After 25 years across 3 continents, I’ve learned it comes down to core fundamentals most founders overlook.

Get those right, and you’re not guessing, you’re building.

Read more: https://lnkd.in/eM9c9dRr

Each year around mid-year, we at The Artesian Network recheck the numbers from the latest B2B benchmark data and provide and outlook for ROI across the top 15 marketing tactics.

CMOs and CEOs in early-stage tech—where should you really put your limited marketing budget? When every dollar needs to work twice as hard, it’s essential to know which channels actually drive ROI. I’ve ranked the top 15 B2B marketing activities—from highest to lowest return—based on the latest 2025 benchmark data.

The Shortlist You Actually Need

• Email Marketing – $36–42 per $1. Don’t overthink this. Own your audience.
• Content Marketing – Your long-game lead machine. Fuels SEO, sales enablement, and trust.
• Organic SEO + Website – Still the best compounding asset.
• LinkedIn Marketing – Most efficient social spend for B2B. Both ads + thought leadership.
• Facebook Paid + Organic – Counterintuitive, but ad ROI holds strong.
• Paid Social (FB, TikTok, IG) – Effective when hyper-targeted.
• Webinars & Digital Events – Excellent for deep-funnel conversion.
• Video Marketing – Explainer videos > pitch decks.
• ABM – High value if your ACVs justify the effort.
• Google Search Ads – High-intent search = quick wins.
• AI Optimization – 90% of marketers see ROI lift using AI for campaign tuning.
• Email Automation – Lifecycle emails close deals.
• CRO – Boost every other channel’s efficiency.
• In-Person Events – Strategic, not scalable (yet).
• Organic Social (X, Reddit, etc.) – Brand building, not pipeline drivers.

For Founders & CMOs: What to Prioritize

• Nail email, SEO, and content early—they scale affordably and compound.
• Use LinkedIn + paid social to get short-term momentum and test messaging.
• Reserve ABM, AI, and CRO for when you’ve got traction and data to optimize.

If your CAC is creeping up or your pipeline isn’t moving, your channel mix may be the culprit.

👉 CMOs, what’s working for you right now?

👉 Founders, where are you planning to place your next bet?

Let’s compare notes 👇 in the comments section, and feel free to get in touch with us at www.artesiannetwork.com

More about me here: https://www.jonathanwbuckley.com