UK Marketing Benchmarks 2026
Channel performance data and spending patterns for UK small and medium businesses. Based on CM Beyer client data and market research from Q4 2025 – Q1 2026.
About this report
This report compiles marketing performance benchmarks for UK SMEs across digital and traditional channels. Data is drawn from CM Beyer client engagements, publicly available advertising platform data, and proprietary CMB Insight research conducted in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026.
The report is intended for marketing managers, founders, and business owners making channel allocation decisions. All data is aggregate and anonymised — no individual client data is identifiable.
Key findings
- Search (PPC) remains the highest-intent channel for most B2B SMEs, with average cost-per-lead stable year-on-year despite industry-wide cost increases. Brand campaigns outperform generic by a factor of 2.8× on conversion rate.
- Email continues to deliver the strongest ROI of any digital channel for businesses with a list of more than 5,000 contacts. Open rates have increased since Apple's Mail Privacy Protection changes settled — averages now run 28–42% for well-segmented lists.
- Organic social has bifurcated. LinkedIn remains a reliable channel for B2B lead generation at zero media cost for businesses willing to invest time in content. Instagram and Facebook organic reach continues to decline for business accounts without a significant existing following.
- Paid social CPMs increased 18% year-on-year across Meta platforms. Conversion rates did not keep pace. For businesses running lead generation at the lower end of budget (<£2,500/month), the math on Meta is increasingly difficult to justify without tight audience targeting.
- AI-generated content is now detectable at scale. Three major UK trade publications we tracked began showing declining engagement rates for AI-generated articles vs human-written equivalents over the period. The gap is widening.
- Video completion rates on LinkedIn exceed YouTube for B2B content under 90 seconds, for audiences with UK business demographics. This is counter to platform instinct for many marketers.
Channel benchmark table
Average performance metrics across CM Beyer client accounts, Q4 2025 – Q1 2026. All figures are UK B2B context unless noted.
| Channel | Avg. CPL | Conv. Rate | YoY trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branded PPC | £18–£42 | 6.2% | ▲ Stable |
| Generic PPC | £38–£95 | 2.2% | ▶ Mixed |
| LinkedIn (paid) | £55–£130 | 1.8% | ▼ Declining |
| Email (owned list) | £4–£12 | 3.8% | ▲ Improving |
| Meta (B2B targeting) | £28–£80 | 1.4% | ▼ Declining |
| SEO / organic search | £8–£25 | 2.9% | ▲ Stable |
How do you compare?
Enter your own numbers to see roughly where you sit against the UK benchmark. Nothing is sent anywhere — this runs entirely in your browser.
Methodology and limitations
Client data is drawn from accounts where CM Beyer had direct campaign management responsibility. Sample sizes vary by channel — PPC data covers the widest client base; LinkedIn organic data is from a smaller set of clients with consistent content programmes.
All CPL figures are lead-cost estimates for inbound leads (contact form, call, trial sign-up) and should not be compared directly to platform-reported cost figures, which typically measure clicks or form completions at the platform level rather than qualified business leads.
This report does not constitute marketing advice. Channel performance varies significantly by sector, offer, and audience. Contact CMB Insight to discuss what benchmarks are most relevant to your specific situation.
