content helpful throughout the purchasing journey, while only 1 in 6 boomers agree, per Forrester. Younger buyers also consult more sources: Typically 10 or more before making decisions.

What role does digital self-service play in B2B purchasing?

Digital self-service is becoming the default for large transactions. Forrester predicts that more than half of large B2B purchases ($1 million or greater) will be processed through digital self-serve channels, including vendor websites and marketplaces.

This represents a fundamental shift away from sales-rep-mediated transactions. Buyers want to configure products, get pricing, and complete purchases without phone calls or demos. The implication for marketers: Websites and digital experiences must do the selling. Content needs to answer complex questions that buyers previously asked sales teams. Brands that fail to offer self-service options risk losing deals to competitors who do.

How are B2B marketers using AI in 2026?

AI-powered marketing tools are the top investment priority for 2026, according to an August 2025 Content Marketing Institute survey cited by EMARKETER. The focus has shifted from content generation to discovery optimization and data-driven targeting.

Three applications are gaining traction:

• Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Marketers are restructuring content to appear in AI-generated search results and recommendation engines. Visibility now depends on clarity and authority, not volume.
• Predictive analytics. AI identifies high-value prospects and signals purchase intent, helping marketers prioritize leads.
• Campaign automation. LinkedIn's Accelerate and similar tools automate campaign building, testing, and optimization.

Content generation remains common but carries risks. 91% of B2B marketers increased their content output in 2025, but 39% say maintaining voice and quality is now a top challenge, per a June 2025 10Fold survey cited by EMARKETER.

Why is first-party data critical for B2B marketing?

Data quality now determines marketing effectiveness. 53% of US B2B marketers say at least 10% of their leads are disqualified by sales due to poor quality, according to an April 2025 Integrate and Demand Metric survey cited by EMARKETER. As AI-driven tools expand across analytics, orchestration, and personalization, data governance has become the foundation for reliable performance.

B2B marketers face specific pressures:

• Revenue impact. Marketers with high data confidence report stronger revenue growth, per a February 2025 Anteriad and Ascend2 survey cited by EMARKETER.
• AI readiness. Predictive tools and personalization engines underperform without accurate, consistently governed inputs. Fragmented systems and inconsistent records limit AI efficiency.
• Targeting precision. First-party data enables account-based marketing and personalized outreach that third-party data cannot match.

Customer data platforms (CDPs) have become central to unifying data across channels, managing it securely, and ensuring compliance.

What channels are most effective for reaching B2B buyers?

Social media now accounts for nearly half of B2B digital ad spending. LinkedIn and Meta together represent nearly 85% of B2B social ad spending, per EMARKETER's September 2025 forecast.

Channel dynamics are shifting:

• LinkedIn dominates. LinkedIn's B2B ad revenues reached $4.59 billion in 2025, growing 9.0% year over year, per EMARKETER.
• Video is the fastest-growing format. Marketers are investing in video to simplify complex offerings and sustain engagement across long buying cycles.
• Display is gaining share. Brands are doubling down on scalable, mid-funnel visibility as display overtakes search in budget allocation.
• Search is losing ground. Budgets are shifting to storytelling formats as buyers spend more time on channels built for discovery.

B2C-first platforms like YouTube and TikTok are gaining interest as professional audiences spend more time across channels.

Can B2B marketers balance automation with authenticity?

The tension is real. As AI-generated content floods B2B channels, maintaining voice and quality has emerged as a top challenge for 39% of marketers, per a June 2025 10Fold survey cited by EMARKETER. Automation risks stripping the human element that builds trust in long-cycle B2B relationships.

The evidence suggests balance is possible, but difficult:

• Creator partnerships signal credibility. Authenticity and credibility are the top criteria for selecting B2B creators, according to an April 2025 LinkedIn and Ipsos survey. Brands are leveraging expert and peer voices to deliver validation that feels human.
• Experiential marketing reinforces trust. 78% of B2B marketers have allocated budget to experiential efforts, per EMARKETER. Events and in-person engagement ranked as the second-highest investment priority for 2026.
• AI works for back-end processes. Campaign optimization, data analysis, and segmentation benefit from automation without affecting customer perception.

EMARKETER analysts note that AI tools are advancing in recognizing emotional cues and context, but ethical AI practices remain pivotal. The marketers who succeed will use AI to free up time for genuine relationship-building, not replace it.

EMARKETER forecast data was current at publication and may have changed. EMARKETER clients have access to up-to-date forecast data. To explore EMARKETER solutions, click here.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.