The State of Product Marketing 2025 Report is here, and it’s juicy.

Budgets are going up. Scope is expanding. And if the Product Marketing Alliance’s data is any indication, PMMs are being asked to do more, own more, and prove more. All at once.

The report clocks in at 47 pages (because of course it does).

And since I know your to-do list is already a mile long, I read the whole thing for you. In this edition, I’m breaking down four charts that made me pause and sharing my take on what’s driving the trend, why it matters, and what we should be doing about it.

Let’s get into it.

The State of Product Marketing in 2025

Reporting into PMM leadership is on the rise

First, a little good news: more PMMs are reporting into other PMMs!

• Director of PMM is now the top reporting line

• Reporting into a Head or VP of PMM is up significantly

• And fewer PMMs are are rolling up into generic marketing leaders.

Why does this matter? Because who you report to shapes what your job actually looks like.

In my experience, when you report into a leader who understands product marketing, you’re more likely to work on the right things. You get better prioritization. You have clearer expectations. And, maybe most importantly, you have someone advocating for your function at the leadership table.

To me, this shift also signals something bigger: PMM is no longer being treated as a sub-function of marketing. It’s maturing into its own strategic discipline. One that needs its own leadership, its own growth path, and its own seat at the table.

Next up, more Chief Strategy Officers.

38.5% of PMM budgets are spent on conferences and networking

This year, PMM budget jumped in a few key areas. Conferences and networking events increased from 13.5% to 38.5%, and spending on software and tools more than doubled. We’re also seeing more investment in things like customer research, video, and competitive intelligence.

But what really stands out to me is the signal behind those numbers: PMMs and their orgs are waking up to something important — the power of connection.

While AI tools are everywhere (and yes, they can be helpful), they can’t replace the clarity that comes from real conversations with real people. As the lines between what’s human and what’s not keep blurring, relationships are becoming a competitive advantage.

You don’t need another AI-generated template. You need a smart peer to gut-check your launch plan. You need a community thread that makes you feel seen. You need people in your corner.

So if you're looking at your budget and wondering how to invest it, may I suggest a PMM Camp community membership?

12.7% of PMMs don’t have any KPIs

Ah yes, the classic KPI question: how do we know if product marketing is working?

According to this year’s report, there isn’t really a clear answer (in fact, 12.7% of PMMs don’t have any KPIs).

To me, this says we’re mid-transition. Some teams are moving toward outcome-driven measurement (good!), while others are still stuck reporting outputs or worse — not reporting at all.

Not everything can be tied to revenue. But, if you can’t articulate how your work influences growth, it becomes really hard to defend your role (especially in a climate where headcount is being scrutinized).

PMMs are now responsible for…everything?

If you’ve been feeling like your job has quietly doubled this year...you’re not imagining it.

According to the report, PMMs are taking on more responsibilities than ever before:

• Sales enablement jumped nearly 15 points

• Onboarding responsibilities almost doubled

• And 65% of PMMs now manage the website and customer-facing documents.

All while still running messaging, positioning, launches, and competitive intel. We all deserve a vacation (or a really long nap).

Just remember: not everything belongs on your plate. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters.

CAMPER ESSENTIALS

📚 Reading List: Want even more data? Download the PMA’s State of Product Marketing 2025 Report and get all 47 pages of insights.

🎧 Playlist: Customer interviews are a goldmine for information and strategy ideas. But how do you turn their words into action? Tune into the latest episode of my mini series GTM Plays with The Marketing Millennials.

🛠️ Tools: If you're still reporting activity instead of impact, The PMM KPI Toolkit will help you shift fast. (A good use of budget, too 😉)

Until next week,