Marketers Plan Bigger Budgets in 2026

Marketers are entering 2026 with growing budgets, strong optimism, and a sharper focus on measurable results, according to new research from Clutch.

The research firm found that 60 percent of small businesses plan to increase marketing spend and 78 percent of marketers feel positive about the year ahead, signaling purposeful investment rather than cutbacks.

"Marketers are confident and investing with purpose," said Anna Peck, Clutch analyst. "Teams are reallocating spend to meet rising expectations for ROI and changing customer behavior."

The firm also found that marketing teams are entering 2026 with stronger growth ambitions and a focus on flexibility. Eighty-five percent expect budget adjustments as priorities shift, favoring restructuring over cuts. Nearly half (48 percent) plan to move more than half of their budgets to digital channels, reflecting a push toward performance-driven tactics. Rising ROI pressure, shifting customer behavior and the need for agile planning are driving these changes.

Additional data showed that marketers plan to increase investment in content marketing and SEO (45 percent), digital advertising (43 percent), branding and creative development (41 percent), and sponsorships and strategic partnerships (35 percent). Traditional media is declining, with about a third expecting to cut spend on TV, print, radio, or out-of-home. AI adoption is growing, with 61 percent using it for data analysis, media planning, or personalization, though 83 percent plan to allocate less than 20 percent of their total budgets to AI tools.

"Marketers see AI as practical and useful but are investing with intention rather than scale," Peck said.

The data also found that 76 percent of marketers feel confident their current mixes support organizational goals, yet only 34 percent say their biggest challenge is proving direct impact on revenue or measurable outcomes. Leadership support remains strong, with 72 percent saying leadership is open to new ideas when presented with clear reasoning and projected results.