AI reshapes B2B buying journeys, report

New research from WARC, LinkedIn and LIONS Advisory examines how creative can help buyers build confidence in purchase decisions.

B2B buying journeys are becoming longer and more complex, with an average cycle of 272 days involving 22 stakeholders, while artificial intelligence is changing how buyers research and validate brands.

The study analysed more than 700 B2B campaigns and identified seven Buyability signals linked to buyer confidence. The framework centres on three areas: Recommendations, Relationships and Relatability, which the researchers refer to as the 3Rs.

WARC research examines what makes B2B brands buyable

The research builds on work by LinkedIn and Bain & Company on Buyability. It examines how creative can help brands provide evidence that makes purchasing decisions easier for buying groups to justify.

Recommendations encompass validation from customers, peers, experts and other trusted voices. Relationships refer to signals of familiarity and long-term partnership, while Relatability focuses on recognisable customer situations, use cases and experiences.

The study also examined the role of AI in B2B discovery. Research cited in the report found that 94 percent of B2B buyers used large language models during their buying journey in 2025.

The 3Rs shape confidence in B2B purchase decisions

According to the research, first-hand experience and trusted recommendations have a greater influence on vendor selection than performance or price. Messaging featuring similar customers also performed better than claims centred on market leadership.

Imaad Ahmed, Thought Leadership Director, LIONS Advisory and WARC: “The Buyability model has gained strong support from across the B2B industry. This new work seeks to demonstrate the impact Buyability has in real case scenarios, and what proof points exist. The objective of our research was to measure how frequently Buyability signals appear in B2B campaigns, and whether more signals drive better results. As we discovered, the intentional use of Buyability signals is still an area of opportunity for B2B marketers. When well-stacked within a campaign, Buyability signals can make revenue, ROI and brand health uplifts far more likely.”

The research found that Buyability signals are not widely used. Campaigns contained an average of 1.6 signals, while 30 percent used only one and 22 percent used none. Fewer than a quarter incorporated three or more signals.

Buyability signals linked to brand and commercial results

Campaigns with stronger Buyability signals were 24 percent more likely to report improvements in brand awareness and 91 percent more likely to report improvements in mid-funnel metrics, including consideration, preference and purchase intent.

The analysis also linked higher levels of Buyability with commercial outcomes. Campaigns classified as having high Buyability were 63 percent more likely to report increased ROI and 110 percent more likely to report increased incremental revenue than campaigns with low Buyability.

Seven signals provide a framework for B2B marketers

Mimi Turner, Head of Marketplace Innovation, LinkedIn: “Buyability gives us a seven signal framework that marketers can use to strategically enhance campaign outcomes because it is built on insights into what helps buying groups feel confident to buy. The campaigns that win are the ones that make buying decisions easy to defend by focusing on areas that customers can relate to and experiences and voices they can trust.”

The seven-signal framework maps each signal to one of the three Rs. The research argues that these signals can help brands strengthen discoverability in AI models, establish credibility with different stakeholders and provide evidence that supports purchasing decisions.

Research analyses 700 B2B campaigns

The study analysed 700 B2B campaigns in the WARC database dating from 2010 to 2025. The dataset included entries and winners from Cannes Lions’ B2B category, the Effie Awards and WARC Effectiveness Awards, covering multiple sectors and geographic markets.

The campaigns were independently assessed against the WARC, LIONS and B2B Institute B2B Effectiveness Ladder and scored according to their use of Buyability signals. Campaigns using three to seven signals were classified as high Buyability, while those using zero to two were classified as low Buyability.

The full report can be accessed here