We love digital 0330 353 0300
TL;DR: 2026 Digital Marketing Predictions
The way people search, read, and buy online is shifting fast. By 2026, AI and search will influence almost every touchpoint, from search results to content discovery to transactions. It is easy to feel a little overwhelmed. If you have noticed clicks dropping or campaigns slowing down, you are not alone. But there is a real opportunity here. Brands that focus on delivering value, building trust, and turning attention into meaningful results will come out ahead.
In short, traffic numbers alone do not tell the full story. Success comes from clarity, conversions, and engagement that actually matters.
This article outlines our 2026 digital marketing predictions, providing marketers with practical tips to adapt to changes in AI, CTR reduction, paid social trends, digital PR strategies, and transactional content.
Clicks have fallen this year. People do not search the same way anymore, and Google often gives answers directly, pushing organic results further down.
It can be tempting to panic, but you do not need to chase every lost click. High traffic alone does not mean much if it does not lead anywhere. What counts is the quality of the visitors and the actions they take once they land on your site.
Tip
AI allows content to be published quickly, so search engines need a way to sort the genuinely useful pages from the rest. Updates in 2026 will continue to emphasise EEAT, Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, and topical relevance.
David Wilson, Head of PR & Content, Koozai, says:
“That quality and relevance will become even more important when it comes to SEO, website content, and PR/links/off page factors… especially in light of AI, we’re seeing more and more people able to more quickly post higher volumes of content, Google and other AI/traditional search engines will need a way to differentiate and prioritise the best results and so will keep releasing updates with higher and higher standards on content, especially related to EEAT and topical relevance.”
Tip
AI now summarises brands for users before they even visit a website. This means your reputation online can influence what people see and what AI tools display.
Sophie Robert, Managing Director, Koozai, says:
“Brand reputation and digital PR will become more important. As (LLMs) increasingly power search and content discovery, brand visibility won’t just depend on rankings, it’ll hinge on being accurately cited across trusted sources. If AI tools are summarising your brand for users, you need to ensure what they’re pulling is correct, current and compelling. That’s where digital PR steps in, not just to secure coverage, but to shape the narrative and seed authoritative, high-quality mentions that AI models will recognise and reproduce.”
Tip
AI-assisted purchases are on the rise. Tools like Google AI Mode and ChatGPT with payment features mean more conversions happen directly through AI experiences.
Joaquin Lopez, Paid Media Manager, Koozai, says:
“AI Mode on Google will become more prevalent, leading to more conversions being made via ads on AI Mode or through AI conversations. With PayPal becoming a feature on ChatGPT, it wouldn’t be surprising if 10% of total ecommerce purchases are made via AI by the end of 2026 across multiple AI platforms.”
Tip
Paid social feeds are crowded. AI can churn out assets quickly, but ads lose their impact fast, so variety is essential.
Steve Harris, Head of Paid Media, Koozai, says:
“Creativity and variation will be key on paid social channels. With AI playing an important part in creating assets, brands will have to stand out and keep up by constantly refreshing their assets. Ads are fatiguing quicker and quicker, so it’s vital that brands have a steady stream of assets to promote rather than leaving ads to be live for weeks or months on end. We have already been testing this with multiple variations of ads yielding higher CTRs.”
Tip
AI is no longer just impacting informational searches. Transactional and commercial intent is rising as AI tools start comparing prices, features, and value for users.
Liam Fernie, Strategic SEO Specialist, Koozai, says:
“The current view on AI from an organic level is that it is primarily impacting informational based searches however I believe we’ll see a strong shift to transactional and commercial intent potentially taking the lead over informational dominated queries. We’re seeing this already with the focus on LLMs increasing their commercial usage by offering the handling of transactions, but I believe AI’s will become (or at least challenge) the new price/value comparison sites. A recent study already shows that P1 will no longer be the golden child anymore, as LLMs and AI overviews often show multiple results that users then click on, effectively creating a shortlist of results for them.”
Tip
Change can feel unsettling, but it also brings opportunity. Strong results will come from:
By putting clarity, trust, and meaningful action at the centre of your strategy, your brand can step into 2026 with confidence and deliver results, even as AI changes search, content, and buying behaviour.