Digital marketing never sits still. New platforms pop up and algorithms shift. And the way people search and buy keeps changing.
If you're leading a brand or running a team, staying ahead isn't optional. It's how you survive while everything around you moves. What are the trends you should keep up with this year, and beyond?
Three forces will shape the next two years:
- Social search is becoming mainstream
- AI-driven content production
- Real shifts in how people behave online.
Together, they'll reshape your strategy by 2026: What you publish and where you appear, as well as how your audience finds and trusts you. Keep on reading to learn how to align your digital marketing tactics with these top three predictions.
Top Trends in Digital Marketing for 2026
Digital marketing trends in 2026 are being shaped by three things: Where people search, how content is created, what users expect from online experiences.
Social media platforms, AI-driven content, and user behavior are no longer emerging shifts. They’re redefining how brands earn attention, engagement, trust, and conversions. Here’s what you need to know:
Social search is here
People are using social platforms to discover information about businesses and products/services, often skipping traditional search engines entirely. This isn't new, but the scale is. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have all doubled down on discovery:
- TikTok added Search Ads.
- Instagram expanded Explore and keyword search.
- YouTube keeps refining its recommendation engine.
In 2022, Google's SVP of Knowledge & Information already said that a large share of Gen Z users (nearly 40%) started their search on TikTok or Instagram rather than Google Search.
This idea is reinforced by Forbes's 2024 article on search platforms: Instagram (67% of respondents) and TikTok (62%) ranked first and second, respectively, while Google (61%) ranked third among web users aged 18-24 (Gen Z).
Social recommendations matter because trust is personal.
Nielsen's research consistently shows that people’s recommendations are the most trusted form of advertising globally. About 88% of worldwide respondents trust recommendations from people they know more than those from any other digital platform. This means that a friend's restaurant review or a creator's honest take on a product beats polished ads every time.
By 2026, social search will get more personal. Using social media algorithms, platforms will blend signals from your network with your browsing and purchase history.
While traditional search engines will keep pulling social content into results, social platforms will build their own search economies, with creator-first results and shoppable experiences, all native to the platform.
The challenge? Attribution gets messy. Was it the TikTok review or the Instagram Reel that drove the sale? Marketers need clear tracking. They should implement social-first SEO tactics (captions that answer questions) and easy-to-find creator reviews.
TikTok Search Ads are worth exploring to understand how intent shows up on video platforms. And YouTube remains a search-first platform where tutorials, reviews, and long demos build trust.
AI drives content production
AI already helps teams brainstorm, repurpose, personalize, and measure content. We're past experimentation. Generative AI, like the use of ChatGPT for content and SEO, is part of everyday workflows:
- Drafting email variations
- Building audience segments
- Generating customized images
- Speeding up video production
McKinsey estimates that generative AI could add trillions of dollars in value to the global economy, with big gains in marketing productivity. GenAI could also add $2.6–$4.4 trillion to the global economy each year, thereby increasing labour productivity by 0.1%–0.6% annually through 2040.
Video continues to dominate. Wyzowl's 2024 report found 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, returning to an all-time high and reinforcing video’s role as a core marketing channel. AI now speeds up scripting, editing, and localization.
By 2026, AI will move from helper to co-creator:
- Personalized content that adapts to each channel and moment, informed by real-time context
- Video and interactive formats that auto-generate variations for different audiences
- Disclosure standards and provenance tags as platforms respond to deepfake risks
Watch for open standards like C2PA for content credentials. YouTube and other platforms are tightening policies around synthetic media, so build transparency into your production process now.
User behaviour is shifting fast
According to Samuel Charmetant, Founder of ArtMajeur, “Audiences want answers faster. They want content that's more relevant and experiences that don't make them work. They expect quick visuals, clear pricing, size options, and real examples they can swipe through in seconds. If the experience feels slow, cluttered, or hard to navigate, they’ll move on just as quickly as they arrived.”
Let’s get started with the change in user behaviour:
First off, mobile dominates. In fact, the mobile device accounts for 53.52% of traffic, followed by desktop at 45.17%, with tablets making up just 1.31%. Voice search raises the bar for natural, conversational queries. If your content can't be searched or spoken, you'll lose people.
Also, immersive experiences keep growing. Augmented reality (AR) isn't just for headsets. It's in your phone camera as virtual try-ons, 3D product views, room previews, and more.
Shopify reports that merchants using 3D/AR experiences see notable lifts in engagement and conversion. In fact, those who add 3D content to their stores see an average increase in conversion of 94%. As tools get easier to use, more brands will treat AR as standard rather than special.
Image source: Generated by the author via Gemini
Lastly, privacy keeps changing the game. Third-party cookies are fading with Chrome's Privacy Sandbox.
Users are more selective about data sharing. First-party and zero-party data strategies are now the backbone of personalization. Zero-party data is information customers intentionally share with you (think preferences, sizes, interests).
Best Practices: How To Align Your Digital Marketing Strategies with Trends
Trends only matter if you act on them. To stay competitive, marketers need practical ways to translate shifts in search, AI, and user behaviour into everyday execution.
The best practices below show how to align your digital marketing strategies with the abovementioned trends.
For social search
- Don’t create generic promotional content. Show your audience how it works through short video formats instead of just telling them.
- Use social media to encourage and collect real customer reviews. Work with creators who have an authentic voice.
- Write easy-to-read captions that include keywords. Describe what you’re offering. When users use native search on a particular platform, they’ll be able to find you based on their search terms.
- Create resource pages on your website that connect back to your social media profiles. Provide all of your social proof, frequently asked questions, and demo videos.
- Use schema markup (like product schema and review schema) to help search engines better understand your content (see review schema docs).
Learn from Conrad Wang, Managing Director of EnableU. They also take space on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. They make a conscious effort to produce and publish posts to boost visibility and engagement.
Wang suggests, “Social search works best when brands stop broadcasting and start answering. When your content reflects real questions and shows up natively where people already spend time, trust follows. And visibility becomes a byproduct, not the goal.”
For AI-driven content
Image source: Generated by the author via ChatGPT
- Build a simple governance framework. Decide where AI can draft and where humans always lead. For example, you can use ChatGPT to generate outlines and research for your blog post to drive engagement.
- Keep humans in the loop for review. They should be responsible for establishing tone and accuracy checks, as well as documenting disclosure practices for synthetic media.
- Use AI to personalize responsibly. Start with segmentation and modular content that can be tailored by audience, preference, and context.
- Measure what matters. Start with engagement lift, time saved in production, lead quality, and more. If your content team is stuck in edits instead of working on big ideas, AI can help.
Tom Rockwell, CEO of Concrete Tools Direct, recommends using genAI for content creation and production. His team has its fair share of using AI-powered tools for various marketing materials. He believes they not only boost efficiency but also the quality of work.
Rockwell says, “AI delivers the most value when it supports creativity instead of replacing it. With the right guardrails and human oversight, genAI helps teams move faster and focus on quality. They can spend more time on ideas that actually drive results.”
For user experience (UX)
To optimize for user experience (UX), speed and clarity win. Core Web Vitals still matter for user happiness and search performance.
- Make your mobile experience fast, easy to use, and readily accessible.
- Add AR where it reduces uncertainty (think sizes, fit, space).
- Keep permissions transparent.
- Offer value in exchange for data with clear preferences that people can control.
- Follow WCAG 2.2 for digital accessibility. It helps more people use your content and usually improves UX for everyone.
Take it from Andrew Bates, COO at Bates Electric. When optimizing their website for concrete tools, they always keep the user experience in mind. He cites this as key to sparking engagement and driving conversions.
Bates explains, “UX is where performance and trust meet. When a site loads quickly and works smoothly on mobile, engagement naturally improves. And conversions tend to follow. That’s why you have to align your UX tactics with the shifting user behaviour.”
Final Thoughts
Social search will be a primary discovery channel. AI will co-pilot content production. Users will demand experiences that are fast, personal, and immersive. The thread connecting all three: earn trust, reduce friction, and show up where people actually look.
Marketers who stay curious, keep testing, and build flexible systems will adapt faster than the changes. Start small, measure honestly, and keep your team learning. Explore the latest how-tos and strategy deep dives on the TechWyse blog. To book an appointment, call 416-410-7090 or contact us here.
