B2B Reads: Marketing Budgets, AI Strategies, Content Tools and Agency Evolution

Summary

Some of our favorite B2B sales and marketing posts from around the web this week.

Every Saturday morning we share some of our favorite B2B sales and marketing posts from around the web last week (so it’s fresh!). We’ll miss a ton of great stuff, so if you found something you think is worth sharing please let us know.

The Pressure On B2B Marketers To Justify Budget Raises Key Questions by Nikos Lemanis

B2B marketers are facing increased pressure to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of their campaigns, with 41% feeling heightened demands and 27% finding it overwhelming. Despite 65% of marketers experiencing budget increases in 2024 and optimism for further growth in 2025, many are setting less ambitious key performance indicators (KPIs) to manage expectations. This trend highlights the importance of aligning marketing goals with business objectives and effectively communicating marketing’s value to leadership.

Navigating The Storm: How B2B Leaders Can Weather Volatility And Thrive by Matthew Selheimer

B2B leaders are facing a whirlwind of challenges—economic uncertainty, evolving buyer behaviors, and rapid tech changes—but Forrester suggests these hurdles can be turned into growth opportunities. The key lies in embracing customer obsession, aligning cross-functional teams, and investing in innovation to build resilience. By focusing on these strategies, businesses can not only weather the storm but also emerge stronger and more competitive.​

What AI Means for the Future of Agency-Brand Partnerships by Angelina Eng

AI is shaking up the marketing world, enabling brands to handle more tasks in-house, like personalization and media automation. However, this doesn’t mean agencies are becoming obsolete; instead, their role is evolving towards providing strategic insights and creative direction that AI can’t replicate. For agencies and brands to thrive in this new landscape, they need to adapt their partnerships, balancing AI-driven efficiencies with human expertise to achieve optimal marketing outcomes.

Is Your Website AI-Friendly? This 8-Point Checklist Keeps Your AI Visitors Happy by Andy Crestodina

Your website isn’t just getting human traffic anymore—AI bots and agents are stopping by, too. From crawlers that train large language models to virtual agents doing research for your next prospect, these visits are already happening. This 8-point checklist shows you how to make your site AI-friendly so you’re not missing out on visibility, relevance, or future opportunities.

12 Over-Looked Content Marketing Tools and Features You Should Be Using by Jessica Foster

With so many content tools out there, it’s easy to stick to the usual suspects—but there’s a whole world of underrated options that can seriously up your marketing game. This roundup dives into 12 hidden-gem tools and clever features you probably aren’t using, from smarter scheduling to overlooked SEO insights. If you’re all about working smarter (not just harder), these picks are worth adding to your stack.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.