Observed Signal · Jul 17, 2026 · Research Report · Source: https://martech.org/feed/ · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Marketers Underinvest in Post-Click Optimization
A survey of 304 U.S. paid-media professionals by Unbounce and Ascend2 finds marketers recognize destination-page optimization as a top way to improve paid media ROI but underinvest in it. Ninety percent report budget or resource constraints, which push spending toward audience research, AI tools, and ad creative rather than landing pages and post-click work. Eighty-six percent use AI in paid media (mostly for reporting, targeting, and copy); only 19% use AI for landing-page creation or optimization. Many advertisers still send paid traffic to generic site pages or homepages rather than campaign-specific landing pages; teams exceeding ROI targets invest more evenly across landing pages, attribution, testing, and post-conversion work.
Survey reveals an actionable industry trend (underinvestment in landing pages and post-click work) relevant to CRO, MarTech vendors, and paid-media practice, but it is not a platform policy or major industry structural change.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Survey of 304 U.S. paid media professionals conducted by Unbounce and Ascend2.
- 90% of marketers reported paid media budget or resource constraints.
- 40% said optimizing destination pages is among the most effective ROI tactics, but only 31% invested in landing pages in the past six months.
- 86% of marketers reported using AI in paid media; roughly three-quarters said it improved ROI, but only 19% used AI for landing page creation or optimization.
- More than half of respondents send paid traffic to general website pages; only 24% primarily use dedicated campaign landing pages.
Connected Companies & Entities
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Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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