UK B2B marketers face pressure to show campaign ROI

UK B2B marketers are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the impact of their campaigns, with more than half needing to justify their marketing spend to C-suite executives on a monthly basis, according to new research by LinkedIn.

The 'B2B ROI Impact' study surveyed over 1,000 B2B marketers across the United States, United Kingdom, France, and India, with 250 UK marketers participating. The findings reveal that 87% of marketers are finding it increasingly difficult to measure the long-term effects of their initiatives due to extended B2B buying cycles.

Tom Pepper, Senior Director, EMEA & LATAM at LinkedIn, underscored the importance of proving ROI, stating, "In 2025, B2B marketers must get one core operating priority right: proving ROI. To help them move away from a monthly reporting cycle that doesn't reflect the long-term nature of B2B buying, they must work closely with senior leaders to demonstrate which metrics drive the greatest impact. Winning trust with the C-suite starts with helping them see why in B2B, revenue does not increase simply because of the number of leads that a marketing team drives, but rather the quality of those leads."

According to the research, UK B2B marketers identify three primary challenges in demonstrating ROI — regulatory changes and integration issues between data platforms, each cited by 39% of respondents, and a lack of time and resources, identified by 37% of participants.

While traditional volume metrics such as Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Return on Ad Spend (RoAS), and Customer Per Acquisition/Action (CPA) are still demanded by senior leadership, value metrics such as Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) and Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs) are seen by marketers as stronger indicators of success.

As part of their strategy for the coming year, UK B2B marketers are focusing on understanding buyer intent and shifting towards a buyer group marketing strategy, impacting conversion efforts significantly. Additionally, 45% are emphasizing Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) in their reporting.

The study also highlights the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing marketing outcomes, with 91% of respondents reporting improved ROI from its use. AI applications include audience segmentation, automation of routine tasks, predictive analysis for performance and lead scoring, and real-time optimization of ad spend and creative content.

LinkedIn's enhanced measurement solutions, like Conversions API and Revenue Attribution Report, support marketers in these efforts. The Conversions API allows marketers to connect first-party data for targeted audience engagement, resulting in a 31% increase in attributed conversions and a 20% decrease in cost per action.

Carole Ankers, Marketing Director at MetaCompliance, commented on the utility of LinkedIn's tools: "Measurement is no longer just about tracking clicks or impressions; it's about connecting every activity to meaningful business outcomes. The LinkedIn Revenue Attribution Report helps us demonstrate the impact of marketing—from pipeline contribution to revenue—while supporting our brand-building efforts, which enables us to drive long-term growth and trust in our brand."

Furthermore, the Revenue Attribution Report helps marketers quantify the impact of their campaigns on sales metrics, providing insights into real business outcomes with metrics such as revenue influenced and return on ad spend. A newly introduced 365-day lookback window aids in showing how long-term campaigns affect ROI.

Lubna Quraishi, Head of Marketing at Teamwork.com, shared insights on using LinkedIn's solutions: "At Teamwork.com, we're always working on bringing the sales and marketing conversation closer together — with LinkedIn's Conversions API and Revenue Attribution Report, we've gained invaluable insights into how our brand influences conversions across the full sales funnel. These insights have helped us bridge the gap between pipeline and nuance — so we're not just guessing what works, we know what moves the needle. That means smarter decisions, a budget that works harder, and a whole lot more buy-in from the business."

The significance of AI is also echoed by Peter Bell, VP of Marketing - EMEA at Twilio, who said, "Marketers need to demonstrate their commitment and accountability to revenue growth. LinkedIn's new research showcases that 95% of UK B2B marketers believe AI will have a positive impact on measurement. At Twilio, we have already proven that when AI is paired with communications and contextual data, we're able to help customers achieve outsized results, which include stronger ROI, increased revenue and a reduction in costs."

These insights reinforce the shifting dynamics in the B2B marketing landscape where both technological tools and new metrics are playing an essential role in proving the value and effectiveness of marketing strategies.