The State of Martech
Report 2026


Overview

In this seventh edition of The State of Martech, we explore how over 500 senior marketers across the UK, US and EMEA are using, managing and investing in marketing technology in a fast-changing landscape.

With platforms evolving, AI expectations rising and pressure to prove value increasing, this year’s report focuses on five key themes:

  • Integration - The Defining Gap

  • Data - From Ownership to Activation

  • AI - Adoption Without Readiness

  • Capability - The Skills Behind the Stack

  • ROI, Reporting & Sales Alignment

Across each theme, we share the key findings, headline statistics and practical insight to help marketing leaders understand what is changing, why it matters and how to respond.

The State of Martech remains the original and longest-running dedicated research initiative into the martech industry, delivered in partnership between Clevertouch and The University of Stirling.

Download the 2026 Report

Key Themes:

Integration - The Defining Gap

Integration remains the defining weakness of many modern martech stacks, limiting value, visibility and performance. This section explores how poor connectivity continues to impact marketing effectiveness, and why stronger integration is essential to making martech work harder.

Data - From Ownership to Activation

With more customer data available than ever, the challenge is no longer access to data, but the ability to activate it effectively. This section explores how marketers are managing data quality, consistency and usability, and what this means for performance, personalisation and decision-making.

AI - Adoption Without Readiness

AI ambition is accelerating, but many organisations are still building on foundations that are not ready to support it. This section explores the gap between AI potential and operational readiness, including the role of data, integration and internal capability in turning AI into meaningful value.

Capability - The Skills Behind the Stack

As martech platforms evolve, many teams are facing a growing gap between the technology available to them and the skills, confidence and enablement needed to use it effectively. This section explores whether technology is outpacing talent, and how capability is influencing martech maturity.

ROI, Reporting & Sales Alignment

The pressure to prove martech ROI has never been greater, but many organisations still struggle to connect martech investment to commercial impact. This section explores how sales and marketing alignment, measurement and stakeholder confidence are shaping the future role of martech as a growth driver.

"I think the aim right now is to consolidate more than grow. But that needs to be underpinned by transparency: understanding what’s actually out there, what’s working, and how to consolidate the good while stripping away the sideline tech being used for a single purpose or function."

Camilla George, Martech Lead - Deloitte

We're here to help you make sense of the constant change in marketing technology - from our latest research and insights, to practical advice on how to build a martech strategy, implement new platforms and continually optimise the way you use them.

Talk to us to learn more.

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