Channel99 Introduces AI-Driven Paid Search Optimization for B2B Marketers

New capability helps B2B teams measure true ROI, eliminate wasted spend, and reallocate budget toward keywords and ad groups that engage target accounts

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Channel99, the AI-powered B2B marketing performance platform, today announced the launch of Paid Search Optimization, a new capability designed to help B2B marketers dramatically improve the financial efficiency and accountability of their paid search investments.

Paid Search is often the single largest line item in the B2B marketing budget (~40% of budget), yet optimization is still driven by surface-level metrics such as clicks, impressions, and cost per click (CPC). Channel99's new Paid Search Optimization shifts the conversation from media efficiency to business impact, enabling marketers and finance leaders to understand the true costs of engaging target accounts, rather than merely generating traffic.

"Paid Search continues to be a major line item in B2B marketing budgets, but remains difficult to manage based on the quality of engagement, or the impact on the sales pipeline," said Zak Prauer, Partner at Bain & Company. "Measuring and optimizing keywords or campaigns at the account or segment level will enable a far more holistic, full-funnel approach, and is long overdue."

From Cost Per Click to Cost Per Target Account Engaged

Traditional paid search reporting treats all clicks as equal. Channel99 redefines optimization by connecting paid search performance directly to account-level engagement, allowing teams to understand how budget translates into meaningful interactions with their ideal customers.

With Channel99, B2B marketers can:

• Understand which Ad Groups and Keywords engage target accounts
  See how specific keywords perform against defined ICPs, buying groups, and named accounts—revealing which investments actually reach the right companies.
• Measure CFO-friendly ROI using cost-to-engage metrics
  Evaluate paid search spend based on the cost to engage a target account, instead of vanity metrics like CPC or CTR, providing financial leaders with clearer visibility into marketing efficiency.
• Identify waste and reallocate budget using AI
  Channel99 continuously analyzes keyword and ad group performance to surface financial inefficiencies and recommend where dollars should be reduced or increased to maximize return.
• Score and rank Keywords and Ad Groups for any target audience
  Automatically score and rank paid search investments based on their ability to engage high-value B2B audiences, influence pipeline, and drive revenue outcomes.

By aligning paid search optimization with how revenue teams and CFOs evaluate performance, Channel99 enables marketing leaders to defend budgets, justify spend, and confidently shift dollars toward what works.

Built for Modern B2B Go-to-Market and Finance Alignment

Paid Search Optimization builds on Channel99's broader AI-driven platform for audience creation, activation, and measurement across channels such as LinkedIn, Google, YouTube, and Meta. By unifying performance across channels, Channel99 helps organizations make smarter investment decisions that balance growth, efficiency, and accountability.

"CFOs don't want more dashboards—they want clarity and action," said Chris Golec, Founder and CEO of Channel99. "Understanding the cost to engage a target account changes the entire paid search conversation. With Channel99, marketing teams can finally connect keywords and ad groups to real business impacts, opening the door to trusted, optimized spend."

Channel99's Paid Search Optimization is available immediately to Channel99 customers, and new customers can get started today by creating a free account at www.channel99.com.

About Channel99

Channel99 is a B2B marketing technology company that has solved long-standing attribution challenges in order to fuel an AI-powered decision-making engine. With superior account identification and the first-of-its-kind B2B ad verification, the B2B platform utilizes AI to identify financial inefficiencies across channels, optimize campaign and audience adjustments, and then automate workflows to reduce labor while increasing operational efficiency. High-growth mid-market companies up to global enterprises leverage Channel99's technology to increase and accelerate pipeline while reducing marketing investment risk. 

The company's founder and CEO is Chris Golec, who previously founded Demandbase and pioneered the ABM category. Industry-leading investors include Jackson Square Ventures, Industry Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, Geek Ventures, Ridge Ventures, and Marin-Sonoma Impact Ventures. More information is available at channel99.com

SOURCE Channel99