A new report highlights a growing disconnect in the marketing technology landscape: despite increased investments, a majority of B2B marketers are failing to fully utilize their existing MarTech stacks. The study, conducted by Anteriad in collaboration with Ascend2, surveyed over 350 U.S.-based B2B marketing decision-makers and uncovered critical gaps in MarTech implementation, strategy, and skill alignment.

While 93% of marketing leaders expressed confidence in their martech strategy, only 14% reported using their MarTech stack to its full potential. More than half (51%) said they were “moderately utilizing” their platforms, while 35% acknowledged “minimal utilization,” signalling significant room for improvement.

Growing Investment, But Limited Returns

Despite the usage gap, 78% of marketers surveyed plan to increase their martech investment in the coming year. The findings suggest that while the appetite for advanced tools remains high—especially around automation, personalization, and AI-driven solutions—the ability to deploy and integrate these tools effectively remains limited.

This underperformance not only affects campaign efficiency but also hinders measurable returns on investment. Experts warn that this trend may lead to inflated tech stacks that deliver little value unless accompanied by robust implementation frameworks.

Barriers to Effective Utilization

The report identifies four key challenges limiting martech stack performance:

• Lack of in-house expertise and training (48%)
• Tool integration issues (42%)
• Difficulty in measuring ROI (36%)
• Ambiguity in platform ownership across departments (28%)

These issues point toward organizational and operational misalignments. As marketing ecosystems grow more complex, the need for dedicated martech leadership and cross-functional collaboration has become increasingly apparent.

AI Adoption: Promise vs. Practice

The rise of AI and machine learning tools has introduced both opportunities and complications for marketing teams. According to the report, 63% of respondents have incorporated AI solutions into their MarTech stacks, particularly for content personalization and predictive analytics.

However, the benefits of these tools are often constrained by data silos, poor integration, and inadequate strategy alignment. Without a unified approach, organizations risk turning powerful technologies into isolated solutions that fail to deliver cohesive customer experiences.

Strategic Ownership Is Key

One of the report’s central recommendations is the establishment of internal “MarTech stewards”—professionals tasked with overseeing integration, training, and performance tracking. These individuals would bridge the gap between executive-level investment decisions and on-the-ground implementation, ensuring alignment across teams and platforms.

“Buying technology is easy,” the report states. “But turning that technology into a competitive advantage requires people, processes, and performance metrics.”

A Roadmap to Maturity

To help organizations benchmark their progress, the study introduces a Martech Maturity Model, which classifies companies into four categories: Experimental, Developing, Optimizing, and Advanced. Only 7% of respondents considered their organization to be in the “Advanced” stage, with most falling into the Developing or Optimizing brackets.

To progress toward greater MarTech maturity, the report suggests:

• Conducting regular audits of tech stack performance
• Implementing cross-functional martech training programs
• Defining clear ownership structures for each tool
• Aligning martech tools with broader business and customer journey goals

The Bigger Picture

As marketers prepare for evolving privacy regulations, increasing demand for personalization, and the growing influence of AI, the ability to maximize MarTech stack usage is emerging as a key differentiator. The report serves as a timely reminder that technology alone is not a solution—it must be supported by people, strategy, and process.