We Predicted These 3 B2B Marketing Trends for 2026. Here's the Verdict

Back in 2025, Dan and Phil made three bold B2B marketing predictions for the year ahead. Now, six months on, they're revisiting those calls to see which ones held up and which ones missed the mark. In this episode of Demand Decoded, Dan and Phil break down what's actually happened with events, YouTube, and answer engine optimisation (AEO) since they made their original bets. They discuss why curated dinners are outperforming big trade shows, how YouTube has become a genuine source of high intent leads (even if the fit isn't always right), and why AEO is on track to overtake Google as their top source of high intent leads before the end of July. They also share how they're using tools like Claude and HubSpot to measure the real impact of their AI search strategy, rather than riding the wave of wider AI adoption. If your team is still figuring out where to focus for the rest of 2026, this is a useful gut check on what's actually working in demand generation right now. WHAT WE COVER: • B2B marketing predictions 2026 • B2B event marketing strategy • Curated dinners vs trade shows • YouTube for B2B marketing • Answer engine optimisation (AEO) • AI search strategy for B2B • AEO vs Google search leads • Measuring AI search performance • HubSpot and Claude MCP reporting • Content strategy for ChatGPT and AI search Get a free AI visibility audit for your brand. We'll analyse how you're showing up across major AI engines, how you compare to competitors, and what to do about it: https://www.blendb2b.com/aeo-visibili... CHAPTERS 03:34 Bet #3: Events Are Making a Comeback 07:07 Why Curated Dinners Beat Big Trade Shows 16:45 Bet #2: YouTube's Role in B2B Demand Gen 19:52 The Content Type That Actually Converts 24:12 Bet #1: AEO Overtakes Google for High Intent Leads 26:32 Why Listicle Content Is Losing Its Edge 33:01 Measuring AEO Impact with Claude and HubSpot 37:05 Final Verdict on the Three Bets