Measurement & Strategy Statistics

Everyone wants to steer by data, but few marketers can actually prove their impact. These figures show where measurement breaks down, and why it's better to steer by direction than by false certainty.

Last updated: June 14, 2026 · 8 verified statistics

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Tanguy De Keyzer Oprichter & digitale strateeg

85% Of marketers say they are confident in their ROI measurement Reassuring, until you notice that confidence rises faster than measurement quality. Confidence isn't proof. Source: Nielsen Annual Marketing Report (2025)

32% Truly measures ROI holistically across traditional and digital channels combined The rest measures channels in isolation, and misses the full picture as a result. In Europe that figure is even lower, at 23%. That's where misattribution creeps in. Source: Nielsen Annual Marketing Report (2025)

70% Of B2B buyers prefer a fully digital, self-service purchasing experience Buyers want to research and compare on their own, often through channels your dashboard doesn't register. Being present matters more than being able to measure everything. Source: Gartner (2026)

41% Defaults to a last-touch attribution model Last-touch gives all the credit to the final click and ignores everything that warmed up the lead beforehand. That steers budget in the wrong direction. Source: Digiday (via Ruler Analytics) (2025)

67% Of B2B buyers prefer a purchasing experience without a sales rep Buyers research on their own, often through channels your dashboard doesn't register. Being present matters more than being able to measure everything. Source: Gartner (2026)

45% Of B2B buyers used AI during a recent purchase A growing share of research shifts to AI queries that no click model registers. You're measuring less and less of what actually shapes the decision. Source: Gartner (2026)

69% Of B2B buyers go to a sales rep to validate AI-generated insights Gathering data, and even using AI, is not the same as deciding. At the critical moment, human contact counts, and no dashboard captures that. Source: Gartner (2026)

57,9% Of marketers use an attribution tool That leaves over 40% still attributing by hand or not at all. Without tooling, measurement remains guesswork. Source: Ruler Analytics (2025)

What do these figures mean for Belgian B2B companies?

The common thread is uncomfortable but freeing: almost no one measures marketing perfectly, and whoever claims otherwise is usually overestimating themselves. 85% say they’re confident in their ROI measurement, while barely 32% truly measure holistically across all channels. Most of the B2B buying journey plays out outside your dashboards, increasingly through AI queries, so any number that promises full certainty is lying a little.

For a Belgian B2B company without a webshop, that means: don’t chase the illusion of perfect attribution. Choose a fair attribution model that approximates the whole journey instead of crediting everything to the final click, and use it to decide, not to reassure yourself. Combine your data analytics with a simple question to every new lead: how did you find us? Steer on won customers and revenue, not on numbers that look good in a report. Direction beats false precision, every time.

Frequently asked questions

Why can so many marketers not prove their ROI? +

Because a large part of the B2B buying journey happens outside clickable channels: independent research, AI queries, conversations inside the company. 85% say they're confident in their ROI measurement, but barely 32% truly measure holistically across all channels. Tracking mostly captures the last steps, not what actually shaped the decision. Full attribution is therefore an illusion, and it's better to steer by direction than by one exact number.

Which attribution model should I choose then? +

Not last-touch, since that credits everything to the final click. Yet 41% of marketers default to it. A data-driven or multi-touch model gives a fairer picture of what actually warms up leads. But more important than the perfect model is that you measure consistently and use the numbers to decide, not to feel reassured.

What should I measure if perfect attribution doesn't exist? +

Steer on customers and revenue, not vanity metrics like impressions or open rates. Track qualified leads, requests and won deals. Supplement quantitative data with the question, how did you find us? With 70% of B2B buyers preferring a digital self-service experience, a large part of the journey falls outside your view anyway. Direction is more useful than false precision.

The last-click attribution model lies: which channel really brings in your B2B leads?

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Source: Customer Impact, Measurement & Strategy Statistics, https://www.customerimpact.be/en/marketing-statistics/measurement-and-strategy/

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