The Big SaaS Marketing Survey 2025
Benchmark your SaaS marketing strategy against 230+ senior marketing leaders. Discover exactly what's driving growth, what isn't and where to prioritise your budget this year.
In this report, you'll discover:
How top performing SaaS marketers are allocating budget and resources
What successful marketing and sales alignment looks like
Why short termism could be holding your SaaS business back and how to shift to long term growth
The metrics that matter most to CEOs, CFOs and marketing leaders in 2025/26
Cutting Through
the Noise
Steve Eveleigh
Co-Founder - Gripped
Ben Crouch
Co-Founder - Gripped
We’re thrilled you're checking out this edition of our Big SaaS Marketing Survey. After another year spent neck deep in the world of B2B SaaS marketing, we've got some fresh insights to share.
We've built our careers (and Gripped) around solving the tricky stuff that SaaS and tech marketers deal with daily, like pipeline growth, budget pressures and the relentless challenge of aligning sales and marketing.
So, this isn't some fluffy, theoretical research. It's the real deal, gathered from over 230 SaaS marketing leaders who are in the trenches, just like you.
We've pulled together what’s genuinely driving growth, where budgets are really going and why ditching short term tactics for long term brand building pays off. Plus, we've pinpointed exactly what metrics actually matter to your CEO and CFO (spoiler: it's probably not MQLs).
Our mission at Gripped has always been about turning marketing into predictable revenue, not chasing meaningless numbers. This report is no different, just straightforward, actionable data to help you sharpen your strategy.
Have a read, dig into the data and drop us a line with your thoughts. We'd genuinely love to hear them.
Steve Eveleigh & Ben Crouch
Co-Founders - Gripped
The Big SaaS Marketing Survey
The Big SaaS Marketing Survey from Gripped is built for B2B SaaS and tech marketers who want real, actionable insights, not just industry noise. We know marketing leaders are under more pressure than ever to deliver measurable pipeline and revenue impact while navigating changing buyer behaviour, shifting budgets and a rapidly evolving digital marketing environment.
So, we set out to benchmark what’s working, what’s not, and what the best performing companies are doing differently. This survey captures the state of SaaS marketing today helping you compare, adapt and outperform.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part and shared their insights. Without your input, this wouldn’t be possible.
Now, let’s dive into the data that matters.
Who’s behind the numbers
232
People took
part this year
Funding type
40%
VC Backed
34%
Bootstrapped
14%
PE
5%
Other
The Upshot
The Most Successful Marketing Teams Track Pipeline & Revenue, Not Just Leads
The most common KPI for high growth company marketing teams is pipeline and revenue impact. In contrast, low growth companies lean more towards lead volume & MQLs.
Marketers Who Meet With Sales More Often Are Delivering More Pipeline Contribution
High growth companies meet with sales weekly or more frequently to align marketing efforts with pipeline goals. Low growth companies are less likely to have structured sales and marketing alignment meetings, making it harder to refine strategy in real time.
High growth SaaS companies have a sharper understanding of their ICP.
High growth companies rate their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) understanding higher, while low growth companies do not. Companies that deeply understand their customers are more likely to craft effective messaging, target the right buyers and generate demand that converts.
Investment in Marketing Aligns Directly With Company Growth Metrics
High growth companies generally have larger marketing teams, but low growth companies underinvest in marketing headcount.
Demand Generation & ABM Fuel Growth, Not Just Lead Gen
High growth companies focus on Demand Generation and Account Based Marketing (ABM) as their primary strategies. Low growth companies are more likely to rely on traditional lead generation methods that don’t always translate into quality pipeline.
How to Replicate High Growth Performance
Clearly define and validate your ICP regularly
Prioritise pipeline and revenue as your primary KPIs
Invest more in demand gen and ABM specialists
Align marketing headcount directly with revenue objectives
Short Termism vs
Long Term Thinking
Short Termism Creates a Downward Spiral
Short Term Marketers Struggle to Hit Targets
42% of companies focused on short-term demand gen failed to meet revenue goals last year. Over reliance on quick wins, like tactical lead generation or poorly executed paid media, led to lower ROI and declining pipeline quality.
Leads Without Brand = Rising Costs
64% of underperforming companies invest heavily in paid acquisition but neglect brand awareness. Without a strong ICP focused brand, leads take longer to convert and churn at higher rates.
Long Term Asset Building Creates Sustainable Growth
Revenue Focused Marketers Play the Long Game
Marketers who translate results into C-level language, (i.e. revenue and profitability) not just leads or clicks are 2x more likely to secure increased budgets. Schedule regular CFO check-ins to align marketing goals directly with financial targets.
Brand Equity Lowers CAC & Increases Pipeline Velocity
Companies with strong brand recognition see 27% lower CPA and a 40% higher pipeline-to-revenue conversion rate. A consistent demand gen and awareness strategy compounds over time, making revenue more predictable.
Bottom of the line
Short termism burns budget and kills future growth. Brand led, ICP focused marketing builds momentum and lowers acquisition costs.
3 ways to shift from short to long term thinking:
How top performing SaaS marketers are allocating budget and resources
What successful marketing and sales alignment looks like
Why short termism could be holding your SaaS business back and how to shift to long term growth
The metrics that matter most to CEOs, CFOs and marketing leaders in 2025/26
Marketing &
The CEO & CFO
Siloed Marketing Will Struggle to Prove Value
Disconnected Marketing = Budget Cuts & Missed Targets
62% of low performing SaaS provider say their CEO sees marketing as a cost centre, not a revenue driver. Only 29% of marketers in struggling companies have direct, regular engagement with their CFO. Marketers who report on vanity metrics (MQLs, CTRs) instead of revenue fail to justify budget.
Lack of Financial Alignment = Shorter Budget Lifespan
64% of underperforming companies invest heavily in paid acquisition but neglect brand awareness. Without a strong ICP focused brand, leads take longer to convert and churn at higher rates.
Successful Marketers Prioritise C-Level Alignment
If Marketing Speaks CxO Language, Growth Follows
Marketers who translate results into C-level language, (i.e. revenue and profitability) not just leads or clicks are 2x more likely to secure increased budgets. Schedule regular CFO check-ins to align marketing goals directly with financial targets.
Bottom of the line
Marketing teams that don’t align with revenue objectives fight for budget every year. Marketers who speak the CEO & CFO’s language secure investment and drive sustained growth.
Marketing
Alignment With Sales
Revenue Suffers if Sales & Marketing are Disconnected
Infrequent Sales Collaboration = Missed Revenue Goals
Marketing teams meeting sales monthly or less are 2x more likely to miss revenue targets. Only 24% of low performing marketing teams regularly share detailed campaign data with sales.
Poor Alignment = Poor Pipeline Quality
Weekly alignment between marketing and sales isn't just a calendar item, it's a core driver of growth. Our data shows that teams meeting weekly or more achieve 40% higher pipeline growth, but it's what happens in those meetings that makes the difference.
High Growth SaaS Marketing Teams Prioritise Sales
Weekly Collaboration = Increased Pipeline and Revenue
Companies with marketing teams meeting sales at least weekly achieve 40% higher pipeline growth. 78% of high growth companies consistently share marketing data with sales teams, leading to improved close rates & deal velocity.
Revenue-Focused Alignment = Stronger Budgets
Marketers closely aligned with sales KPIs are 2x more likely to receive budget increases from senior leadership. Regular engagement with sales teams creates clear visibility on marketing’s contribution to revenue, making investment decisions easier for CEOs and CFOs.
Bottom of the line
Marketing teams that operate independently from sales struggle with revenue impact and risk budget cuts. Teams closely aligned with sales consistently outperform and secure stronger budgets and sustained growth.
3 ways to shift from short to long term thinking:
Regularly sharing campaign insights
Aligning tightly around ICP and messaging
Jointly refining lead handover and qualification processes
Using sales feedback to quickly adjust marketing tactics
Budget Allocation Part 1
Marketing leaders are reallocating spend prioritising what works, cutting what doesn’t. Our data reveals key shifts in budget allocation, reflecting changing priorities in B2B SaaS marketing.
Events &
Sponsorships
See a Decline
Last year, 73% of companies invested in events and sponsorships. This year, 65% plan to invest, a drop of 8%, indicating a shift in budget allocation.
Digital Advertising
Holds Steady
54% of companies maintained or increased digital ad spend, showing that while companies are questioning efficiency, they aren’t pulling back.
More Investment in
Content & Brand
40% of SaaS companies are increasing investment in content marketing this year. Branding and partnerships are seeing an increase in priority, especially with high growth companies.
Budget Allocation Part 2
What’s Losing Budget?
Events & Sponsorships drop -8.4%
Why? While still a major investment area, companies are still questioning event ROI or focusing on fewer, more strategic in-person opportunities.
Website Development spend falls -9.6%
Weekly alignment between marketing and sales isn't just a calendar item, it's a core driver of growth. Our data shows that teams meeting weekly or more achieve 40% higher pipeline growth, but it's what happens in those meetings that makes the difference.
Martech & Tools investment declines -9.2%
Why? Companies may be consolidating MarTech stacks and focusing on proving ROI from existing tools rather than adding more software.
What’s Gaining Budget?
Content Marketing sees a big increase +9.6%
Why? Companies recognise that long term brand authority, demand generation and cheap AI content flooding the market require strong content strategies to differentiate.
Brand & PR investment rises +6%
Why? As third-party cookies disappear, companies are shifting toward owned, organic traffic sources for lead generation.
SEO & SEM jump +7.2%
Why? Brand credibility and trust building have become more important in crowded markets where differentiation is key.
Partnerships grow +7.2%
Why? B2B marketers are leaning into co-marketing, strategic partnerships and ecosystem growth to generate new demand.
What Do High Performers Do Differently?
Digital Ads + Content
Keep investing in targeted digital ads, but pair them closely with high quality content and brand messaging to improve conversion rates and lower acquisition costs.
SEO and Organic Channels
Allocate more budget towards SEO and organic growth strategies. These channels deliver sustained pipeline growth at lower long-term costs.
Strategic Partnerships
oost investment in partnerships and co-marketing initiatives that expand your reach, build trust faster, and efficiently grow pipeline.
Measure What Matters
Regularly evaluate budget effectiveness against pipeline contribution and revenue outcomes, adjust quickly when needed.
Successful Marketing Teams
If marketing isn’t aligned with business objectives, securing budget and proving impact is always a battle. Our data reveals clear differences between high performing and low performing marketing teams when it comes to team composition and skill sets.
High Performing Marketing Teams
These teams are structured for revenue impact and execution.
Higher percentage of specialised roles beyond generalist marketing managers.
More focus on demand generation, content marketing and revenue operations.
More likely to have MarkOps and analytics roles enabling data driven decision making.
Greater investment in product marketing and ABM aligning marketing with pipeline goals.
Key Skills & Functions Found in High Growth Teams:
If marketing isn’t aligned with business objectives, securing budget and proving impact is always a battle. Our data reveals clear differences between high performing and low performing marketing teams when it comes to team composition and skill sets.
Demand & Growth Marketing
Product Marketing
Content & Thought Leadership
CRM & Marketing Automation (RevOps)
SEO & Performance Marketing
Partner/Affiliate Marketing
67% of high-performing teams have dedicated Demand & Growth Marketing roles compared to 40% of low performing teams.
Successful Marketing Teams
If marketing isn’t aligned with business objectives, securing budget and proving impact is always a battle. Our data reveals clear differences between high performing and low performing marketing teams when it comes to team composition and skill sets.
High Performing Marketing Teams
Over-reliance on generalist roles (e.g., "Marketing Manager – Digital, Demand, Growth, etc.") without specialisation. Less focus on RevOps, analytics, or content strategy, making it harder to optimise marketing performance.
More likely to lack ABM and product marketing functions, reducing alignment with sales and pipeline generation. Heavier dependency on outbound and paid marketing channels rather than long-term brand and demand-building.
Common Gaps in Low Performing Teams:
Lack of demand generation specialists
Limited CRM & automation expertise
Less investment in product marketing
Fewer analytics and performance tracking roles
Specialised skills = more strategic execution, while over-reliance on generalists = inefficiencies in scaling demand and pipeline.
The Growth Formula.
What Separates High
Performers from the Rest
If marketing isn’t aligned with business objectives, securing budget and proving impact is always a battle. Our data reveals clear differences between high performing and low performing marketing teams when it comes to team composition and skill sets.
Marketing Strategy & Revenue Impact
Demand Generation & Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategies have the highest correlation with revenue per customer. Lead generation-focused teams tend to have lower customer revenue and weaker ICP understanding.
Marketing Budget & Performance
Companies with larger budgets (£500K+) do not always outperform those with smaller budgets (£250K-£500K). How budget is allocated (brand vs. demand) is more predictive of success than total spend.
Marketing teams that meet with sales multiple times per week have the highest ARPC. Teams that only meet with sales quarterly have the lowest ICP understanding (5.6/10). Marketing teams that never meet with sales have the lowest revenue growth.
Sales & Marketing Alignment Matters
Marketing teams that meet with sales multiple times per week have the highest ARPC. Teams that only meet with sales quarterly have the lowest ICP understanding (5.6/10). Marketing teams that never meet with sales have the lowest revenue growth.
High Performing Marketing Teams
If marketing isn’t aligned with business objectives, securing budget and proving impact is always a battle. Our data reveals clear differences between high performing and low performing marketing teams when it comes to team composition and skill sets.
Bottom of the line
Companies with weak marketing and sales alignment struggle with revenue growth. ICP understanding is strongest in companies that meet sales frequently and align strategy to revenue. Budget size alone does not predict success, strategy and execution do.
Biggest Challenges for Marketing Leaders
Budget Constraints & Uncertain Marketing Investment
There is a large number of companies cutting or keeping budgets flat rather than increasing investment. Budget shifts show a move toward content and brand building, but many teams still struggle to justify spend to leadership.
Misalignment Between Marketing & Sales
Companies that meet sales quarterly or less struggle with pipeline efficiency and have lower ICP understanding. Frequent sales-marketing collaboration (weekly or more) is a trait of high-performing teams.
KPI & Pipeline Generation Challenges
36% of marketing teams focus on MQLs, while only 22% track pipeline directly. Teams still reporting on vanity metrics (Traffic, Leads & MQLs) struggle to prove marketing’s impact on revenue.
Bottom of the line
Marketing leaders face increasing pressure to justify spend, align with sales, and report on revenue focused KPIs. High growth teams overcome these challenges by focusing on pipeline, aligning with CFOs & CEOs and meeting with sales frequently.
"The team is brilliant and engaging and goes the extra mile to understand your business."
Mike Beech
VP Marketing, causaLens
“Gripped delivered an incredible website, on budget and timeline. This was an initially an MVP (the core messaging and conversion route) and then added to for a version 2 that included resources and sector specific pages.
Which improved our inbound demand gen, pipeline, and revenue by taking on the ad spend and LinkedIn social media promotion of our solution, refreshing our target audiences and providing content to engage decision-makers.
I’ve used them before, will use them again - amazing bunch of people.”
Part 2, The Numbers
What is the primary metric your CEO/CFO cares most about?
What is the primary metric
your
CEO/CFO cares most about?
CxOs Want Growth
When it comes to metrics, the message from your CEO and CFO is clear. Revenue is the standout priority, with 71% of CEOs and CFOs seeing this as their number-one metric. Marketing leaders must clearly demonstrate their impact here, as it's central to securing budget and proving effectiveness.
Pipeline remains important but trails significantly behind at just 16%. It matters, but clearly CEOs and CFOs want marketers to connect pipeline activity directly to revenue outcomes, not just early-stage leads.
Interestingly, only 10% prioritise profitability, indicating revenue growth often takes precedence, but companies focusing exclusively here must be cautious not to neglect profitability entirely.
The Takeaway
Your marketing strategy should directly tie to revenue growth. Clearly aligning your KPIs with the revenue metrics your CEO and CFO care about will help you secure buy-in and protect your budget.
Is your marketing strategy aligned with what your CEO and CFO value most?
Marketing KPIs:
Still Too Focused on MQLs?
What is the primary KPI your
marketing team is targeted on?
Still Too Focused on MQLs?
The data shows a critical gap between what marketing teams measure and what CEOs and CFOs truly value.
MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) remain the primary KPI for the largest share of marketing teams (29%). While common, these metrics often don't translate clearly into revenue, potentially leaving marketers vulnerable when budgets tighten.
Revenue (21%) and Pipeline (20%) KPIs are gaining prominence but still trail behind. These metrics directly link marketing activities to business outcomes, aligning closely with CEO and CFO priorities.
Metrics such as SQLs/SQOs (10%) and Leads (9%) lag significantly behind, reflecting a growing shift towards outcomes rather than just activity.
The Takeaway
Marketers must evolve from MQL centric measurement to pipeline and revenue focused KPIs to better align with the business and clearly demonstrate their impact.
Is your marketing team measuring what truly matters to your CEO and CFO?
Lead Generation Still Dominates.
But is it Working?
Which of these best describes your primary marketing strategy?
Still Thinking Short Term
This clearly highlights the strategies currently prioritised by B2B SaaS marketers:
Lead Generation remains the most common strategy (36%), emphasising immediate lead volume. However, this often leads to lower-quality pipeline and weaker alignment with business revenue goals.
Demand Generation (20%) and Account-Based Marketing (ABM) (16%) follow, indicating that many marketers are shifting toward longer-term, high-quality growth strategies, although these approaches are still trailing lead gen.
Strategies like Inbound Content (6%) and Partner/ Channel Marketing (4%) have lower priority despite their potential for sustainable growth and brand building.
Outbound marketing and events barely register as primary strategies, suggesting these are supplementary rather than core approaches for most marketers.
The Takeaway
Lead generation alone won’t cut it, marketers must shift their primary focus from merely generating leads to creating meaningful pipeline opportunities and measurable revenue impact. Align your strategy closely with business outcomes valued by CEOs and CFOs, not just activity metrics.
Marketing Spend Expectations
What is happening with your marketing
budget next year?
Caution Dominates
Going into 2025, most marketers face budget caution rather than budget growth.
Only 23% of marketing leaders anticipate an increase in budget, suggesting confidence in proving ROI or strong alignment with business priorities.
However, slightly more (28%) are preparing for cuts reflecting caution due to market uncertainty.
Just short of 1 in 3 (31%) expect budgets to remain unchanged, highlighting pressure on marketers to achieve better results without extra resources.
The Takeaway
Marketers will face increasing scrutiny to demonstrate clear returns from existing budgets. Efficiency, smarter allocation and strategic spend will be crucial to thriving.
Are you prepared to deliver more impact with the same or less?
Budgets Shift from Short Term Tactics to Long Term Impact
Which of these best describes
your primary marketing strategy?
Budgets Are Shifting
Spending trends illustrates how marketing budgets are shifting from last year to this year, revealing key trends in investment priorities:
Events & Sponsorships have notably dropped (73% → 65%), highlighting marketers’ growing caution around expensive, short term events.
Website Development spend is also declining (31% → 22%), suggesting marketers have moved past foundational web projects towards ongoing content and growth strategies.
A clear increase in Content Marketing (31% → 41%) and SEO/SEM (18% → 25%) indicates marketers are investing in sustainable channels that generate long-term growth.
Investment in Marketing Technology & Tools decreased (36% → 27%), possibly signalling consolidation and a sharper focus on ROI from existing technology.
The Takeaway
Marketing spend is shifting from short term, activities towards strategies designed for long term brand building and sustainable growth.
Is your budget aligned with strategies that build lasting impact or are you still chasing short term wins?
Budgets Shift from Short Term Tactics to Long Term Impact
Which of these best describes
your primary marketing strategy?
Budgets Are Shifting
This reveals the activities marketers spend the most time on and raises important questions about prioritisation.
Content Marketing (Articles, 58%) and Events (46%) consume a significant portion of marketers' time, highlighting a clear emphasis on brand visibility and thought leadership.
Email Marketing (30%) and Digital Advertising (29%) remain time-intensive channels, driven by short term lead and demand generation tactics.
Activities such as SEO (13%), Social Media (16%), and Website Development (14%) receive moderate attention but might be under prioritised given their potential to drive sustainable, long term growth.
Notably, strategic areas like Partnerships (5%) and Branding & Creative Services (5%) get relatively little attention, potentially limiting opportunities for differentiation and scalable growth.
The Takeaway
Marketing spend is shifting from short term, activities towards strategies designed for long term brand building and sustainable growth.
Is your budget aligned with strategies that build lasting impact or are you still chasing short term wins?
Which activities do Marketing Leaders wish their team spent more time on?
Which of these best describes
your primary marketing strategy?
Budgets Are Shifting
This clearly shows marketers recognise they should spend more time on activities driving long term business growth.
SEO/SEM (30%) tops the list, reflecting a strong desire to improve organic visibility and reduce reliance on paid channels.
Website Development (25%) and Content Marketing (Articles, 24%) follow closely, highlighting the need to strengthen digital presence and brand authority.
Interest in Partnerships (29%) and Market Research (28%) is growing, showing marketers’ recognition of strategic, insight-driven activities that deliver sustainable competitive advantage.
Lower priorities for additional time investment include short-term activities such as OOH advertising (1%), Branding & Creative Services (10%), and Training (10%), suggesting these areas are currently perceived as less impactful for immediate growth goals.
The Takeaway
Marketers clearly want to pivot towards long term, strategic marketing activities, but many remain stuck focusing on short term tactics due to day-to-day demands.
Are your marketers equipped and supported to invest their time strategically?
Close Sales & Marketing Alignment
Key Takeaways and How to Win in 2025/26
Align with Revenue
CEOs and CFOs prioritise revenue. Move beyond vanity metrics and clearly connect marketing activity to pipeline and revenue outcomes.
Close Sales & Marketing Alignment
Shift investment from short term tactics to long term demand generation, content and brand building activity. Teams who do this outperform on revenue and pipeline quality.
Balance Short vs Long Term:
Frequent collaboration with sales isn't optional, it's essential. High performing teams meet weekly (or more) and share data consistently, driving significant revenue impact.
Strategic Specialisation Matters
Invest in specialised roles (Demand Generation, Product Marketing, RevOps). Generalist heavy teams struggle to achieve strategic objectives effectively.
Part 3: Conclusion
Key Takeaways and How to Win in 2025/26
Align with Revenue
CEOs and CFOs prioritise revenue. Move beyond vanity metrics and clearly connect marketing activity to pipeline and revenue outcomes.
Balance Short vs Long Term:
Shift investment from short term tactics to long term demand generation, content and brand building activity. Teams who do this outperform on revenue and pipeline quality.
Close Sales & Marketing Alignment
Frequent collaboration with sales isn't optional, it's essential. High performing teams meet weekly (or more) and share data consistently, driving significant revenue impact.
Strategic Specialisation Matters
Invest in specialised roles (Demand Generation, Product Marketing, RevOps). Generalist heavy teams struggle to achieve strategic objectives effectively.
Are You Ready to Win? Three questions every SaaS marketing leader must answer.
Revenue Accountability
Are your marketing KPIs aligned with what your CEO and CFO measure?
Spend Prioritisation
Is your budget allocated to activities that deliver long term, sustainable growth?
Team & Alignment
Does your team have the right skills and the right structure and are you collaborating closely enough with sales?
Your action plan
Review your current metrics. Shift towards pipeline and revenue based KPIs and align with your CEO and CFO.
Optimise your spend, balancing long term brand and short term demand.
Foster close, consistent alignment with your sales organisation.
Ensure your team has the right blend of specialist skills or partners.
Make your 2025 strategy about driving measurable business impact.
Build Pipeline.
Grow Revenue.
Scale with Confidence.
Gripped is where SaaS and tech go to drive growth with digital marketing that ignites demand, pipeline and revenue.
We partner with marketing leaders and founders at B2B SaaS and tech companies to transform strategic insights into predictable pipeline, measurable revenue and meaningful results. Our proven, data driven approach doesn't chase vanity metrics, it's designed to generate tangible outcomes that fuel real, sustainable business growth.
Built specifically for SaaS and tech, our marketing strategies focus on recurring revenue, optimised buying journeys and precise alignment between marketing and sales teams. We identify opportunities, remove friction and scale what works, helping ambitious businesses like yours thrive.
If you're tired of marketing that doesn't move the needle and want to drive genuine growth without the fluff, let's talk.
