News and Insights

2027 B2B education marketing trends and insights report

November 10, 2026

TL;DR: FINN Partners’ 8th annual B2B Education Marketing Trends & Insights Report explores how K–12 providers are adapting to tightened district budgets, rising scrutiny over classroom screen time, and the rapid shift toward AI-powered vendor research. Download the full report to see all the research, results, and key recommendations.

If marketing to schools feels like a much heavier lift this year, you’re not imagining it. Between tighter budgets, AI-driven vendor evaluations, and screen time debates, education providers are dealing with more simultaneous moving parts than at any point in recent memory. District decision-makers are evaluating solutions with greater skepticism and leaning on new tools to research vendor options.

For the eighth consecutive year, FINN Partners’ Global Education Practice surveyed B2B education marketers and business leaders to examine how the landscape is changing. The resulting research provides a direct window into peer priorities, emerging channels, and the operational shifts shaping the business of education.

Download the 2027 report to discover:

• Why an AI search strategy is a must-have. How the dramatic surge in buyer-driven AI queries is transforming procurement, and why Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) has become an immediate priority.
• How marketing teams are balancing AI speed with educator trust. Where your peers are using AI tools to streamline research, and where human oversight remains essential to protect credibility.
• What your peers are prioritizing as budgets tighten. Exclusive rankings of the goals and tactics marketers are counting on to turn marketing into sales and keep existing contracts safe.
• How vendors are overcoming the classroom tech backlash. The strategies leading education brands are using to answer screen-time skepticism with research and earned media validation.

With exclusive data reflecting the current landscape of education buying and selling, this report will provide your team with invaluable direction for the year ahead.

Access the Full Report