28 Vital B2B Statistics [2026]: How Many B2B Companies Are There

Research Summary: Business-to-business (B2B) transactions are essential to the economy, facilitating the supply chain and enabling businesses to thrive. As the landscape continues to evolve, especially in the wake of technological advancements and changing consumer expectations, understanding the current state of B2B commerce in the U.S. is crucial. Based on our thorough research, here are the most compelling B2B sales statistics for 2026:

• B2B e-commerce revenue in the U.S. surpassed $2.5 trillion in 2025.

• Nurtured B2B leads generate 50% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads at a 30% lower cost.

• 61% of B2B marketers consider email to be the most effective marketing channel.

• Approximately 66% of B2B businesses have established their sales funnel.

• A significant 70% of B2B customers are lost due to perceived indifference or lack of engagement.

• Advertising spending for U.S. B2B companies reached over $25 billion in 2025.

• Social media platforms are utilized by 97% of B2B companies.

For further analysis, we have categorized the data as follows:
Sales | Buyers | Companies | Digital Marketing | Trends + Projections

B2B Marketing Strategy Statistics

Given the vastness of the B2B market, strategic marketing is imperative. Various market strategies exist, with differing effectiveness. Here are some key insights:

• The conversion rate for cold calls is about 2%, while cold emails hover around 1%.

  This indicates that neither is particularly effective in isolation. Instead, lead nurturing emails and calls can boost conversion rates by up to 75%.

• As of 2026, 70% of B2B companies intend to enhance their investment in video marketing.

  This trend is unsurprising, as 85% of marketers now assert that video content has become increasingly crucial. Additionally, 82% of marketers report a spike in sales after implementing video content.

• 61% of B2B marketers regard email as the most effective marketing channel.

  Email marketing boasts an ROI of $42 for every dollar spent, thus indicating a substantial return on investment.

• 85% of B2B marketers leverage social media content.

  With 53% reporting that social media has led to increased leads and sales, the significance of platforms like LinkedIn is expected to rise further.

• 80% of B2B companies incorporate blogs into their content marketing strategy.

  Blogs can yield up to 70% more leads monthly, providing customers with valuable information about your business, with 90% of customers indicating a greater likelihood of engagement when offered insightful content.

• 58% of CMOs are prioritizing customer experience improvements in the next two years.

  Other key focus areas include developing innovative go-to-market strategies and implementing significant changes in revenue generation methods.

B2B Statistics by Sales

Sales are the lifeblood of any B2B business, and with increasing competition, attracting customers requires skill. Here are the sales insights from our research:

• B2B buyers are typically 60% of the way towards a decision before engaging sales teams.

  This underscores the importance of engaging customers before they reach the “buying window.” B2B businesses can enhance outreach by identifying a buyer’s challenges and crafting solutions accordingly.

• 47% of B2B buyers seek new ideas at the onset of a sales conversation.

  Personalization and market expertise are paramount for success, as businesses that offer unique solutions tailored to customer interests are more likely to thrive.

• A significant 80% of B2B buyers perceive sales representatives as underprepared.

  The top reasons include a lack of case studies (79%), insufficient understanding of buyer challenges (78%), and unpreparedness regarding the buyer’s business (76%).

• Lead generation is deemed a top success metric by 88% of B2B marketers.

  However, achieving effective lead generation and conversion remains challenging, with only 5% of B2B companies rating their efforts as “highly effective.” A healthy conversion rate for B2B businesses typically ranges between 3%-6%, with many averaging less than 3%.

B2B Statistics by Buyers

Attracting buyers is fundamental to B2B success, and understanding buyer behavior is key. Here are noteworthy trends:

• 57% of B2B buyers search for information on social media.

  An additional 75% actively utilize social media for their inquiries, indicating that investment in social media can yield positive outcomes.

• As of 2026, 70% of the B2B buyer’s journey occurs digitally.

  This trend is likely driven by the prevalence of B2B discovery via vendor websites, internet searches, social media, and email.

• 66% of customers require a company’s claim to be reiterated three to five times to be convinced.

  This highlights the importance of factual information presented through videos, blogs, and other mediums.

• Customer referrals account for 56% of all B2B leads.

  This makes referrals far more effective than other lead generation methods, such as email or direct marketing (12%), internet searches (9%), and events (8%).



• The top selling point for B2B buyers is insightful content, with 53% relying on it for pre-purchase research.

  Buyers are five times more likely to engage with a sales rep who provides valuable insights about their business, indicating that education trumps aggressive marketing.

• A staggering 92% of B2B buyers do not follow a linear sales funnel.

  This complexity highlights the importance of SEO, which helps buyers discover your B2B business and enhance brand or campaign awareness.

B2B Statistics by Company

B2B companies exhibit varied success rates, influenced by emerging trends. Here are some key findings:

• B2B companies with 100-500 employees typically involve an average of 8 people in decision-making.

  Each decision-maker independently gathers four to six research pieces, totaling up to 48 pieces of information, underscoring the need for B2B companies to present clear evidence of their products’ effectiveness.

• The average B2B sales cycle spans 2-6 months.

  For new customers, 50% of sales cycles fall within 2-4 months or 4-6 months, with a notable 30% of sales cycles extending to 4-6 months.



• 25% of returning B2B customers have a sales cycle under a month.

  Another 40% have a sales cycle of 1-3 months, highlighting the efficiency and cost-saving potential of repeat customers.

• 78% of B2B companies utilize paid LinkedIn ads.

  Moreover, 97% engage in organic content marketing on LinkedIn, solidifying its status as the leading social platform for B2B companies.

Digital Marketing B2B Statistics

As illustrated by previous statistics, the majority of B2B marketing and discovery takes place online, and digital marketing is projected to continue its upward trajectory. Here are notable B2B digital marketing statistics:

• B2B digital ad spending grew by 25% in 2025.

  Overall, digital ad expenditures reached $10.5 billion in 2025, with expectations to soar to $16 billion by 2027, reflecting a significant rebound from the previous downturn.

• LinkedIn remains the premier social media platform for B2B leads.

  It is 300% more effective for lead generation than other social media platforms, thanks to its professional networking and business-focused environment.

• The average B2B blog post requires about 5 hours to write.

  This increased time reflects the demand for more in-depth content, with many posts now exceeding 2,500 words.

  

• 40% of B2B brands seek outside marketing assistance.

  Meanwhile, 55% handle their marketing entirely in-house. The rise of freelancers has contributed to increased outsourcing among B2B brands.

B2B Trends and Predictions

Despite earlier challenges, B2B businesses are poised for continued growth and success. Here are some of the most significant trends and projections:

• 75% of B2B executives acknowledge that customers now expect more personalization compared to previous years.

  Focusing on personalization can yield substantial benefits, with B2B companies that prioritize it seeing up to 30% higher conversion rates and a 20% increase in revenue.

• Now, 42% of B2B businesses emphasize customer experience (CX).

  This marks a significant increase from just 5% in 2015, with customer experience continuing to gain importance as 85% of customers now view CX as equally crucial as the products/services offered.

• 50% of B2B buyers desire features like personalized content portals.

  This preference stems from the need to quickly access relevant information. Other sought-after features include ROI calculators (45%), augmented reality (40%), and video chat options (35%).



• 76% of B2B buyers are at least somewhat likely to make a purchase based solely on CX.

  In fact, 75% of buyers are willing to pay a premium for excellent CX, which can enhance retention rates by 35%.

B2B Statistics FAQ

1. How many B2B companies are there?

   There are approximately 2.8 to 3.2 million B2B businesses in the U.S. This represents about 24% of all companies in the U.S., indicating that nearly 1 in 4 companies operate within the B2B sector.

2. How many individuals work in B2B sales?

   Roughly 2.5-3 million people are involved in B2B sales. This accounts for approximately 16% of the 16.2 million U.S. employees engaged in sales. The majority of these professionals operate online, interacting with clients through chat or video calls.

3. What is the value of the B2B market?

   The B2B e-commerce market is valued at approximately $16 trillion, with B2B revenue exceeding $2.5 trillion. Following earlier downturns, the market anticipates a robust CAGR of 14.1% between 2021-2027.

4. Which industries dominate the B2B sector?

   The leading B2B industries include Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), Medical Marijuana, Financial Technology (FinTech), Biotechnology, and Content Marketing. The AR/VR sector, in particular, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 31.5% from 2021 to 2026.

5. What proportion of business is B2B?

   Approximately 24% of business transactions are B2B by sales share. Specifically, 12.5% of U.S. online sales pertain to B2B products, while 11.8% are for B2B services.

6. What percentage of B2B buyers are millennials?

   60% of B2B buyers are millennials, making them the predominant demographic in this role. As this generation has grown up with digital technology, B2B sellers must adapt to meet their preferences for digital engagement.

Additionally, Alibaba remains the world’s largest wholesale marketplace, followed by TradeIndia, Global Sources, IndiaMart, Made-In-China, eWorldTrade, and Amazon.

Conclusion

In 2026, B2B companies are increasingly relying on digital marketing strategies. A remarkable 70% of the buyer’s journey now occurs online, and 85% of B2B marketers leverage social media content, with LinkedIn remaining the top platform.

Additionally, 78% of B2B companies use paid LinkedIn ads, reinforcing its effectiveness as a lead generation tool.

Moreover, businesses are recognizing the critical need to provide a personalized experience for customers. With 50% of B2B buyers requesting features like tailored content portals, it’s clear that 75% of B2B executives acknowledge rising consumer expectations for personalization.

Ultimately, adopting digital marketing and personalization strategies will enhance the success of B2B businesses, leading to increased email engagement and improved discoverability.

References

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Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.