Marketing in 2026 demands a shift from automated, high-volume content to human-centric, trustworthy, and AI-integrated strategies. Key trends include using AI for personalized, predictive customer experiences, prioritizing authenticity via micro-communities and employee influencers, and adopting "zero-click" search optimization.
This video explains how to adapt your marketing strategies to the 2026 trends:
AI for Empathy & Efficiency: Move beyond basic automation to "Agentic AI" that makes multi-step decisions for campaign optimization. Use predictive intelligence to anticipate customer needs and deliver personalized experiences rather than just reacting to them.
Authenticity is Key: As AI-generated content floods the market, consumers will crave human connection. Focus on building trust, showcasing brand personality, and utilizing employee influencers to foster genuine community.
Zero-Click Optimization (AEO): Optimize for AI-driven search engines (Answer Engine Optimization) where answers are delivered directly on the search results page, rather than just clicking through to websites.
Integrated Marketing Mix: Transition from siloed channel strategies to a cohesive, year-long approach blending paid advertising, social media, and organic content.
Immersive Technologies: Utilize Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) for enhanced, interactive product experiences.
Sustainability & Ethics: Ensure marketing is transparent and socially responsible, as sustainability is now a requirement rather than a differentiator.
Focus on Retention: In a crowded, high-cost acquisition environment, emphasize customer experience (CX) and lifetime value to build long-term brand equity.
Voice & Conversational Marketing: Optimize for voice-activated devices and use conversational AI to engage customers in real-time.
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Key 2026 Action Items:
Adopt CX Architect Roles: Bring in specialists to connect customer experiences across all touchpoints.
Emphasize Storytelling: Make copywriting and brand storytelling the backbone of your strategy to create meaningful connections.
Leverage First-Party Data: Use direct customer data to fuel personalized AI interactions.

Want to learn how to tailor your strategy to the new marketing trends for 2026? Use these six tips as a guide!

Respond appropriately to key marketing trends
The marketing trends for 2026 highlight the industry’s top priorities right now: strategic clarity, responsible application of technology and creative differentiation. To thrive in today’s landscape, marketers must combine these three elements.

Head shot of Carsten Rasner, Managing Director of the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW)Image: © BVDW / Barbara Wagner
“Digital value creation is successful when it is based on data, when there is room for creativity and when technology is used responsibly. These factors ensure our digital economy is strong, forward-looking and trustworthy.”

Carsten Rasner, Managing Director of the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW)

Follow our six tips to proactively align your strategy with the marketing trends for 2026 and maximize your success.

#1: Make 2026 your year of smart moves
2025 was intense, audacious and often uncertain. Disruption was the goal, and bold moves were the way forward. But 2026 calls for a new approach: less speed, more substance. Instead of trying to grab attention above all else, the focus now is on making an impact. But rather than being backward steps, smart moves are strategic advances. They’re based on clear priorities, intelligent tools and a real understanding of target groups and processes.

Focus on these 5 smart moves in 2026:

Combine concise, meaningful brand messages with data-driven performance. Put an end to silo thinking by defining shared goals that cut across departments.
Make AI your go-to assistant. Use it to help with routine tasks and creative processes.
Build communities before you scale up. Digital communities tend to be most effective when they’re built on an analog foundation.
Trust your creative instincts. Progress is achieved by trying new things. When you keep moving forward, mistakes are just learning steps on the path to success.
Embrace diversity. Different perspectives can open up new avenues you might not have thought of before.
Find out more in our story: From Bold Moves to Smart Moves: Strategic Marketing in 2026

#2: Normalize artificial intelligence
In 2026, artificial intelligence is a tool like any other. The days of running pilot projects are over. Making the most of AI in marketing calls for fewer buzzwords and more structure: clean data, clear processes and a team that knows what it’s doing.

What marketing teams need to prepare now:

Clean data: Keep accurate, up-to-date records of consents and identities, and avoid duplication.
Clear processes: At what stage can AI make a meaningful contribution to your everyday work? Ask this question regularly and respond with specific answers.
Experiment (where strictly useful): Implement A/B testing with clear metrics to progressively improve how you use AI.
Clear roles: Define responsibilities and establish transparent processes within your team.
Documentation: Keep track of what works and what doesn’t. AI can only learn from mistakes if you do too.
Find out more in our story: AI in 2026: Your Marketing Team’s Turbo Boost

#3: Put social empathy at the heart of your marketing
While AI is great at speeding up processes, it can’t build human relationships. In marketing’s new reality, what counts isn’t how quickly you respond, but how well you understand people. Empathy – once considered merely a “soft skill” – is now a strategic advantage.

As any professional marketer knows, a campaign that gets cultural cues wrong will fail. By contrast, brands that take a sensitive, tactful approach will remain relevant – despite (or perhaps because of) AI’s turbocharging effect.

Apply your emotional intelligence where it will have the most impact – in these situations, for example:

Tailor your brand language to suit your target groups, timing and tone of voice.
Act sensitively in critical situations. Personal experience often carries more weight than any data model can.
Build a real community with your customers through emotional and authentic communication.
Interpret cultural cues in the right context and understand what lies behind insights.
Find out more in our story: Empathetic Marketing: Why We Need People to Control AI

#4: Combine sustainability with a credible story
Faster, louder, shorter: Marketing is moving at an ever-increasing pace, driven by AI and constantly changing platform trends. At the same time, there’s growing public pressure for companies to act responsibly. If a brand wants to keep pace and stand up for its principles, it needs to leave empty gestures behind and demonstrate real substance.

True brand strength is built on far-sighted decision making, sticking to a consistent message and telling a sustainable story – one that not only makes claims but also backs them up.

Focus on measures that will ensure your brand’s long-term stability and credibility:

Use a variety of channels and boost the role of your website as a central, independent platform for your messages.
Grow your reach organically by encouraging user-generated content and rewarding recommendations.
Check in with your customers regularly to find out what makes them loyal, using short, targeted surveys, for example.
Tell a consistent brand story instead of chasing every trend.
Try out specific sustainability measures to find out what really resonates with your target group and how you can actively involve them.
Find out more in our story: A New Era of Marketing: Sustainability and Longevity in Focus

#5: Tailor your approach to the latest customer experience trends
Ever-increasing personalization – a strategy that once drew customers in – now often raises suspicion. Data alone is not enough to form a connection. The new currency is trust. To remain relevant, brands need to become more human, not turn up the volume.

Here’s how you can adapt your customer experience to meet these new expectations:

Assess CX measures based on whether they build trust, not just how personalized they are.
Create meaningful moments with purposeful, targeted interactions instead of bombarding your audience with constant noise.
Frame touchpoints in a meaningful context that makes sense to your customers.
Intentionally limit your use of AI so that every interaction feels human.
Bring CX expertise into your team: A CX architect can break down silos and connect experiences to help build a consistent brand identity.
Find out more in our story: Customer Experience Trends: Creating More Meaningful UX Moments

#6: Lean into community building as a strategic growth driver
At a time when target groups are overwhelmed by the volume of external stimuli, successful brands have communities, not audiences. After all, genuine rapport is not achieved through reach, but by building relationships. Best-practice examples from Nike, Patagonia and LEGO show that co-creation, dialogue and emotional connection are the cornerstones of marketing success in 2026.

Successful community building in marketing requires you to perform three functions on behalf of your brand:

Enabling: Create opportunities for dialogue with your community while also encouraging interaction among its members.
Hosting: Create formats and experiences that help build genuine connections both online and offline.
Learning: Turn community insights into targeted improvements to your offerings, content and strategies.
Find out more in our story: Turning Brands into Friends: Community Building in Marketing

Conclusion: What the marketing trends for 2026 really demand from brands
2026 won’t see a radical reinvention of the marketing industry. Nevertheless, this is a pivotal moment because it’s no longer novelty that counts, but rather how we choose to act on the latest developments.

The marketing trends for 2026 clearly demonstrate that AI, data and automation are now well established. However, reach, efficiency and personalization alone are no longer enough. The context in which we use technologies, the principles that guide our actions and the relationships we form will all be critically important.

Today’s brands must do more than simply roll out content or operate systems. In a world dominated by technology, they must build trust, be relevant and remain human.

This doesn’t mean resisting innovation. It means managing innovation wisely and responsibly. The strongest brands of 2026 won’t blindly follow every trend. They’ll be selective, set priorities and translate marketing trends into principles and actions. And that’s precisely what will give them the edge.

Small Business Marketing In 2026: The Ultimate Guide

Whether you’re launching a new business or refining your current strategy, building a marketing plan from the ground up can feel daunting. This guide breaks down the essential first steps to help you create a clear, focused and effective strategy tailored to your goals and resources. You’ll learn how to better understand your audience, choose the right digital channels and set yourself up for marketing success.

Start With the Basics: Know Your Audience and Your Message
The foundation of any effective small business marketing strategy starts with knowing your audience and crafting a message that speaks directly to them. This step is essential to every marketing step that comes after, so it’s worth taking the time to make sure you have a clear vision for your business.

Before you invest in ads, spend days perfecting social media posts or spend thousands on a website redesign, take a step back and ask: Who am I trying to reach, and what do I want them to remember about my business?

Here are a few considerations to get to know your audience better:

Define Your Ideal Customer
Start by identifying and getting to know your ideal customer. Go beyond age, gender and location to their behaviors, needs and motivations. What problem are they trying to solve? What frustrates them? What do they value in a product or service? This deeper understanding will help you brainstorm and create better branding, messaging, content and offers that feel personal and relevant.

Use Buyer Personas to Stay Focused
A great way to explore what your audience wants is by building buyer personas. These are fictional profiles that represent your key customer types. Give each one a name, a job title, a brief background and a list of goals or challenges. Getting specific will help you envision your customer’s pain points and desires. This keeps your marketing focused and customer-centered, especially as you are writing your business messaging.

Define Your Brand Message and Story
What’s the “why” behind your business? Why does it exist? A strong brand story builds trust and sets you apart. Use your story to create emotional connection with your customers.

Next, define what your business stands for. What do you offer that no one else does? What tone of voice fits your brand? Friendly, authoritative, playful and sincere are some examples. Whether you’re writing a website headline or answering comments online, your messaging should reflect this voice consistently.

5 Core Digital Marketing Channels for Small Businesses
Once you have your messaging established and have clarified your core audience, you’re in a good position to set up your digital marketing strategy.

There are so many different ways to market yourself online that it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the options before rushing to open a social media account or paying for Facebook ads.

Social Media Marketing
Social media is one of the most accessible and cost-effective ways to build brand awareness, engage with your audience and drive traffic to your website. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and X each cater to different audiences and content styles.

Social media marketing, often done through social media management software, typically involves creating and scheduling content, engaging with followers through comments and messages, monitoring performance metrics and running paid advertising campaigns. It also requires tailoring messaging and formats such as videos, images, stories or text posts to each platform, while maintaining a consistent brand voice. Successful social media strategies are guided by clear goals, audience insights and ongoing analysis to determine what content resonates most and drives results.

To learn more, read our article: Social Media Marketing: The Ultimate Guide.

Email Marketing
Email marketing is a high-ROI (return on investment) channel that many small businesses often overlook. Building an email list allows you to nurture leads, stay top of mind with customers and promote offers directly to people who have opted in to hear from you.

Email marketing typically involves creating and sending newsletters, promotional campaigns and automated email sequences, such as welcome or follow-up emails. It also includes segmenting subscribers based on behavior or interests, personalizing content and tracking performance metrics like open rates, click-through rates and conversions to continuously improve results. The best email marketing software can automate campaigns, manage subscribers and provide analytics to help small businesses run more effective, data-driven emails.

To learn more, read our article: 10 Effective Email Marketing Strategies.

Content Marketing
Content marketing refers to relevant content that engages an audience rather than directly promoting a product or service. This might include blog posts, videos, infographics, podcasts or any other form of content that informs, engages and educates your audience and builds a loyal community.

Content marketing works best when you consistently publish content that addresses your audience’s needs and questions. Plus, high-quality content can support your SEO and social efforts at the same time.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO ensures your website shows up when potential customers are searching for solutions. To increase your ranking in search engines, you should focus on optimizing your site with relevant keywords, writing compelling meta descriptions, building internal links and earning backlinks from reputable sites. Our SEO checklist can walk you through the steps.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC advertising refers to paying platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads to allow you to target specific demographics and interests. While social media marketing is meant to be more of a long-term strategy where you build a community over time, with PPC marketing, the idea is that you pay for views and save on the time that it would take you to build an organic audience. Keep in mind that PPC advertising also requires strategy to make sure your ads are reaching your ideal customers.

Create a Marketing Plan That Supports Your Goals
The important thing when you’re just starting out is to stay focused and not try to be everywhere at once. Focus your efforts on a few channels that align with your goals, industry and capacity.

You also don’t need to feel pressure to use a platform or marketing strategy just because competitors are active on it. Instead, be realistic about your time, budget and internal resources, and prioritize channels you can execute consistently and effectively.

“For small business owners, the smartest approach is to treat digital marketing as a series of small experiments,” says Kyle W. Kempf, senior vice president and head of fintech at Gregory, a PR agency. “Instead of trying to do everything at once, they should start with one or two channels that make sense for their customers and see which ones deliver engagement, traffic or conversions, letting the data inform where to invest more time and money.”

It’s helpful to keep in mind that digital marketing comes with a lot of trial and error. It takes time and sometimes money before you come up with a campaign that will resonate with your intended audience.

“[Business owners] should set a budget they’re comfortable with and view it as an investment in learning, not just promotion,” Kempf adds.

One big question to ask yourself is whether you want to start with organic outreach, like building a social media platform (this will take more time) or the paid route, which will lead to more eyes on your work upfront. “When weighing paid versus organic content, they should consider their goals, timeline and whether their messaging has been tested enough to feel confident putting dollars behind it,” Kempf adds.

A strong marketing plan clearly outlines your objectives, target audience, key messages and success metrics. It should also include a realistic timeline and budget, along with defined roles and responsibilities, so your efforts remain organized and goal-driven rather than reactive.

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Track What Works (and What Doesn’t)
One of the biggest benefits of digital marketing is that you’ll receive so many analytics. These analytics will help inform your next steps. For example, if you’re sending out newsletters, you’ll see the open rate and click rate, which will tell you how engaged your subscribers are. Tracking performance is essential to understanding whether your marketing efforts are paying off. Use analytics tools, marketing software, platform insights and key performance indicators (KPIs), such as website traffic, lead generation, conversion rates or engagement, to measure results.

Regularly reviewing this data allows you to identify what’s working, spot underperforming tactics and make informed adjustments. Marketing is rarely static, so continuous testing, learning and optimization help ensure your strategy evolves alongside your business and audience needs.

Common Small Business Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake small businesses make is spreading themselves too thin by trying to use too many marketing channels at once. While it might seem like a good idea to be everywhere, this often results in inconsistent messaging and burnout. It’s far more effective to focus on a few key platforms that align with your audience and use them well.

Another frequent issue is failing to define a clear target audience. Without knowing exactly who you’re speaking to, campaigns can come across as generic and ineffective. A well-defined audience allows you to tailor your message in a way that resonates and drives engagement.

Many small business owners also worry about overwhelming their audience and end up not sharing their message often enough. However, most people are constantly bombarded with content, so it typically takes multiple posts, emails or ads before your message even registers.

Other common pitfalls include neglecting analytics, ignoring customer feedback and expecting immediate results. Marketing is a long game. It’s easy to assume a campaign isn’t working if it doesn’t lead to instant sales, but often it just needs more time to gain traction. Patience, consistency and a willingness to adjust based on data are key to building long-term success.

Bottom Line
Marketing success in 2026 comes from being intentional and creating resonance and connection with your audience. Focus on understanding your audience, clarifying your message and choosing a few channels you can commit to. Use data to guide your decisions, stay open to experimentation and remember that momentum takes time.

You don’t need a huge budget or a full marketing team to make an impact. You just need a strategy rooted in clarity, consistency and continuous learning. Start small, stay focused and let your marketing grow alongside your business.

The Most Important Digital Marketing Trends You Need to Know in 2026

The digital marketing realm moves fast, and 2026 looks to be as dynamic as any other year.

To keep up, marketers need to know the digital marketing trends to leverage this year to stay ahead of the competition and create impactful and successful campaigns.

The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) now means that the technology is embedded into many systems, processes, and platforms. As a result, digital marketers need to know how to leverage AI to optimize and elevate marketing initiatives and campaigns.

AI is no longer just a nice skill to have as a marketer; it’s a must have to succeed and advance in your career.

So, what are the key digital marketing trends to know in 2026? To find out, we asked a panel of experts across a range of marketing disciplines.

What are the AI trends to look out for in 2026?
AI agents
From AI automation to AI elevation
Hyper-personalization and conversational eCommerce
What are the key SEO trends in 2026?
Brand voice as a ranking signal
Understanding search intent is crucial
Focus on schema markup
What are the top content marketing trends in 2026?
Overload of AI-generated content
Optimize content for AI search and discovery
What are the key paid marketing trends for 2026?
Focus on ad creative
Get to grips with AI Max
What are the top social media trends in 2026?
The growth of community-first platforms
Social media fatigue and the need for authentic content
The evolution of influencers and content creators
Concluding the top trends in 2026
Our digital marketing experts
What are the AI trends to look out for in 2026?
Last year the conversation many marketing professionals were having was “what AI tools do we need and what can we do with them?”

In 2026, this is evolving to look at how to leverage AI at scale to make a real impact, from boosting customer retention to revenue to return on investment (ROI).

With that in mind, here are the top trends our experts see for AI in 2026.

AI agents
While many businesses and marketers may be using AI, it can often be focused on one or two platforms, such as ChatGPT or Gemini. In 2026, that’s going to change as more companies look to optimize their use of AI with AI agents.

In simple terms, AI agents are systems that don't just follow instructions; they make decisions, take actions, and constantly optimize without the need for human intervention.

For example, you can use an AI agent to improve customer service interactions using a virtual assistant.​ An AI-powered assistant can troubleshoot product issues, reschedule orders, or manage subscriptions.

“Robots might be shopping for people; doing the searching (which they already are), but also clicking on items, putting them into a basket, and then just asking for approval at the last stage. For any commerce, that has obvious ramifications,” said Clark Boyd, CEO and founder of marketing simulations company Novela on the DMI 2026 Trends in Digital Marketing webinar.

Expert Tip: Think about the fact that it may be an AI agent accessing your content. Some of the language and the way that you frame things, or the way you put in images versus text, might have to change.

From AI automation to AI elevation
The widespread adoption of AI means that some or many functions including marketing are being aided by the technology.

Research by McKinsey & Co found that organizations using AI in at least one business function has increased from 78% to 88% in just one year (2024-2025) and approximately one-third report that their companies have begun to scale their AI programs.

The use of AI in at least one business function; McKinsey & Co
The use of AI in at least one business function; McKinsey & Co
Automation can help marketers handle campaign execution, data analysis, content personalization, cross-channel coordination, and performance monitoring.

Shifting to using AI agents will enable marketing professionals to automate more tasks and processes so they can work on what matters: being human, focusing on creativity, and providing value - transitioning to elevation rather than automation.

“From a marketer’s perspective, I think 2026 will be the year we stop talking about just AI automation and start talking about AI elevation. So, not just using it to make more stuff, but use it to make better stuff and move from tonnage to curation,” said Jim Lecinski, Clinical Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Expert Tip: Our trends podcast and webinar host Will Francis recommends to “start learning some basic automations now, and you'll get better at spotting opportunities to automate tasks in your daily work with that clearer sense of what's possible and what AI automation is good or not so good at. Start with the simplicity of Make.com, and aspire to more complex workflows and agent building with n8n in the future.”

The rise of hyper-personalization and conversational eCommerce
AI has the power to drive personalization and engage consumers across digital channels.

This can happen by using AI agents as a primary interface between users and marketers, transforming how consumers interact with products and services. McKinsey believes it’s a transformation akin to the eCommerce revolution, only it’s likely to happen faster.

“We're going to see a move away from chatbots just being bolted on and instead see the search bar intelligently deciding if a searcher knows exactly what they're looking for from what they search and if so it'll bring them to that page and allow them to filter.” – Derek Liddy, Head of Marketing for the UK's independent innovation agency and research foundation, Nesta in our trends webinar.

For example, luxury resale platform Vestiaire Collective launched an AI-powered search engine tool that translates keyword searches to image pattern recognition to create what it calls “highly relevant search results.”

Vantage Discovery's natural language; Business of Fashion
Vantage Discovery's natural language; Business of Fashion
The company also plans to add AI-powered price recommendations and an image search tool to allow consumers the ability to upload an image to find the same or similar items, reported Fashion Dive.

Jim Lecinski predicts that in 2026, mobile AI will become an indispensable shopping companion for consumers, whereby consumers will use AI chatbots on their handheld devices as a shopping assistant in physical stores.


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Expert Tip: Map search queries to intent stages, not keywords. Treat AI prompts and search inputs as signals of where someone is in their purchase journey and provide content, offers, or comparisons based on that.

What are the top SEO trends in 2026?
The way people search for content and find information is constantly evolving, particularly with AI becoming an integral part of search engines and the search ecosystem.

This means that traditional search engine optimization (SEO) tactics like keyword optimization are no longer enough. Instead, AI-driven search algorithms now focus on understanding the intent behind queries, a shift that means businesses must create content that provides useful answers and value.

In addition, technical SEO elements to improve user experience such as Core Web Vitals and Google’s E-E-A-T signals are essential while search everywhere optimization is a given for companies that want to get found online.

So, what are the SEO trends for 2026?

Brand voice as a ranking signal
The rise in zero-click searches (when a user finds an answer directly on a search engine without clicking through to any website) means that companies need to adopt tactics to get their brand name seen.

That’s where a cohesive, consistent and refined brand voice comes in to strengthen recognition and trust and streamline content.

For example, Innocent Drinks is well known for its humorous approach across channels. Just take this Instagram post opening a discussion about the time changing to see what we mean.

This approach to brand voice defines it and makes any content it shares or promotes instantly recognizable in tandem with its logo.

Innocent; Instagram
Innocent; Instagram
Boyd believes that cultivating a brand voice requires you to look carefully at your content and branding.

" If your content sounds generic and like everyone else’s, search engines treat it as noise. They need a reason to read your content, to fetch information that's unique, because they're synthesizing information into one answer. You've got to stand out and earn your space. "
- Clark Boyd
Expert Tip: Think about the topics you are uniquely positioned to talk about and make your content distinctive by including research, quotes, or videos that are unique to your brand.

Understanding search intent is crucial
While search intent has always been a cornerstone of search, marketers now need to grapple with AI as part of the process. This means we need to think about what AI is looking for.

“We have to make a philosophical change in our thinking and move beyond what we would have traditionally thought about our customers. It's not what is my customer searching for, it’s what is the AI bot searching for on behalf of my customer?” said Cathal Melinn, commercial analyst, and eCommerce specialist on our trends webinar.

With that in mind, it’s important to know that:

Search engines prioritize relevance – Search engine algorithms are designed to match results to user behavior, so if your content fails to reflect what people are looking for (even with the right keywords included), it won’t appear in search results.
Intent determines content format – The type of content that performs (e.g. blog, how-to guide, webinar, etc.) depends on the goal of the user or stage of their customer journey. If your content format doesn’t match intent, then your page can’t compete.
Intent evolves – Don’t rely on search intent staying the same. User behavior and market trends change, so the type of content that ranks can also shift. Ensure you continue to review intent to keep your content relevant.
Expert Tip: First-party data is the best resource that marketers have to provide AI-powered search engines with a template of the type of people you want to target to enable better personalization. Maximize first-party data collection by using optimized lead generation forms, re-engaging lapsed customers or experimenting with more channels or platforms (e.g. Reddit or Twitch).

Focus on schema markup
In 2026, schema markup or structured data is essential infrastructure for AI-driven search.

Research by Schema App  shows that pages with proper schema achieve 20-82% higher click-through rates and see a jump from 0% to 40% visibility in AI Overview within weeks.

" Schema markup will help you do things like explicitly say who your founders are, what your logo is, what your address is, your prices, etc… It has an impact on click-through-rate, but is great for helping the machines understand the architecture of your brand online. "
- Clark Boyd
In 2026, companies that focus on schema markup can gain massive competitive advantage. The best way to do this is to follow a five-step implementation plan.

5 step schema implementation plan
5 step schema implementation plan
Expert Tip: To master Google’s AI Overviews, ask ChatGPT or Claude to generate schema markup for you. Just describe your content – like, "I need a product schema for a green widget that costs $19.99" – and ask it to create the JSON-LD code. These AI tools can audit your existing schema, explain what each field means, and help you troubleshoot errors.

What are the top content marketing trends in 2026?
Content can define a brand by helping cultivate a personality and boost brand authority but also drive commercial success.

With 92% of marketers saying that content is a valuable business asset for driving long-term ROI, there’s no denying content works. Forbes Advisor reports that the average content marketing ROI is $2.77 for every $1 spent - which equates to 177% profit.

But content marketing success can only happen when it’s done right. The focus for marketers this year should be on creating content that’s relevant and provides value by prioritizing quality over quantity.

Overload of AI-generated content
‘AI slop’ was added to the Cambridge dictionary in 2025 as a result of the glut of low quality content developed by AI.

The problem is that AI-generated content, particularly images and videos, tend to get high engagement and algorithms like them because they can be entertaining. Research by video-editing company Kapwing found that more than 20% of the videos that YouTube shows to new users are AI slop, with the most subscribed AI slop YouTube channels amassing more than 63 billion views and generating an estimated $117m in revenue each year.

"In 2026 we'll see a huge rise in AI video that will game the algorithm, potentially spread misinformation, and erode trust in content from consumers... it's going to be really hard to detect what is real and what is not." – Alison Battisby, Founder of Avocado Social in the DMI 2026 Trends in Digital Marketing webinar

However, this trend could be an opportunity for marketers to create content that is different simply because it’s creative and not generated by AI. Additionally, search engines like Google favor original people-first content, and its ranking system actually prioritizes it.


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It’s still possible to use AI in campaigns as long as brands are upfront about its use and take a collaborative approach, rather than just relying on the technology alone.

" Some of the best campaigns I've seen are where AI is not completely relied on, but used in partnership towards some creative content. Invest in human oversight to make sure your teams test content and are identifying whether or not it would hit the mark. "
- Alison Battisby
Expert Tip: Being transparent about when and how AI is used is crucial. Label content when it is created by AI and learn how to identify AI content so that you have an eye for anything that has been created artificially. Most importantly, don’t forget how AI can be biased – before using its output, ensure a human is in the loop.

Optimize content for AI search and discovery
Marketers are fully aware by now that there are fewer clicks on content across the web. It isn't just SEO, it’s been happening everywhere.

" In the past few years our content looked the same, because everyone was optimizing for the keyword. But that doesn't matter anymore. You want to be distinctive. You need to have something unique to say. "
- Clark Boyd
This means that companies need to think differently about how to optimize content. Some effective ways to do that are:

Use direct quotes from people in your company or people you have interviewed.
Invest in E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority & Trustworthiness)
Create expert-led content by including and featuring citations, insights, and statistics.
Use natural language.
Craft short and to the point introductions for blogs that make it clear what the content is about and can feed into Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs).
Build semantic relationships between ideas, entities, and pages.
Use structured data to show search engines and AI what your content is all about.

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50% of Google searches already have AI summaries and that’s expected to rise to 75% by 2028 - McKinsey & Co.

Expert Tip: While most query types are seeing traffic declines, branded searches have seen an 18% increase in click-through rate for AIOs, according to Amsive. Look to combine your brand name with product categories and focus on brand awareness to take advantage of this trend. Invest in your brand style and assets.

What are the key paid marketing trends in 2026?
Paid marketing in 2026 is being reshaped by AI-driven discovery, evolving consumer behavior, and search experiences that are less about links and more like decision engines.

44% of users who have tried AI-powered search (through apps like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, and Google’s AIOs) say it has become their ‘primary and preferred’ source for internet searching, compared with 31% who prefer using traditional search, reported McKinsey & Co.

So, what are the search marketing and pay-per-click (PPC) trends to know this year?

Focus on ad creative
In the competitive world of paid advertising, it can be a challenge to stand out even when there are fixed parameters and a niche target audience in place.

As more platforms integrate AI, automation is now becoming a given rather than a choice. As a result, marketers need to know how to use AI in paid advertising initiatives.

Meta’s platforms aim to allow brands to fully create and target advertisements with integrated AI tools by the end of 2026 to help create personalized ad variations, image backgrounds, and automated adjustments to video ads, reported Reuters.

But, while AI-driven ads can save time and help scale campaigns by automating elements such as audience, placements, and budget allocation, it’s important to have some control. That’s where creative assets come in.

" Scale creative production because it's one of the few inputs marketers have that will make a difference. If you tell Google or Meta the objective and enter credit card details, there aren't a lot of levers to play with, but creative is still one that we do "
- Cathal Melinn
Expert Tip: Make sure you have a variation of creative and as many formats as possible to test and learn what works. Trial different messaging and different captions to create something really compelling for audiences. Look at our A/B testing toolkit to get started.

Get to grips with AI Max
AI Max is a one-click feature suite introduced by Google last year. It leverages Google’s AI (Gemini and other machine learning models) to help ads reach broader, relevant intent signals, customize creative elements, and improve performance through automation.

Here’s an introductory tutorial on Google to get to grips with the fundamentals.


" What I recommend for AI Max's search is that when you look at your search queries, report your search terms. Report in the left-hand menu, add a filter for your match types and show all of your AI Max ones and scan through them. That's where you get your negatives before you start looking at exact, broad or phrase matches "
- Cathal Melinn
When beauty brand L'Oréal used AI Max, it saw a 2x higher conversion rate at a 31% lower cost-per-conversion and unlocked more conversions from new search queries like “what is the best cream for facial dark spots?”

Expert Tip: The latest Gemini releases are excellent and are being built directly into Google Asset Studio. If you haven't used Google Asset Studio to produce content for ads, give it a go as it will become a bigger feature of Google ads in 2026.

What are the key social media trends in 2026?
Despite ongoing controversies and public debates about social media channels in recent times, the number of social media users continues to rise.

The ‘Digital 2026 Global Overview Report’ claims that the global total number of users has increased by 4.8% over the past year, resulting in 5.66 billion active social media users —that's nearly 69% of the total global population.

So, social media is going nowhere and is a key channel for marketers to connect with and influence their target audience.

Here’s what you should look out for on social media in 2026.

The growth of community-first platforms
Social media previously evolved from using platforms to post content to the masses to marketers using social networks to target audiences and drive engagement.

But social media is evolving again. Brands are now focusing on building highly engaged communities – even to the level of micro-communities – to nurture deeper connections on alternative social platforms. This is why it’s more important than ever to prioritize community over content.

" Community-first platforms are set to dominate social media in 2026...a Instead of chasing viral moments or algorithmic reaches, we're craving communication in real conversations in a community and looking for real opinions, real people to connect with "
- Alison Battisby
This has fueled the growth of community-first platforms:

Reddit has seen an 88% increase in UK users and overtaken TikTok as the country’s fourth most visited social media service – The Guardian.
Substack reached 5 million paid subscriptions in March and attracted another 1 million subscribers between November and March alone –The Financial Times.
Discord has 259 million monthly active users in 2025, up from 227.7 million in 2024 – SQ Magazine.
But it’s not just about these community-based platforms, there's a lot of community work being done by brands on WhatsApp. Meanwhile, Instagram and TikTok are focusing more on broadcast channels to build communities in private spaces.

Expert Tip: When you use community-based platforms, adapt your tone, lose a little bit of control and participate more in comments and conversation. Being less corporate is also important, which can be challenging for a B2B brand, but it can certainly be done. A great example is Notion on Reddit.

Social media fatigue and the need for authentic content
People are now sharing less on social media. In fact, a poll by the BBC found that nearly a third of all social media users post less than they did a year ago.

Instead of doom scrolling, people want to be entertained online rather than posting on social networks. This means that brands need to rethink how they use social media in 2026.

It’s not just about creating targeted social media campaigns or posts; it’s about creating great content that’s authentic and entertaining. This can be done through behind the scenes content or looking at what founder-led companies are doing to draw people in. Many companies are using human-centered storytelling to engage audiences.

" A trend worth replicating is what founder-led brands do where the founder documents almost everything that they do. Like Stephen Bartlett or Grace Beverley. They are sharing their lives but also happen to have a number of brands. We're starting to see existing brands open up more behind the scenes to customers through a founder-led profile. "
- Alison Battisby
For example, gym wear company founder of Tala, Grace Beverley hosts a podcast and shares details of her life on social channels. Following a pregnancy loss, she shared the news alongside images and videos on Instagram to raise awareness and share her story.

Grace Beverley post; Instagram
Grace Beverley post; Instagram
Employee advocacy is another effective way for brands to tell their story and create authentic content – a trend from 2025 that we predicted. It gives a view of a company from an insider’s perspective and can tap into humor in a way that can be hard to achieve otherwise. Just think of Duolingo’s owl mascot for inspiration!

Additionally, nostalgia is a theme we've seen on social media, and we predict that nostalgia-driven marketing is going to be important in 2026 in reconnecting brands and audiences. This is already prevalent - you've probably seen everyone talking and reminiscing about 2016 on social media; even brands are jumping on the bandwagon. So much so that the BBC reported that TikTok searches for "2016" surged by 452% within one week, and more than 55 million videos have been created using the app's filter named after the year.

Expert Tip: What should work well on Instagram and TikTok this year is showing the people behind the business or what happens behind the scenes, so create some content to see the response. Check out our guide on employee advocacy to get started.

LinkedIn reminiscing about 2016
LinkedIn reminiscing about 2016
The evolution of influencers and content creators
Influencer marketing has seen pushbacks in recent years and has even resulted in a de-influencer or ex-fluencer movement, with influencers being accused by the media and consumers of promoting excessive shopping and overconsumption. There are even hashtags on TikTok such as #deinfluencing racking up millions of views.

However, in 2026, influencer marketing isn’t going anywhere – it’s just evolving. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, influencer marketing helped social media to become the world’s largest advertising channel, surpassing paid search with a spend of $266.92 billion in 2025.

But the lines are blurring between influencer and content creators. Jane McDaid, Founder of creative agency Thinkhouse believes that “the creator economy is where influence happens and it's growing at a massive pace in growing brands and growing brand value as well.”

For example, Unilever is sending 10,000 content creators to the 2026 World Cup made up of ambassadors and advocates. This follows on from Coca Cola using 10,000 creators at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Coca-Cola Influencer Program at the Paris Olympics; Instagram
Coca-Cola Influencer Program at the Paris Olympics; Instagram
McDaid believes this move indicates the future of marketing; putting the creator economy, public relations (PR) and creativity right at the center of marketing.

Expert Tip: Public relations is moving upstream because of AI, as data is pulled from credible media sources. A single PR hit can travel a lot further and live a lot longer than it ever did in the world of search and social. So, look at investing more in your PR, especially around influencers and creators.

Concluding the top trends in 2026
As you can see, 2026 is gearing up to be an exciting and interesting year for marketing professionals.

It will probably come as no surprise to see how integral AI is becoming to marketing activities and platforms. This year it’s not about just using AI, it’s about understanding how to leverage the technology to deliver value and efficiencies at scale.

The key is to not see AI as a threat but use it as an assistant to help do your job better and faster. Human oversight is always needed – let AI do the heavy lifting so you can be more strategic or creative.

Think about which trends above resonate most with your goals and focus on how you can incorporate them into your daily role or overall marketing strategy. Whether it’s looking to use new platforms or tools, developing a distinct brand voice, trialing an AI avatar, or focusing on ad creative, the opportunities for growth in 2026 are huge.

In 2026, small businesses will win with strategic content by focusing on deep trust, clear messaging, and AI-assisted, high-value, niche, and personalized content rather than mass production

Key Strategies for 2026:
Embrace AI for Personalization & Efficiency: Use AI tools to generate content, analyze data, and create personalized experiences for customers, rather than just for high-volume, generic content creation.
Focus on Trust & Expertise: Create content that demonstrates your deep knowledge and builds trust, such as case studies, in-depth, and expert-led, to stand out in a crowded market.
Prioritize Engagement Over Reach: Use social media as a conversation tool to build community, and focus on engaging, rather than simply broadcasting, to foster loyalty.
Leverage Owned Channels & Data: Invest in your own channels like email lists and websites to build a community and reduce reliance on changing,, ,.
Create Clear, Human-Centric Content: Focus on explaining your value clearly, answering real customer questions, and,.
Utilize Video & Interactive Content: Use video and, like quizzes, to lower the barrier to, to,.
Repurpose & Recycle Content: Maximize the impact of your content by, for, and,.
Digital Storyteller
Digital Storyteller
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Actionable Steps:
Define Your Core Topics: Identify 3 to 5 core topics related to your services to focus your content strategy.
Understand Your Customer: Create a one-sentence description of your ideal customer based on their problem, not just demographic data.
Use AI for Content Creation: Use AI tools to generate content ideas, draft content, and create,.
Engage on Social Media: Focus on building a community on, , and,.
Build Your Email List: Use valuable, in exchange for,.
Create Educational Content: Develop, , and, to,.
Measure Your Results: Use analytics to, ,.
Digital Storyteller
Digital Storyteller
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By focusing on these strategies, small businesses can build a sustainable,

Content marketing: The ultimate guide for small business owners (2026)
Content marketing is essential for small business owners to enhance visibility, build trust, and engage customers. By creating valuable, relevant content tailored to their audience, businesses can improve discoverability, establish authority, and foster loyalty. A strategic approach includes setting clear goals, understanding the customer journey, and utilising various channels effectively.