2026 marketing trends: the guide for digital marketers   

It’s that time of year again where we anticipate what’s in store for marketers as we head into 2026.  

With technology forever advancing and keeping us on our toes – it’s hard to stay up to date with the latest marketing trends.  

We’ve narrowed down what marketing teams should be focusing on in 2026: 

1. Prioritise valuable content for both audiences and AI 

Content is what fuels our digital platforms and provides insight into brands.  

While creating quality content has always been key in marketing, evolving algorithms and the rise of AI now play a crucial role in determining the visibility of your content.  

More than ever, it’s essential to shape your content strategy around both your audience’s needs and the requirements of AI tools to ensure your material is readable, relevant, and discoverable. This is what we call SEO for AI, or AIO.   

Artificial intelligence is now integrated into nearly all digital platforms, fundamentally changing the ways in which marketers oversee SEO, paid advertising, and organic content strategies. The most significant development is the evolving way audiences engage with content, particularly through search engines. 

Audiences now expect quick, concise summaries such as ‘listicles’ and how-to guides instead of lengthy articles, and shorter attention spans mean that information must be readily accessible when they search for it, whether it is on social media or search engines. 

Summary: 

• AI has shifted information consumption, leading to shorter attention spans and demand for instant answers. 

• AI-driven algorithms require marketers to continuously update strategies. 

• ‘Listicles’, how-to guides, and short videos are proven effective content formats.  

2. Focus on authentic audience connections over sales pitches  

Audiences today possess a high level of awareness and are increasingly conscious of marketing efforts.  

Rather than responding solely to product pitches, individuals seek genuine interactions with brands that aid in their decision making.  

Both B2C and B2B brands are now expected to adopt flexible and authentic marketing strategies to appeal to audiences. Establishing emotional resonance is now vital for fostering strong connections with audiences, especially with the rise of AI content and the distrust and/or scepticism it can often cause.  

This includes experimenting with various content styles aligned with brand identity, incorporating employee-generated content to highlight the people behind the organisation, and focusing on creating meaningful experiences instead of traditional sales messaging for both online and offline efforts.  

Summary: 

• Authentic ‘story telling’ marketing is more effective than sales messages. 

• Employee-generated content is on the rise for growing. 

• Building trust with audiences requires establishing an emotional connection.  

3. Revive your email strategy with personalisation 

In recent years, there has been ongoing debate about whether email marketing is now obsolete or if it still plays a vital role in the overall marketing strategy. 

It’s widely known that most people are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of emails they receive, and typically, you have only about 10 seconds to capture the recipient’s attention before they decide whether to read on or hit delete.  

Features such as ‘auto unsubscribe’ and ‘others/promotional’ inbox sorting available in many email clients also makes it harder to maintain robust subscriber lists and ensure users open your emails. 

However, we’re firm believers that email marketing is not dead.  

With AI on the rise and online experiences becoming more tailored to the individual, doing the same for your email marketing should be a no brainer. 

Segmenting audiences and tailoring messages based on recipient behaviour is a key strategy for increasing engagement and open rates, it’s also worth experimenting with email styles and subject line hooks.   

Summary: 

• Email marketing is effective if personalisation is considered.  

• It’s easier than ever for people to unsubscribe from mailing lists and miss emails completely. 

• New email tactics are emerging to grab recipients’ attention. 

4. Create meaningful brand partnerships with influencers 

Influencers have played an important role in marketing for several years, so their impact is well established. In fact, we included influencers in our 2025 predictions, noting the growing popularity of micro influencers, a trend that looks set to continue into 2026. 

Working with influencers can strengthen a brand’s authenticity, especially when the collaboration aligns with both the brand and the influencer’s typical content. Since authentic content is now essential for many audiences (refer to point 2 in the list), working authentically with influencers is equally important. 

Gone are the days of one-off high-profile brand endorsements (for most brands, it still has its place for some), and instead partnership content series with content-specific/micro influencers are becoming the norm.  

Traditional advertising now faces challenges such as shorter attention spans and the widespread use of ad blockers. As a result, influencer content could be used to supplement ‘traditional’ channels by brands to help showcase their products directly to their target audience. 

Summary: 

• Micro-influencers can outperform major influencers if they resonate with the target audience. 

• Influencer content is often viewed as more authentic and trustworthy. 

• The right influencer increases engagement and visibility compared to traditional ads. 

5. Embrace AI (if you haven’t already)  

AI is featured on virtually every marketing trend list you come across, having already been referenced throughout this article. There’s no avoiding it; AI now permeates all aspects of marketing.  

However, this is not necessarily a negative shift, AI has streamlined many processes for both marketers and audiences, making it worthwhile to embrace if you haven’t done so already. 

AI enhances your ability to personalise marketing efforts, benefiting channels like email campaigns, digital advertisements, and broader strategies. It simplifies audience segmentation and makes analysing results and generating reports faster and more efficient. 

With an AI tool available for nearly every task, adopting these solutions where relevant is ideal, as those who don’t risk being left behind. 

Still, while AI offers significant advantages, it’s crucial to use it thoughtfully. Content generated by AI, such as images or text, is increasingly viewed as ‘lazy’, ‘inauthentic’, or ‘untrustworthy’. Therefore, leverage AI when it adds value for both your brand and audience, but always consider your overall strategy and intended impact before relying on tools like ChatGPT to help plan all your content. 

Summary: 

• There’s no escaping AI in marketing. 

• AI tools can be used to effectively improve marketing efforts and marketing processes. 

• Be careful with how you use AI, and don’t rely on it to generate content. 

Here’s an important reminder that belongs at the end of every trend list: don’t follow trends simply because they’re popular. 

Our suggestions are intentionally broad, aiming to offer guidance to marketers in a variety of industries across both B2B and B2C sectors. Still, you should always make sure any advice is truly relevant for your business and, most importantly, your audience.

So, before you jump in and spend thousands on changing your marketing strategy to follow a range of guides, do the research, will it positively impact your business?

And if you’re not sure, that’s where we come in – with over 30 years’ experience working in digital marketing we help brands elevate their marketing activities to grow revenue and build great customer relationships.

Chat with us to get started! (or you can look at some of the services we offer)