New Research: Answer Engine – The State of B2B Thought Leadership in 2026

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Ascend2 and TopRank Marketing have released new joint research titled Answer Engine: The State of B2B Thought Leadership in 2026. This report examines how original research, influencer collaboration, and multi-channel activation work together to drive trust, visibility, and measurable revenue impact in an increasingly AI-driven marketing landscape.

Here is a link to the 31-page report.

To produce this study, Ascend2 and TopRank surveyed 797 senior-level B2B marketing leaders across industries in the United States and the U.K. They collected the data via an online survey in July 2025.

Key Highlights from the Study

• Thought leadership is essential, but underutilized. 97% of B2B marketers say thought leadership is critical to full-funnel success, yet only 43% extend it beyond acquisition to support engagement and retention post-sale.
• Original research dramatically strengthens content performance. 93% of marketers who use research-based content say it’s effective at driving engagement and generating leads, with 48% calling it very Research-based content builds credibility and trust across every stage of the buyer journey.
• Influencer collaboration multiplies impact. Among marketers who collaborate with influencers often, 74% say their research-based content is very effective, compared to just 29% of everyone else. Ongoing partnerships with recognized experts significantly expand reach and authority.
• Experiential content is becoming a difference-maker. 78% believe interactive or experiential content increases repeat engagement—yet only 33% regularly use it. This gap represents a significant opportunity for marketers to create content that feels like an experience rather than just a deliverable.
• AI search is transforming how buyers discover thought leadership. 32% of professionals now find thought leadership through GenAI tools, signaling a rapid shift in buyer behavior and the need for marketers to adapt distribution strategies.

Visual Highlights from the Report

Chart 1: Data-Informed Strategies

Top-performing marketers anchor their strategies in customer reality—not assumptions. They rely on:

• Customer feedback (53%)
• CRM data (44%)
• Marketing trend analysis (44%)
• Brand strategy inputs (40%)

This data-first approach helps ensure research topics address real buyer questions.

Chart 2: Challenges Limiting Full-Funnel Success

Marketers identify several key obstacles to building a high-performing thought leadership engine:

• Limited visibility into funnel performance (34%)
• Too few distribution channels (33%)
• Difficulty generating top-of-funnel leads (31%)

These constraints highlight the need for more integrated analytics and more diversified content pathways.

Chart 3: Experiential Content

The combination of experiential research + experiential content is emerging as a powerhouse for engagement. Marketers say the most impactful formats are:

• Video content (48%)
• Live or virtual events (48%)
• Interactive experiences (48%)

These formats create immersive environments that elevate both reach and retention.

Chart 4: Multi-Channel Discovery

Buyers validate decisions across multiple channels and now include AI tools in the mix.

For example, 32% use GenAI platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude to discover thought leadership, even though most marketers have not yet integrated these tools into their distribution plans.

Today’s top thought leadership channels include:

• LinkedIn (54%)
• In-person events (54%)
• YouTube/video (51%)
• GenAI tools (32%)

Being findable is being credible. Multi-channel discovery ensures that wherever buyers turn, your brand is part of the conversation.

The Bottom Line for Thought Leadership in 2026

This research underscores a simple truth: credibility fuels performance. By grounding content in original research, amplifying it through trusted influencers, and delivering it across the channels buyers actually use, including AI search, marketers can build thought leadership that drives measurable impact. The next era of B2B marketing belongs to the brands that act on these insights.