What is the difference between B2B and B2C marketing?
B2B marketing tries to win a group of people at a company who will spend a budget together; B2C marketing tries to win one person spending their own money. The group is the big difference. Forrester's State of Business Buying, 2024 press release (4 December 2024) says 13 people inside an organisation are involved in the buying decision on average, and 89% of purchases involve two or more departments. Its 2026 release (21 January 2026) puts the typical decision at 13 internal stakeholders plus nine external influencers. Neither release gives the sample size; the 2026 report page says the data comes from Forrester's Buyers' Journey Survey, 2025.
A consumer usually decides alone, often with strangers' reviews as the outside voice. Pew Research Center's survey of 4,787 US adults (fielded 24 November to 21 December 2015) found that 82% at least sometimes read online ratings or reviews before buying something for the first time, and 40% always or almost always do. The data is from 2015, so today's share may differ.
This post is about marketing: who you try to reach, where, and with what message. For the selling side (pricing a sales effort, consumer protection rules, contracts), read our sibling post on B2B vs B2C sales and the numbers behind each.
B2B vs B2C marketing: the comparison table
Each row names the deciding fact and where it comes from. Read across to see what changes in your plan.
| What differs | B2B marketing | B2C marketing | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who decides | A buying group: 13 internal stakeholders and nine external influencers on average | Usually one person or a household | Forrester, January 2026 release |
| Outside voices | Colleagues, analysts, peers and procurement; procurement is a decision-maker in 53% of buying cycles | Ratings and reviews; 82% of US adults at least sometimes read them before a first purchase | Forrester 2026; Pew 2015 survey |
| Proof before buying | More than 60% of business buyers use a trial; 78% for purchases of $10 million or more | Reviews and ratings (row above) | Forrester 2026 |
| Where the purchase happens | Sales calls, proposals, self-serve sign-up for small plans | Stores and online; e-commerce was 17.1% of US retail sales in Q2 2026 | Census Bureau, quarterly release |
| Risk of stalling | 86% of purchases stall during the process | No buying group; one person decides | Forrester, December 2024 release |
| What marketing costs as a share of revenue (one example each) | HubSpot: sales and marketing was 44% of 2025 revenue | Duolingo: sales and marketing was 12% of 2025 revenue | Each company's 2025 annual report (10-K) |
The last row is two companies, not an industry average. They are there because their own filings explain why the number is so different, which the next section covers.
Two real examples: HubSpot and Duolingo
Both sell software subscriptions, and both have a free tier. Their annual reports for 2025 show how differently a business buyer and a consumer are marketed to.
HubSpot (B2B). Its 2025 annual report says its sales representatives use phone, email, web meetings and AI-enhanced engagement tools, and that the revenue they generate starts with leads from various channels. Freemium products and in-product cross-sell close some new business with little or no rep interaction, and Solutions Partners refer customers on a commission. Sales and marketing cost $1,379.4 million, 44% of total revenue, and its costs include the annual INBOUND conference. HubSpot had 288,706 customers, with average subscription revenue per customer of $11,414.
Duolingo (B2C). Its 2025 annual report says the business grew organically, primarily driven by word-of-mouth and brand buzz, supplemented by selective and targeted paid user acquisition. Its social media content is entertaining instead of promotional. Sales and marketing cost $125.7 million on revenue of $1,037.6 million (12%). It reported 133.1 million monthly active users and 12.2 million paid subscribers at year end.
How does the message change between B2B and B2C?
A B2B message has to work for several people who want different things; a B2C message has to work for one person in a few seconds. Forrester's 2026 release says marketers must build role-specific insights about how buyers judge risk, look for information and define success. In practice, write one core claim and then one line of proof per role.
| Element | B2B version (sample: Northwind Ltd selling payroll software) | B2C version (sample: Acme Planner app) |
|---|---|---|
| Core claim | Run payroll for 40 staff in one afternoon a month | Plan your week in five minutes |
| Proof | For finance: the audit trail. For IT: SSO and data location. For procurement: price per employee and contract length | Star rating, a short demo video, a free first month |
| Call to action | Book a 20-minute walkthrough, or start a trial for your team | Download now |
| Content that travels | A one-page summary the champion can forward to a colleague | Something worth sharing with a friend |
The one-page summary matters because the person who finds you isn't the only one who decides. If you want to see how buyers now check claims with outside sources and AI tools, our post on what B2B buyers do in 2026 covers Gartner's findings.
Which channels work for B2B and which for B2C?
Pick B2B channels by where the buying group can be named and reached; pick B2C channels by where many people already spend time. The two filings above show it: HubSpot names sales reps, partners and its INBOUND conference; Duolingo names word-of-mouth, owned social media and targeted paid acquisition.
| Channel | Fits B2B when | Fits B2C when |
|---|---|---|
| Direct outreach (email, LinkedIn) | You can name the companies and roles | Rarely; buyers are too many and each is worth too little |
| Events and webinars | Several people from one account can attend | For launches or communities, not routine sales |
| Partners and referrals | Consultants or agencies already advise your buyers | Referral codes between friends |
| Social media content | From founders' and staff profiles, aimed at one job title | Entertaining content that spreads on its own |
| Paid ads | Narrow targeting by job or company | Broad reach, tested by cost per install or sale |
| Reviews and marketplaces | Software review sites a buying group checks | App stores and retail ratings |
For B2B, named accounts are often the unit you plan around; our glossary entry on account-based marketing explains that approach. For small teams with no marketer, the two-channel rule in marketing without a marketing team still applies to both models.
Can one company do both B2B and B2C marketing?
Yes, but run them as two plans with separate budgets and measures, because the same product can be bought both ways. HubSpot's filing shows the overlap: a business product whose free tier and in-product offers let some customers buy with little or no sales contact, much like a consumer app, while other customers come through sales reps and Solutions Partners.
A quick test for which plan a new campaign belongs to: if the person who sees it can say yes alone and pay today, it is a B2C campaign, even if they work at a company. If someone else must approve, it is a B2B campaign, and it needs content for the approver too.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly does B2B mean?
B2B stands for business to business: a company sells to other organisations, such as firms, schools or public bodies, which pay from a budget. B2C stands for business to consumer: a company sells to individuals paying for themselves. Some products are sold both ways, with different prices and terms for each.
What is business-to-business marketing?
It is the work of making the right people at target organisations aware of you, trusting you and ready to talk or try. Because several people usually share the decision, it covers each of their concerns, not only the user's. Typical channels are direct outreach, events, partners, search, content and narrowly targeted ads.
Is B2B marketing harder than B2C marketing?
They are hard in different ways. B2B has fewer buyers but each purchase needs a group to agree, and many purchases stall before a decision. B2C has many buyers who decide fast, so the hard part is reaching enough of them cheaply and standing out. Pick the problem that fits your product's price and buyer.
Does B2B marketing use emotion like B2C marketing?
Yes. Business buyers are people who worry about risk, their reputation inside the company and whether a choice will be blamed on them. B2B messages often work best when they reduce that worry with proof: a trial, a reference customer, clear pricing and security answers. Consumer messages lean more on delight and speed.
Which marketing channels work best for small B2B companies?
Channels that reach named companies and roles: direct email and LinkedIn outreach, small events or webinars, partners who already advise your buyers, and content written for one job title. Start with two channels, measure meetings and opportunities rather than clicks, and add a third only once those two produce results.
Sources
- Forrester: The State Of Business Buying, 2024 (press release) (4 Dec 2024; checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Forrester: The State Of Business Buying, 2026 (press release) (21 Jan 2026; checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Forrester: The State Of Business Buying, 2026 report page (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- Pew Research Center: Online reviews (19 Dec 2016)
- Pew Research Center: Online shopping and e-commerce (19 Dec 2016)
- US Census Bureau: Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- HubSpot, Inc. Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 11 Feb 2026)
- Duolingo, Inc. Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 27 Feb 2026)