Where Creator Marketing Budgets Are Actually Going in 2026

Our team and I at Creator Match manage multi-million dollar creator budgets for some of the world’s largest tech brands (both private and public companies).

Every week, we’re in rooms (and Slack threads) with CMOs and top Creators across Tech Brands (B2B, SaaS, and AI) through Creator Match.

After watching where millions of dollars are actually flowing — and which programs are quietly outperforming everything else — one thing is clear:

→ The old B2B playbook is officially cooked

→ And a new playbook is starting to be written for 2026

Instead of gatekeeping, it’s time to share with you where money is actually moving…

My social team said I was CRAZY to give this resource away for free. They also called my crazy before this resource lol.

Heads up - you’re going to want to save this resource. Brands, send this to your marketing/social team. Creators, send this to a friend.

Let’s get into it:

What’s Actually Changing in Tech Marketing for 2026

1. B2B brands stop playing small

B2B is finally acting like consumer.

If your content doesn’t stop the scroll, it doesn’t exist.

Whether it is an activation at the Las Vegas Sphere, or partnering with a major sports league/team like Formula 1, brands are playing in the big leagues.

Brands featured: Airwallex, Gamma

2. IRL moments outperform ads

Dinners, events, and experiences are beating paid media.

Community > CPMs.

Real relationships drive real revenue.

IRL Brand trips and creator houses go mainstream. Zapier proved they actually move the needle. Check it out here.

3. LinkedIn Thought Leader ads go all in

This isn’t just boosting exec posts anymore.

The real unlock is amplifying trusted third-party creators who already have credibility with the audience.

Example: Descript Thought Leader Ad 

4. Employee advocacy becomes the norm

Employees aren’t “nice to have” distribution anymore — they are the channel.

We’re seeing companies roll out coordinated headshots, visuals, and internal launches designed for sharing.

Example: ClickUp 4.0 employee launch visuals

5. Activations get weirder and louder

Drone shows, stunts, and real spectacle are back — especially in tech.

Subtle doesn’t travel.

Example: Gamma’s SF Tech Week drone show

6. Storytelling becomes the real differentiator

Features don’t convert. Stories do.

The brands winning are funding creator-led activations that feel like actual narratives, not ads.

Example: Wispr Flow sponsoring a creator to code while running a marathon

7. Creator gifting makes a real entrance into B2B

This isn’t swag bags.

It’s thoughtful, story-driven gifting creators actually want to share.

Examples: Teachable, Sprout Social and Notion Creator Gifting

8. Tailored creator pages beat brand home pages

Generic product pages are losing.

Creator-specific pages convert because trust transfers.

Example: Zapier creator templates

9. UGC and ambassador programs scale fast

Community isn’t a buzzword anymore — it’s infrastructure.

The best programs create participation, not just impressions.

Example: Clay World Record activation

10. Fewer creators, deeper bets (Nike-style rosters)

Brands are moving away from spray-and-pray.

Think Mount Rushmore, not casting calls.

Example: Nike-style roster strategy (see above)

11. Long-form YouTube becomes a serious channel

Short-form grabs attention.

Long-form builds conviction — and increasingly shapes how LLMs understand your brand.

Example: Wispr Flow long-form YouTube content

12. Use-case marketing beats feature marketing

Always has. Always will.

Showing how people actually use a product beats listing features every time.

Examples:

1) Notion use-case example #1

2) Notion use-case example #2

13. International GTM stops being “later”

Global isn’t phase two anymore.

SaaS companies are hiring country and regional managers early and building creator ecosystems outside the US.

Example: “Country Manager – SaaS” job posting

14. More storytelling through data

We’re seeing Spotify Wrapped-level thinking applied to B2B.

Data isn’t the headline — the story is.

Example: Granola “Crunched”

15. AI companies market away from “AI”

The best AI brands are leading with outcomes and human stories — not models.

Example: Claude’s human-first marketing

Outcomes > models. Results > buzzwords.

The takeaway

The brands winning in 2026 aren’t chasing tactics.

They’re building:

• distribution on purpose

• relationships over reach

• stories people actually remember

They’re treating this like a creative sport, not a checklist.

Curious what you’re seeing — creators and brands, what’s changed for you heading into 2026?

PS: My social team said I was crazy to give this away for free.

We don’t gatekeep 😉

-AJ