Key Takeaways
- ABM has graduated from a niche tactic into a core growth engine, with 56% of respondents naming new account acquisition as their primary goal and 28% prioritizing account expansion.
- Mature teams aren’t pitting demand gen against ABM — 47% now integrate both processes to streamline marketing and pursue growth with more precision.
Account-based Marketing (ABM) is no longer just a niche play for a handful of strategic accounts. It is becoming a core way B2B organizations drive growth, align teams, and focus effort where it can have the biggest revenue impact.
That is one of the clearest trends in the 2026 Account Based Marketing Benchmark Survey as 56% of our respondents replies new account acquisition is the primary goal of their ABM strategy. Another 28% say account expansion is the main focus.
Together, those findings show that ABM is being used as a practical engine for winning net-new business and growing existing customer relationships, not just as a branding or awareness tactic.
The 2026 ABM Report By The Numbers
That shift matters. B2B organizations are dealing with longer sales cycles, larger buying groups, and rising pressure to prove efficiency. In that environment, ABM gives teams a more focused way to identify the right accounts, tailor outreach, and coordinate engagement across the funnel. It helps turn broad go-to-market goals into targeted action.
The survey shows that ABM is not replacing demand generation outright. Instead, many organizations are working to connect the two. Nearly half of respondents say they integrate demand generation and ABM processes to streamline marketing efforts. That suggests a more mature operating model, where broad-based programs and targeted account strategies work together instead of competing for budget or attention.
For B2B marketers, that makes ABM more than a campaign type. It is becoming a discipline that helps organizations decide where to invest, how to measure progress, and how to pursue growth with more precision. Download the full report by clicking here.
