Anteriad 2026 report says control separates top B2B marketers
Anteriad’s sixth annual B2B marketing report points to one trait behind the best results: control. The 2026 B2B Marketing Edge report, run with research firm Ascend2, surveyed 631 marketing decision-makers in March 2026. It found that marketers who own their data, run buying groups, and measure the full funnel beat their peers on nearly every goal.
What the Anteriad 2026 B2B Marketing Edge report found
The report sorts marketers by habits, then compares results. The gaps are wide.
“Data Heroes,” the marketers who use the right data well, pulled ahead. 43% said they significantly exceeded their goals. Only 18% of other marketers said the same.
Buying groups were the second divider. 38% of marketers said they have fully put buying groups in place. That group reported better sales alignment, higher win rates, and stronger conversion from opportunity to closed revenue.
Measurement was the third. Marketers who prioritize full-funnel attribution were far more likely to beat their main goal. 45% of them significantly exceeded it, against 24% of others.
Speed mattered too. 41% of marketers said they often move budget based on performance data. Those who cannot face slow approvals, platform limits, and missing real-time data.
The report also looked at the CFO. Misalignment carries a cost. 39% of marketers face more scrutiny on spend. 36% see budgets cut. 35% face delays launching key work. The survey covered marketers in the United States, United Kingdom, and APAC at companies with 250 or more employees.
Who published the Anteriad B2B marketing report
Anteriad, a B2B data and marketing company, released the report on June 17, 2026 through a GlobeNewswire announcement. It is the sixth year of the study, produced with Ascend2, which fielded the survey in March 2026. Anteriad’s Chief Marketing and Product Officer, Lynn Tornabene, framed the theme as control over data, measurement, audience, and the revenue conversation.
How the report fits B2B buying group trends
The findings land in a year when the buying committee has become the main unit of B2B marketing. Industry groups are building tools to track it. The ANA recently launched its Buyer Group Index to benchmark B2B buying committees. Anteriad’s data shows why that focus pays off.
Trust is part of the same story. A recent LinkedIn study found 74% of B2B marketers say buyers distrust traditional marketing. Reaching a full buying group with credible content is harder than reaching one lead. Account strategy is shifting to match. The 2026 ABM Benchmark showed 56% of B2B marketers now prioritize new account acquisition. Anteriad’s report adds the operating detail: the teams that win pair that focus with strong data and real measurement.
Talking Shift: why control really starts with the buyer
Here is the Start Some Shift read. The report frames control as a data and measurement problem. The deeper point sits with the buyer. A buying group is a set of real people. Each one weighs the decision in their own way.
Start Some Shift puts it plainly: control in B2B marketing means understanding the human buying group well enough to earn its trust. Tracking that group in a tool is only the start. Data and attribution help you see the group. Earning the decision is separate work. Brands that want to map how their buyers actually decide can use the Binary Buyer Audit to find where they are losing the human side of the sale.
What B2B marketers should do about buying groups and data
The report points to clear, repeatable moves. Start here:
- Audit your first-party data sources and fix the gaps that block targeting.
- Build buying groups into your campaigns, not single-lead forms.
- Stand up full-funnel attribution so you can prove what drives revenue.
- Review performance weekly and shift budget toward what works.
- Bring the CFO into planning early to protect your budget.
- Map the real decision-makers in your top accounts before you spend.
- Test one account-based play this quarter and measure it end to end.
What to watch next in B2B marketing measurement
Watch whether buying-group adoption climbs past 38% next year. Watch the CFO relationship too, since budget pressure is rising across the field. Anteriad’s seventh report will show whether control becomes the norm or stays the edge.
