As the calendar year winds down, many marketing leaders find themselves in a familiar position: a little extra room left in the annual budget, and not much time to spend it.
You don’t want to hand money back to Finance, but rushing to burn through it on last-minute ads or low-impact projects can leave you questioning their effectiveness.
The smart move is to invest strategically: putting your remaining dollars toward initiatives that build momentum for next year, strengthen your marketing foundation, and demonstrate clear ROI.
Here are a few of the most impactful things you can do to use up your remaining marketing budget before the calendar turns to 2026. You can also check out our FREE whitepaper on 2026 Marketing Musts for ideas you can put into action now!
1. Refresh Your Foundation: Design & Branding Updates
Your logo and website are often the first impression a potential customer gets of your brand. A dated design, inconsistent graphics, or old photography can undercut your credibility.
Now is the perfect time to update key pieces of your visual identity without taking on a full rebrand. A few design updates now can make your entire brand feel new again come January.
Refresh branded templates. Update PowerPoint decks, social media graphics, and email headers, so your team starts the new year with cohesive, on-brand materials.
Commission new photography or video. Be honest—how out of date is your “Meet the Team” page? How about the introductory video on your homepage or YouTube page? Now’s the perfect time to take fresh headshots or update videos for your website and social channels. Not sure where to start with video? Here's our guide.
Create (or update) your brand guide. Your brand guide defines how your business looks and sounds, from logos and colors to voice and tone. Keeping it current ensures every team member and partner presents your brand consistently, strengthening recognition and credibility across all channels.
2. Optimize What You’ve Got: Website & Content Upgrades
Your website is one of the most powerful sales tools you have, but it's certainly not a one-and-done proposition, and it’s easy for updates to fall to the bottom of the to-do list. The end of the year offers a great window to clean house, modernize, and set yourself up for a stronger start next quarter.
Here’s where to focus your effort:
Refresh outdated copy or images. If your products, services, or messaging have evolved, your website should reflect that. Update headlines, descriptions, and visuals to match your current brand. Even small copy edits or new imagery can make your site feel fresh and credible.
Add or redesign key pages. Landing pages and pillar pages both play critical roles in attracting and converting visitors. Landing pages drive immediate action—whether that’s a form fill, download, or event signup—while pillar pages strengthen your long-term SEO by organizing and linking related content around a core topic. Building or refreshing both now helps boost visibility and performance in Q4 and beyond. Learn more about pillar pages here.
Audit your SEO foundations. A quick SEO check-up can pay off big with a better online presence in the new year. Review metadata, fix broken links, test page speed, and ensure your site looks great on mobile. Small technical fixes improve rankings, user experience, and credibility.
Tighten up your calls to action. Make sure every page clearly guides visitors to the next step. Strong, visible CTAs like “Get a Quote” or “Talk to an Expert” help turn curiosity into action. A/B testing here can drive measurable gains in conversions.
3. Create Evergreen Sales Tools
Some of the best marketing investments you can make before year-end are pieces that will work hard for you all next year.
Think one-sheeters, brochures, or whitepapers that explain your products and services in clear, professional language. Or consider developing downloadable resources that help capture leads on your website (like this free guide from Informatics!).
Unlike a one-time ad campaign, these evergreen assets have lasting value. They’ll serve your sales team, fuel social content, and strengthen your brand’s thought leadership profile for months to come.
4. Tidy Up Your Data
Good data makes great marketing possible. Year-end is an ideal time to audit your CRM, email lists, and analytics setup. Investments here may not be flashy, but they can dramatically improve your performance in the months ahead.
Clean up contact lists. Outdated or inactive emails drag down your deliverability and distort campaign metrics. Removing them improves open rates, saves money on email platforms, and ensures your messages reach real, engaged audiences.
Segment your audiences. Not all contacts are the same, and your communication shouldn’t be either. Group your most active customers, prospects, and subscribers so you can send more targeted, relevant messages next year. Segmentation is one of the fastest ways to boost engagement without increasing spend.
Review your analytics. Make sure your data is accurate before planning for next year. Confirm that GA4 tracking, conversion goals, and event tags are firing correctly, then analyze what drove results this year. With clean, reliable insights, you can approach your next marketing campaign feeling smarter and more confident.
5. Showcase Your Expertise
Your people are one of your strongest marketing assets—but their expertise and insights are just as valuable as their headshots. Year-end is a great time to elevate your team’s professional presence and thought leadership.
Update bios and profiles. Review your About page, proposal templates, and LinkedIn profiles to ensure your team’s titles, certifications, and specialties are accurate and compelling. A polished bio can build instant credibility with prospects and partners.
Align visuals with message. If you’re updating photography, match it with updated messaging. Use new imagery to tell a bigger story about who you are as a company today—not just how your team looks, but what you stand for.
Feature your team’s knowledge. Consider highlighting employee expertise through short blogs, videos, or social posts. A little storytelling goes a long way; showing the personalities behind your brand helps prospective clients connect on a human level (like in our Ask Informatics video series):
6. Plan for Next Year’s Growth
Finally, if you’re unsure how to spend your remaining budget, invest it in strategy.
A year-end marketing audit or planning session can give you clarity heading into January. It’s a smart way to analyze what worked this year, uncover missed opportunities, and prioritize what will deliver the highest return next year.
Whether you’re looking to expand your digital ad presence, refresh your website, or align your content strategy with your sales goals, taking a strategic pause now ensures that your next steps are purposeful, not reactive.
Turn Leftover Budget into Lasting Results
There’s no rule that says year-end spending has to be rushed or wasteful. With a little foresight, the dollars you invest today can deliver results long after the calendar resets.
At Informatics, we help organizations turn short timelines into long-term growth. From web refreshes and SEO audits to brand updates and campaign planning, our team can help you finish strong—and start the new year with momentum.
Reach out today and let’s make your remaining budget count.
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