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4 tips to build your 2026 marketing budget
Most companies struggle with budgeting because they don’t have a clear view of what they spent, why they spent it and what they want to achieve next year.These four steps keep your budget in line and accurate. 1. Start with a simple budget sheet If you’ve never made a marketing budget before, begin with a very basic Excel or Google sheet . List all your 2025 spending and include:
what you bought (ads, print, photography, web development, production…) how much it cost who delivered it when you spent it which category it falls under (PR, print, events, ads…). Be aware to include your internal team time, a “€X media budget” means nothing if you forget everything required to execute it. With this exercise you'll see which periods were expensive, where money went quickly and which suppliers you used most. Don't skip it! This information makes it much easier to estimate how much you actually need for 2026. As reference, Google Think has great examples on how other companies measure ROI. Want clarity on what to keep, cut or invest in? Get a Marketing Performance Report so you know where your budget actually delivers ROI.
2. Define your marketing goals before you set a number A budget only makes sense when you know what you want to achieve. Examples:
Want more leads? → you’ll need to allocate (increase) budget for ads, content and automation. Want stability instead of growth? → your spend can stay similar. Want to expand to a new market? → you’ll need room for extra campaigns. Want to scale back? → you can reduce spending in certain categories. Be specific. If your goals are vague, your budget will be vague too and that’s exactly how companies overspend without getting results. If you want proof this matters, check out the Gartner 2025 CMO Spend Survey.
3. Select your partners based on your needs Marketing has become too specialised for a single “do-it-all” agency. Even McKinsey’s latest analysis confirms it: marketing only works when teams are built around deep expertise, not broad “full service” promises. List the expertise you truly need for 2026: Branding, paid ads, SEO, content creation, analytics, CRM, automation…Then look for partners who are strong in those specific areas. Be clear on:
clear budget and hourly scope deliverables monthly vs project-based work expected results reporting structure Don’t assume bigger agencies = better. Small and specialised partners often work faster, communicate clearer and don’t carry unnecessary fees.
4. Review your licenses and subscriptions I've seen many clients forget to check the subscriptions they pay for. Tools that were useful in the past may no longer be used, they can have overlapping features between each other or they may have been replaced by something else. Plan one moment every year o go through all tools and licenses. Set a reminder one month before renewals so you can cancel on time. Don't forget to check with all the team if they are stull using them, so they can get a data backup if needed. This tool clean-up often frees up marketing budget you can use in places that actually generate ROI.
BONUS TIP Plan monthly checkpoints (not yearly reviews)Your budget is not final, it’s a working model. Use this time to:Re-allocate Scale up what works Cut what doesn’t This means adjusting based on market changes.
