2026 Digital Marketing Predictions — What’s Next & What It Means for Your Strategy

As we start thinking ahead to 2026, one thing is clear: digital marketing is evolving faster than ever, driven by AI, shifting discovery habits, and the growing importance of presence across an expanding ecosystem of platforms.

We asked four experts from our team for their biggest predictions…

1) AI Discovery Over Traditional Search

AI systems will draw even more heavily on information beyond Google — including social platforms, video content, forums, and wider online conversations — to fuel search and discovery. Cross-channel presence will increasingly influence visibility in AI-driven discovery systems.

Industry trends suggest a broader shift away from traditional SERPs to AI-oriented discovery and “Search Everywhere” behaviour — where answers are pulled from multiple content formats and platforms, not just web pages.

It’s now important to focus less on ranking on Google alone and more on being present where your audience and AI models look for answers — social, video, community sites, and Q&A platforms.

• Alice Abbot, Content Creator

2) Cross-Channel Brand Presence

Rankings will matter less on their own — but being the first trusted choice wherever people search will matter more. Brands will need widespread visibility: Google, social, forums, communities, and review sites.

This aligns with industry forecasts that visibility in 2026 will be defined by AI-first strategies, brand trust signals, and omnichannel narratives — not just traditional keyword rankings.

Invest in content ecosystems — blog posts, ambassador reviews, forum contributions, community engagement — so AI and humans alike associate your brand with solutions, not just keywords.

• James Walker, Senior SEO Account Manager

3) Off-Site Presence & AI Visibility Become Core

With LLMs synthesising answers from many sources, off-page visibility will be critical. Being cited across platforms, such as forums social and community Q&A’s, will boost AI visibility.

SEO and marketing trends for 2026 emphasise the shift from keyword-centric SEO to content influence and authority across the web. Content that is referenced and cited will feed into AI-driven synthesis more effectively.

Map out the channels where your audience actually participates. Prioritise profiles, citations, discussions, reviews, and content that feeds into the AI discovery pipeline.

• Jonathan Brown, Senior Content Strategist

4) Unique, Multiformat Content Will Be Essential

Simply writing articles won’t cut it. Successful brands will leverage unique content in multiple formats, including video, images, quotes, expert insights, to feed not only humans but AI systems as well.

SEO trend forecasts for 2026 highlight that rich, multimodal content will grow in importance as users engage across platforms and devices. So, now more than ever, it’s important to build a content strategy that pairs long-form writing with visual and multimedia assets — not just for engagement, but for SEO and AI discovery utility.

• Jack Brayshaw, SEO Account Manager

What Does This Mean for Your 2026 Strategy?

In 2026, the winners won’t be the brands that simply chase rankings; they’ll be the ones that:

• Build authority everywhere their audience goes
• Use data from cross-channel signals to optimise visibility
• Create content ecosystems that feed both users and AI
• Embrace AI as a discovery channel — not just a tool

How Edge45 Can Help

Navigating digital marketing in 2026 will be less about chasing individual tactics and more about building a joined-up strategy that works across channels, platforms, and AI-driven discovery. That’s where Edge45 comes in.

We help brands understand where their audiences are, how they search, and how content, SEO, paid media and digital PR work together to drive real visibility and growth. From shaping multi-format content strategies to strengthening off-page presence and brand authority, our focus is on clear, practical solutions that stand up as the landscape continues to evolve.

If you’re planning ahead for 2026 and want support turning these trends into a strategy that delivers, we’d love to help.