US Marketing Benchmarks 2026
Channel performance and spend benchmarks for US small and medium businesses, in US$. Drawn from CM Beyer client data and market research, Q4 2025 – Q1 2026.
About this report
This report compiles marketing performance benchmarks for US SMEs across digital and traditional channels. Figures are in US dollars and reflect the US media market, including connected TV (CTV) — a far larger part of the US mix than in most markets. Data is drawn from CM Beyer client engagements, public platform data, and CMB Insight research.
It is intended for marketing managers, founders and owners making channel-allocation decisions. All data is aggregate and anonymised — no individual client is identifiable.
Key findings
Search intent commands a premium
Google Search remains the highest-intent channel for most US B2B SMEs. Branded campaigns convert ~3× better than generic. US Search CPCs run higher than most markets, so branded-term efficiency matters more, not less.
CTV went mainstream for SMBs
Connected TV (Roku, Hulu, YouTube TV, Amazon) is now accessible to mid-market US advertisers at targetable CPMs. It is the fastest-growing line in many client plans and increasingly replaces linear TV for awareness.
Meta CPMs up, scrutiny up
Meta CPMs rose ~17% year-on-year in the US while conversion lagged. For lead-gen under ~$3,000/month, tight targeting and strong creative are now table stakes rather than optimisations.
Email remains the ROI leader
For owned lists above ~5,000 contacts, email delivers the strongest ROI of any digital channel. Well-segmented US lists see 28–41% open rates post Apple Mail Privacy normalisation.
State and metro variance is large
CPCs and CPMs vary widely by state and DMA. National campaigns frequently overpay in high-cost coastal metros; geo-weighting to target states materially improves cost-per-lead.
Sales tax & DTC friction
For DTC and e-commerce, post-Wayfair sales-tax nexus across states adds operational drag that affects unit economics — and therefore how aggressively paid acquisition can scale profitably.
Benchmark table
Average performance across CM Beyer US client accounts, Q4 2025 – Q1 2026. US$, US B2B context unless noted.
| Channel | Avg. CPL (US$) | Conv. rate | YoY trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branded Search | $24–$58 | 6.4% | Stable |
| Generic Search | $48–$120 | 2.3% | Mixed |
| CTV (mid-market) | $30–$75 CPM | n/a (reach) | Growing |
| Email (owned list) | $5–$14 | 3.9% | Improving |
| Meta (B2B targeting) | $30–$90 | 1.4% | Declining |
| SEO / organic | $9–$28 | 2.9% | Stable |
How do you compare?
Enter your own numbers to see roughly where you sit against the US benchmark. Nothing is sent anywhere — this runs entirely in your browser.
Methodology & notes
Client data is drawn from accounts where CM Beyer North America had direct campaign-management responsibility. Sample sizes vary by channel; Search data covers the widest base.
CPL figures estimate qualified inbound business leads, not platform-reported clicks or form-fills. CTV is shown as CPM (a reach channel) rather than CPL.
This report does not constitute marketing advice. Performance varies by sector, offer and audience. Talk to CMB Insight about benchmarks relevant to your situation.
