2027 Budget Season Is Here. Is Marketing on Your List?

If you're in B2B, your 2027 budget conversations are either already happening or starting very soon. And if marketing isn't on the agenda yet, it should be.

According to Forrester's 2027 Budget Planning Guides, 89% of B2B marketing decision-makers expect marketing investments to increase over the next 12 months. That's good news. The catch is that more budget doesn't automatically mean better results.

Not anymore.

The landscape has shifted significantly heading into 2027. AI tooling alone is projected to account for 14 to 17% of total B2B marketing budgets by the end of 2027, up from 9% today. Meanwhile, 61% of total B2B marketing budgets are now going to digital channels and AI-powered tools — up from 53% in 2024. The mix is changing fast, and budgets built on last year's assumptions are already behind.

A few things worth building into your 2027 planning:

Digital presence isn't optional anymore. SEO, GEO, and AI visibility are converging into one conversation. Buyers increasingly research independently, often using AI tools, before they ever contact a vendor. Being findable across all of those touchpoints requires investment.

AI is moving from experimentation to line item. 52% of B2B organizations now allocate specific budget to AI tools and capabilities, not as a test, but as an operational necessity.

Strategy matters more than spend. 56% of CMOs report lacking the budget to execute their strategy, while 54% cite insufficient resources. The issue often isn't the number; it's how it's allocated.

Budget season is the right time to ask hard questions about where your marketing dollars are actually working. We can help you answer them.

Studio x. helps B2B companies build marketing strategies that perform with budgets that make sense. Let's talk.

+

Sources: Forrester 2027 Budget Planning Guide, 6sense Marketing Spend Report, LaunchTeam