For B2B marketers in the GCC, getting a brand noticed may no longer be enough. Winning the sale increasingly depends on whether buyers can find enough trusted evidence, relevant experiences and relationships to feel confident about choosing it.
That is one of the key implications of new research by WARC, LinkedIn and LIONS Advisory, which analysed 700 B2B campaigns across sectors and geographies and found that campaigns built around stronger buyer-confidence signals were more likely to deliver business results.
Campaigns with high levels of what the researchers call “Buyability” were 63% more likely to report increased return on investment (ROI) and 110% more likely to report increased incremental revenue than campaigns with low Buyability.
For GCC marketers operating in increasingly competitive B2B markets — from technology and financial services to construction, aviation, energy and professional services — the findings point to a shift in how brands should approach creative: not simply as a tool for generating awareness, but as a way of giving buying groups reasons to trust and defend their decisions.
Trust can influence the sale
The research identifies three factors at the heart of buyer confidence: Recommendations, Relationships and Relatability.
Recommendations include validation from customers, peers, experts and other trusted voices. Relationships signal familiarity and a willingness to build a long-term partnership. Relatability comes from showing real customer situations, use cases and experiences that prospective buyers can recognise.
The distinction could be particularly relevant to GCC B2B marketing, where complex purchases often involve multiple stakeholders and long-term commercial relationships.
Rather than relying primarily on claims about being the biggest, fastest or market-leading provider, brands can strengthen their case by showing who already trusts them, how they have helped comparable customers and what working with them actually looks like.
The research found that first-hand experience and trusted recommendations can influence vendor selection more strongly than performance or price claims. It also found that messaging featuring “similar customers” can outperform claims focused on being a “market leader”.
Most campaigns miss the opportunity
Despite the reported commercial benefits, Buyability signals are largely absent from B2B campaigns.
Across the 700 campaigns studied, the average campaign used just 1.6 Buyability signals. Thirty per cent used only one, while 22% used none. Fewer than a quarter used three or more.
Campaigns with stronger Buyability were also 24% more likely to report improvements in brand awareness and 91% more likely to report improvements in mid-funnel metrics such as consideration, preference and purchase intent.
For GCC marketers, the finding suggests that adding more proof and human relevance to campaigns could help brands move prospective customers from awareness to active consideration.
AI is changing the buying journey
The importance of trusted signals is also growing as AI becomes part of B2B research.
The report cites research showing that 94% of B2B buyers used large language models during their buying journey in 2025. As buyers increasingly use AI tools to discover and compare suppliers, brands need to be represented by credible information and evidence that can reinforce their position.
The study argues that brands demonstrating peer validation, customer relevance and reduced purchase risk are more likely to appear in AI-generated shortlists and be considered credible by B2B buying organisations.
This creates a new challenge for GCC marketers: campaigns need to work not only on traditional channels but also in an environment where potential customers increasingly ask AI systems which brands they should consider.
From awareness to confidence
Imaad Ahmed, Thought Leadership Director at LIONS Advisory and WARC, said the intentional use of Buyability signals remains an opportunity for B2B marketers.
“When well-stacked within a campaign, Buyability signals can make revenue, ROI and brand health uplifts far more likely,” Ahmed said.
Mimi Turner, Head of Marketplace Innovation at LinkedIn, said the framework helps marketers focus on what makes buying decisions easier for customers to defend.
The research analysed campaigns in the WARC database from 2010 to 2025, including entries and winners from Cannes Lions’ B2B category, the Effies and the WARC Effectiveness Awards.
For GCC brands, the broader message is straightforward: awareness may get a company onto a buyer’s radar, but trust, relevance and proof can help get it onto the shortlist — and ultimately across the line.
