A big shift in measuring marketing impact

In our 2026 Performance Marketing survey with Harris Poll, we asked more than 300 marketing decision-makers about the trends and investments they predicted for 2026. The biggest takeaway—75% report increased expectations for accountability. And nearly two-thirds say leaders now evaluate them based on pipeline contribution rather than traditional top-of-funnel metrics like lead volume. For years, marketers have argued for a more meaningful seat at the revenue table, one that is measured on business outcomes instead of activity. That shift is happening. Leaders are asking marketing teams to deliver revenue outcomes without giving them the visibility to understand, prove, or optimize how those outcomes happen. THE VISIBILITY GAP Top-of-the-funnel, measurement looks strong. Most marketers report high confidence in tracking engagement, leads, and marketing qualified leads (MQLs). These metrics are well-instrumented, easy to capture, and deeply embedded in existing systems. But as prospects move deeper into the funnel—where teams create pipeline, progress deals, and realize revenue—that confidence erodes. When it comes to measuring pipeline influence, deal progression, and marketing’s contribution to revenue, confidence drops significantly. Only 19% say they are very confident in their ability to measure performance across the full funnel. This creates a fundamental disconnect. Marketing is increasingly accountable for revenue, yet it lacks consistent visibility into the very stages where revenue is determined. The issue shows up most clearly in the middle of the funnel where early engagement transitions into real opportunity, interest becomes intent, and marketing’s influence should be most visible. Marketers can see when a prospect downloads a piece of content, clicks on an ad, or when a deal closes. But how engagement turns into pipeline, what accelerates a deal, what causes it to stall—remains frustratingly opaque. This black box in the mid-funnel forces marketers to