2026 Marketing Preview

Every January, marketing predictions flood the internet. As we head into 2026, there are a few shifts happening that are backed by actual data, and they’re worth paying attention to.

Here’s what the research is telling us about where marketing is headed next year.

AI Isn’t Coming, It’s Already Here

AI in marketing is no longer experimental. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 95% of B2B marketers are now using AI-powered applications. Meta has publicly stated they’re aiming to more fully automate advertising with AI by 2026, per Reuters, and industry forecasts suggest the AI market will hit $407 billion by 2027, according to Forbes.

The question for 2026 isn’t whether to use AI. It’s how to use it strategically while keeping the human touch that actually connects with people.

Search Is Evolving: Enter Generative Engine Optimization

Traditional search isn’t dead, but it is changing. Search engines remain the number one source of brand discovery worldwide, but marketers now need to think beyond Google Search Results.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), optimizing for how your brand shows up in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other AI assistants, is where brands and marketers need to look next. Kantar’s research shows that 24% of AI users are already using AI-powered shopping assistants to make purchase decisions. Their 2026 trends report puts it bluntly: “If the model doesn’t know you, it won’t choose you.”

This doesn’t mean abandoning traditional SEO, but your content strategy now needs to consider how AI models learn about and recommend your brand.

Retail Media Networks Are Exploding

The numbers here are stunning. Global retail media spend is projected to reach approximately $165 billion by 2026, according to EMARKETER. Kantar’s research shows that 38% of marketers plan to increase their retail media investment this year, and for good reason: RMNs are delivering 1.8x better results than standard digital ads and nearly 3x better purchase intent.

What makes retail media so effective? First-party data. When someone is browsing Walmart.com or Amazon, retailers know exactly what they’re shopping for. With third-party cookies being deprecates, that targeting data is marketing gold.

Content Strategy: Fast and Slow

Short-form video continues to dominate for ROI, with 21% of marketers naming it their top-performing format, according to HubSpot. But audiences are also craving depth.
The winning strategy for 2026 is utilizing both: use short-form video to grab attention, then deliver long-form content that builds authority and trust. Think of it as “hook with short, earn with long.”

What This Means for Your Strategy

• Stay on top of your AI knowledge, and how it’s affecting ad campaigns, workflows, and content 
• Optimize for AI discovery so your brand shows up in AI assistant recommendations
• Explore retail media to understand how it’s reshaping digital ad spend
• Balance both quick and deep content to capture attention and establish expertise
  
  The marketing landscape in 2026 isn’t about one big change, it’s several evolutions happening simultaneously. The brands that stay ahead will embrace these changes strategically, not reactively.
  
  Want to discuss how these trends apply to your specific marketing challenges? Get in touch with our team at Hagan Marketing. We’re always up for a good marketing conversation.