# B2B Marketing Leaders Face Challenges in Aligning Metrics with Revenue

> A new 10Fold report reveals that while B2B marketers are measuring more signals than ever, only 38% can link these metrics to revenue. The study calls for integrated reporting systems to prove marketing's impact on business growth.

**Source**: demandgenreport.com | **Published**: 2026-09-08 | **Type**: research

## Key Facts

- Only 38% of marketers link metrics to revenue, highlighting a major gap in business impact proof.
- 87% of leaders trust metrics tied to outcomes, indicating a need for better alignment in reporting.
- 80% say measurement influences strategy, yet only 49% trust their data, revealing potential vulnerabilities.
- AI visibility is now crucial; over 50% measure it, showing a strategic shift towards digital integration.
- Different sectors require tailored metrics; e.g., fintech needs AI visibility for C-suite trust and decisions.

## Summary

A recent report from 10Fold, titled "The Communications ROI Reset: What B2B Leaders Measure, Trust and Act On," reveals a significant disconnect between the metrics that B2B marketing leaders track and their ability to correlate these metrics to tangible business outcomes. While marketers are increasingly measuring a broader range of signals—including website traffic, AI visibility, and referral traffic—only 38% can link these metrics to pipeline or revenue. This gap highlights an urgent need for integrated reporting systems that connect visibility to trust, action, and measurable business growth.

The findings indicate that over half of the surveyed leaders have expanded their measurement frameworks to include new metrics, particularly those related to artificial intelligence. For instance, more than 50% are now tracking AI search visibility and brand citations in AI-generated content. Despite this, just 35% report having fully integrated their communications metrics across various channels, including earned, paid, and digital media. The lack of a cohesive reporting structure hampers the ability of marketing leaders to present a credible narrative to the C-suite and board of directors, which is essential for securing budget and strategic support.

Susan Thomas, CEO of 10Fold, emphasizes that the solution is not merely to add more metrics to dashboards but to create a connected framework that illustrates how visibility fosters trust, which in turn drives action and contributes to business growth. This "communications ROI reset" is critical for establishing a fair attribution model that aligns communications metrics with broader marketing initiatives. The report underscores that while metrics are plentiful, the challenge lies in their connectivity and relevance to business outcomes.

The report also reveals that 87% of marketing leaders believe their CEO or board primarily trusts metrics that align with business outcomes, with revenue impact being the most trusted indicator at 34%. Other important metrics include website traffic and social engagement, both of which are viewed as essential for demonstrating marketing effectiveness. However, only 49% of respondents express confidence in the accuracy and completeness of their communications data, raising concerns about the reliability of strategic decisions based on these metrics.

Different verticals within the B2B technology landscape exhibit varying needs for proof points. For example, enterprise software companies may need to demonstrate how communications correlate with revenue and buyer behavior, while AI and data firms might focus on the relationship between discoverability and market authority. Cybersecurity and fintech companies are also called to enhance their visibility metrics to build trust with executive leadership. The report suggests that companies under $100 million in revenue should focus on a small number of reliable growth indicators, while those in the $1 billion and above category need to simplify complex reporting into a digestible format for board-level decision-making.

As B2B marketing continues to evolve, the emphasis on AI visibility as a core metric signals a shift in how companies assess their communications strategies. The integration of AI insights into reporting frameworks will likely become a critical differentiator in the competitive landscape. Organizations that can effectively connect these metrics to business outcomes will not only enhance their credibility with stakeholders but also position themselves for strategic investment and growth in an increasingly data-driven market. This focus on integrated reporting will be essential as companies navigate the complexities of modern marketing and seek to demonstrate their value in measurable terms.

## Entities

- **Companies**: 10Fold
- **Products**: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini
- **Technologies**: AI, LLM
- **People**: Susan Thomas

## Key Concepts

Communications ROI, integrated reporting, business impact, AI visibility, C-suite trust, metrics correlation, marketing strategy, visibility indicators

## Definitions

- **Communications ROI**: A framework for measuring the return on investment in communications activities, focusing on how visibility translates into business growth.
- **AI visibility**: The measurement of a brand's presence and performance in AI-generated content and search results.
- **integrated reporting**: A comprehensive approach to reporting that connects various metrics and data sources to provide a holistic view of business performance.
- **C-suite**: The executive-level managers within a company, including roles such as CEO, CFO, and COO.
- **pipeline influence**: The impact of marketing activities on the sales pipeline, including lead generation and conversion rates.

## Use Cases

- Tracking website traffic to measure marketing effectiveness.
- Using AI visibility metrics to enhance brand authority.
- Integrating digital and AI signals into business narratives for executive reporting.
- Establishing reliable growth indicators for companies under $100M.
- Transforming data into visible business impact for IoT companies.
- Connecting communications with revenue for enterprise software companies.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What is the main finding of the 10Fold report?**

The report reveals that while marketers are tracking more signals, only 38% correlate these metrics to pipeline or revenue, indicating a gap in effective measurement.

**Why is integrated reporting important?**

Integrated reporting is crucial because it connects various metrics to provide a credible narrative that demonstrates how visibility leads to trust and ultimately drives business growth.

**What role does AI visibility play in marketing?**

AI visibility has become a key metric for measuring brand performance, with many marketers tracking AI search visibility and referral traffic from AI tools to enhance their strategies.

**How do different B2B sectors approach communications measurement?**

Different B2B sectors, such as cybersecurity and fintech, emphasize unique proof points, like making AI visibility defensible or integrating AI metrics for greater trust with executives.

**What challenges do marketing leaders face in proving business impact?**

Marketing leaders struggle with a lack of connected metrics and integrated reporting, which hampers their ability to demonstrate the true business impact of their marketing efforts.

## Links

- [Read on Welcome.AI](https://welcome.ai/content/b2b-marketing-leaders-face-challenges-in-aligning-metrics-with-revenue)
- [Original source](https://www.demandgenreport.com/industry-news/news-brief/b2b-marketing-leaders-struggle-to-prove-business-impact-10fold/54356/)

---

Source: Welcome.AI | https://welcome.ai/content/b2b-marketing-leaders-face-challenges-in-aligning-metrics-with-revenue