B2B influencer budgets rise in 2026

3.4 significance by Forrester Business December 2026

Why does it matter?

Bigger influencer budgets would show B2B buyers seeking trusted outside validation alongside AI-generated research.

Direct quote

Seventy-five percent of B2B enterprises will increase budgets for influencer relations. As buying networks expand and buying groups increasingly rely on external influencers -- analysts, subject matter experts, and luminaries -- for fact-based insights, marketing leaders will elevate influencer relations from a tactical PR extension to a strategic growth lever.

Forrester