IT & SaaS Inbound Marketing Report 2026
During November – December 2025, we surveyed 110 IT & SaaS companies across the EU, US, and UK markets to uncover:
Why 47% lost leads without cutting budgets
How LLM marketing became the #2 strategic priority
What budget shifts cut payback from 6 months to 3
And much more. Download the report (available in English and Ukrainian) to discover which platforms, budgets, and tactics define success in 2026.
Key report insights
47%
face declining leads despite maintaining marketing spend
63%
now actively optimize for LLM visibility (ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overview)
71%
guest posts exploded from 25% to 71% adoption (284% growth)
50%
still don’t track ROI, creating a massive competitive gap
The 2025 crisis: When ‘more budget’ on SEO stopped working
For the first time since we began tracking inbound marketing, throwing money at the problem doesn’t solve it. 47% of companies reported fewer leads in 2025, despite keeping budgets stable at €1,000-€2,000/month for SEO.
What changed?
- Google AI Overview now answers queries directly in search results (zero-click searches)
- 15-30% organic traffic drop across the board in the last 12 months
- LLM platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity) replace Google for certain query types
- 63.6% of companies already see 1-5% of their organic traffic coming from AI sources
This represents a structural shift in how users find information – and it’s permanent. The companies still winning have adapted: they’re not spending more, they’re spending differently.
The 3 fundamental shifts in 2025 that define success in 2026
While 47% of companies watch their leads decline, a small group is thriving. Our research found three critical advantages that separate market leaders from the rest:
#1: They're capturing AI traffic before competitors wake up
In our inbound marketing report 2025, 77% planned to work on LLM visibility. In 2025, 40% are already generating leads from ChatGPT and Perplexity.
What changed:
– 58% now budget €1,000+/month specifically for LLMO (separate from SEO)
– 27.2% of competitors haven’t started yet
– Early movers capture warmer leads at lower cost
#2: They completely restructured their link-building approach
What changed:
– Guest posts exploded from 25% → 71% adoption (+184%)
– PR grew from 12.5% → 44% (+252%)
– Budgets increased to €1,000-€5,000/month
One “Top 10 tools” guest post now delivers three things simultaneously, but most companies are still doing outreach the old way.
#3: They track ROI while 50%+ of competitors fly blind
Over 50% companies don’t know which channels actually drive revenue. Companies without tracking wait 6+ months for SEO payback. Companies with proper attribution cut it to 3 months.
Market leaders now use:
– GA4 + CRM integration (60%)
– Referral traffic monitoring (40%)
– Direct lead attribution (32%)
How do market leaders reallocate budgets for 3-month payback?
Our analysis of 110 IT & SaaS companies reveals the exact tracking setups, budget formulas, and LLMO tactics that separate winners from the rest.
See the complete playbook on pages 7-15
BEFORE OPENING THE REPORT5 steps you can do right now to stop the lead decline
1. Audit your LLM visibility NOW
Search your brand + product category in ChatGPT and Perplexity. If you're not mentioned, you're invisible to 63.6% of the market's AI traffic.
2. Kill generic TOFU content
Stop writing "What is X" articles. Focus on BOFU content: comparisons, case studies, pricing breakdowns, and specific use-case solutions that LLMs cite.
3. Invest in guest posts
Target "Top tools for [niche`}"` listicles on relevant platforms. One placement = Google backlink + LLM citation + referral traffic.
4. Start tracking ROI
If you're in the 50% not tracking, start simple: GA4 + "How did you hear about us?" Tag every lead source. You can't fix what you don't measure.
5. Diversify beyond Google
Allocate 20% of your SEO budget to LLMO specifically. Test LinkedIn outreach and community marketing to offset organic traffic decline.
Grow leads, build inbound marketing systems, and boost visibility across Google, PR, and LLMs with GrowPad.
METHODOLOGYHow we collected and analyzed data for this report
In November – December 2025, GrowPad surveyed 110 marketing leaders from IT Outsource, Product, SaaS, and Consulting companies.
The research focused on:
- Budget allocations for SEO, content, link building, and LLMO
- Lead generation effectiveness and organic traffic changes
- LLM marketing adoption and AI traffic tracking
- ROI measurement, payback periods, and key challenges
Our respondents:
- Primarily, CMOs and Heads of Marketing
- Companies ranging from 20 to 500+ employees
- Serving Europe, USA, UK (with presence in LATAM, MENA, and Asia)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did organic traffic drop in 2025?
The 15-30% organic traffic drop in 2025 is a behavioral shift. Here's what our research of 55 IT & SaaS companies revealed:
Primary causes:
- Google AI Overview answers queries directly in search results (zero-click searches dominate)
- LLM platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity) replace Google for informational queries
- Zero-Click Search became the standard for 30%+ of queries
- Google algorithm updates (fall 2024 - spring 2025) hit informational content hard
The data from our Global LLMO & Inbound Marketing Report 2025:
- 47% of companies saw lead decline WITHOUT budget cuts
- 63.6% now have 1-5% of organic traffic coming from AI sources (ChatGPT, Perplexity)
- Traditional SEO strategies (ranking #1) no longer guarantee clicks
What changed: Users now get answers in search results or from AI assistants instead of clicking through to websites. Your content can rank #1 and still receive fewer visitors.
Solution: Companies must optimize for both Google rankings AND LLM citations. The winners are those who appear in AI Overview, ChatGPT responses, and Perplexity answers, not just Google's blue links.
Should I still invest in SEO if organic traffic is declining?
Yes, but your strategy must change. 84% of companies in our inbound marketing research 2025 for IT & SaaS continue using SEO, but they've fundamentally shifted their approach.
What's different in 2025:
- SEO budgets stay at €1,000-€2,000/month (median)
- LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization) gets an additional €1,000+/month budget (58% of companies)
- Content focus shifts from TOFU (Top of Funnel) to BOFU (Bottom of Funnel)
The new SEO strategy:
- Narrow-intent pages - Product pages, specific solutions, case studies
- BOFU content - Comparisons, pricing, answers to commercial questions
- Listicles & expert rankings - AI algorithms prefer these for recommendations
- E-E-A-T optimization - Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness matter more than ever
Budget allocation:
- 27.2% plan to increase SEO spend
- 45% maintain current levels
- Focus shifts to quality and relevance over volume
ROI reality: Companies still see 5-6 month payback, but those combining SEO + LLMO optimization can accelerate to 3 months.
The companies abandoning SEO? They're losing market share to competitors who adapted.
How do I optimize my content for ChatGPT and Perplexity?
40% of IT & SaaS companies in our LLMO & Inbound marketing research 2025 already generate leads from LLM platforms. Here's exactly what they do:
Step 1: Understand how LLMs cite sources
- LLMs prioritize authoritative, structured content with clear answers
- They favor case studies, comparisons, and specific solutions over generic guides
- Listicles and expert rankings get cited most frequently
Step 2: Content optimization tactics
- Add structured data - Use schema markup for products, reviews, FAQs
- Create expert roundups - "Top 10 [category] tools" with specific criteria
- Write comparison content - "X vs Y: Which is better for [use case]"
- Include real data - Statistics, survey results, benchmarks (like this report!)
- Optimize for citations - Clear attributions, quotable expert insights
Step 3: Monitor your visibility
- ChatGPT (42 companies tracking): Manually search "[your category] tools" and see if you're mentioned
- Perplexity (27 companies tracking): Same process, different platform
- Google AI Overview (12 companies): Check if you appear in AI-generated summaries
Step 4: Track AI traffic
- GA4: 60% of companies use this
- Referral monitoring: Track chat.openai.com and perplexity.ai traffic (40%)
- Lead attribution: Ask "How did you hear about us?" (32%)
Budget: Companies allocate €1,000-€3,000/month specifically for LLMO (separate from SEO).
The opportunity: Most competitors (27.2%) haven't started yet. Early movers are capturing warmer leads while the market catches up.
What's the best link-building strategy for 2026?
Link building transformed dramatically in 2025. The data from 55 IT tech & SaaS companies shows:
Top methods (by adoption rate):
- Guest posts: 71% (exploded from 25% in 2025) ← 284% growth
- Outreach: 57.7% (down from #1 position)
- Insert links: 55.7% (massive growth from rarely used)
- PR: 44% (up 252% from 12.5%)
- Partner homepage links: 23%
Why guest posts exploded: Companies discovered that expert listicles ("Top 10 X tools for [niche]") deliver:
- Traditional backlink value for Google
- LLM citation opportunities (ChatGPT/Perplexity recommend tools from these lists)
- Direct referral traffic from engaged readers
Budget reality:
- Median: €1,000-€5,000/month (up from $1,000 in 2025)
- 30% increasing investment
- 57.7% maintaining current spend
Emerging tactics for 2026:
- Reddit for links - Many companies using Reddit for community engagement + backlinks
- Listicles for partners - Creating "Top tools" articles featuring partners (mutual benefit)
- PR + links combo - Media coverage that includes backlinks
- Insert links - Adding links to existing relevant content on partner sites
Critical shift: Relevance > Domain Rating
Companies now prioritize platform relevance over high DR scores. A DR 40 niche site outperforms a DR 70 generic site.
What doesn't work:
- PBNs: Only 7% use private blog networks (risky, low ROI)
- Low-quality guest posts: Google penalties increased
The strategy: Combine guest posts (71%) + outreach (57.7%) + PR (44%) for a diversified link profile that satisfies both Google and LLMs.
How has AI-generated content impacted SEO performance?
AI content went from "experiment" (2024) to mainstream strategy (2025). Here's what our LLMO & Inbound Marketing research found:
Adoption rates:
- 63.6% use AI for partial content writing (up from 52% in 2024)
- 30.9% use AI for content briefs (structure/outlines)
- 24% use AI for full drafts (with human editing)
- Only 13% don't use AI at all
How companies use AI:
- AI generates draft → Human edits (64%) ← Most common
- AI creates brief → Human writes (31%)
- AI writes full article → Minimal editing (24%)
The quality breakthrough:
In 2024, companies feared "shadow bans" from AI content.
In 2025, the narrative shifted: "AI content works for authority and rankings if done well."
What "done well" means:
- AI generates the draft
- Experts review and add unique insights
- Fact-checking and editing by humans
- SEO and LLM optimization applied
- NOT fully automated template content
Results:
- 2-3x more content for the same budget
- No Google penalties when properly edited
- Competitive advantage for teams that mastered AI workflows
Team transformation:
- 2024: 42.2% had 2-person teams, 33.1% had 1 person
- 2025: Teams got smaller but more strategic
- Writers evolved into: AI process managers + strategists + expert editors
Best practice: Use AI for speed, humans for expertise. No client in our study generates 100% AI content without review.
What are the biggest inbound marketing challenges for 2026?
The challenges shifted from tactical (2024) to structural (2025). Here's what blocks growth based on the Global LLMO & Inbound Marketing Research from GrowPad:
Top 5 challenges (by severity):
- Technical debt (36%) ← #1 problem
- Old website code blocks AI indexing
- Poor site architecture prevents LLM crawling
- Years of unclosed backlog tasks block new LLMO tactics
- Lack of strategy (34.5%)
- Companies don't know how to integrate LLM into the marketing mix
- 22% don't know which priorities to focus on
- Need a clear Inbound + LLMO roadmap
- ROI tracking failure (50%+) ← NEW critical issue
- Over half don't measure content marketing, SEO, or LLMO ROI
- Can't justify budgets to leadership
- Can't optimize spending based on data
- Can't scale what works
- Budget constraints (18%)
- Not enough money for new approaches
- But data shows it's allocation, not amount
- Overloaded teams
- In-house teams lack time for strategic work
- Tactical tasks eat all capacity
What changed from 2024:
- 2024 top challenge: Video content (67%)
- 2024 concern: AI-generated content risks (42%)
- 2025: Both "solved" - replaced by structural problems
The pattern: Companies solved tactical challenges (AI content, video) but struggled with strategic ones (technical infrastructure, tracking, prioritization).
For agencies: This creates opportunity. Companies need:
- Systematic LLM promotion (63% want this)
- SEO + LLMO strategy (53.8%)
- Technical audits (28.8%)
- AI audits (25%)
The companies that fix ROI tracking + technical debt + get a clear strategy will outperform competitors by 2-3x in 2026-2027.
We guide your ideal clients to you by blending SEO, GEO, and LLMO, as well as content briefs and link building into a cohesive inbound marketing strategy.
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