The Latest Digital Marketing and AI Trends

AI in Marketing

2026 continues the turning point that began in 2023 for AI in marketing — except we’ve now moved past the experimentation phase.

AI Applications in Marketing

1. Content Production

Applications:
├── Writing blog articles
├── Producing ad copy
├── Creating images and video
└── Automatic content translation

Benefits:

• High speed: Content produced in a fraction of the time
• Low cost: Dramatically lower content production costs
• Consistency: Maintaining brand tone and style

2. Data Analysis and Prediction

Predictive Analytics:

• Predicting customer behavior
• Identifying the best send times
• Estimating purchase likelihood

Practical example:

# Analyzing customer purchase probability
customer_score = ai_model.predict([
    'age': 35,
    'previous_purchases': 3,
    'time_on_site': 450,
    'email_opens': 12
])
# Result: 85% purchase probability

3. Chatbots and Support

Features of today’s chatbots:

• Natural language understanding
• Answering complex questions
• Smart handoff to humans
• Learning from interactions

Popular AI Tools

1. ChatGPT & GPT-4: Content production and copywriting
2. Midjourney: Image generation
3. HubSpot AI: Marketing automation
4. Jasper: Marketing content production

Tips for Using AI

• Combine with human creativity: AI is a tool, not a replacement
• Quality control: Always review AI output
• Personalization: Tune AI to your brand and audience

Personalized Marketing

Personalization has gone from nice-to-have to necessity.

Personalization Levels

Level 1: Basic Personalization

- Using the customer's name
- Content based on geographic location
- General suggestions based on past purchases

Level 2: Intermediate Personalization

- Content based on website behavior
- Segmented emails
- Dynamic pricing

Level 3: Advanced Personalization

- A unique experience for every user
- Predicting future needs
- Real-time content

Personalization Strategies

1. Behavior-Based Segmentation

// Segmentation example
const userSegments = {
  frequentBuyer: {
    condition: 'purchases > 5',
    content: 'VIP products',
    discount: 'Loyalty discount'
  },
  newVisitor: {
    condition: 'visits = 1',
    content: 'Getting started guide',
    discount: 'Welcome code'
  }
}

2. Dynamic Content

• Real-time content changes
• Automated A/B testing
• Continuous optimization

Personalization Tools

1. Optimizely: Testing and personalization
2. Dynamic Yield: Dynamic content
3. Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Personal automation
4. Adobe Target: Personalized experiences

Personalization Results

• 10 to 15% revenue uplift: Based on McKinsey research; company performance ranges from 5 to 25% (McKinsey, 2021: https://web.archive.org/web/20250102172652/https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-value-of-getting-personalization-right-or-wrong-is-multiplying/)
• Improved user experience
• Lower cart abandonment

Video and Audio Content

Video is still the king of content.

Key Video Marketing Stats

• 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool (Wyzowl, 2026: https://wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/)
• 82% of marketers say video marketing has brought them good ROI (Wyzowl, 2026: https://wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/)
• People watch many hours of online video every week

Popular Formats

1. Short-form Video

• Length: 15-60 seconds
• Platforms: TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts
• Content: Entertainment, quick tutorials, behind-the-scenes

2. Live Streaming

Benefits:
├── Real-time interaction
├── Sense of intimacy
├── Q&A opportunities
└── Trust building

3. Interactive Video

• 360-degree videos
• Clickable content
• Viewer-chosen storylines

Video Marketing Strategy

Step 1: Content Planning

Goal → Audience → Message → Format → Platform

Step 2: Production

• Simple gear: Even a phone is enough
• Good lighting: More important than an expensive camera
• Clear audio: One of the decisive factors in video success

Step 3: Distribution and Promotion

• Optimize for each platform
• Use captions
• Eye-catching thumbnails

Video Production Tools

1. Canva: Simple videos
2. Loom: Screen recording
3. InShot: Mobile editing
4. Adobe Premiere: Professional

Voice-First Marketing

Voice is emerging as a primary interface.

Growth of Voice Technologies

Voice Search

Stats:
├── Widespread daily use among teenagers
├── Daily use among a share of adults
└── Steady year-over-year growth

Smart Speakers

• Alexa: 70 million active devices
• Google Home: 50 million devices
• Steady annual growth

Optimizing for Voice Search

1. Shifts in Keywords

Typed: "best restaurant in town"
Spoken: "where is the nearest good restaurant?"

2. Conversational Content

• Use everyday language
• Answer common questions
• Q&A structure

3. Local Information

• Register on Google Business Profile
• Optimize NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
• Collect positive reviews

Podcast Marketing

Podcast Benefits

• Loyal audience: Listeners hear a large share of each episode through to the end
• High influence: An intimate, trustworthy medium
• Multitasking: People listen while doing other work

Podcast Strategy

1. Pick a niche topic
2. Expert guests
3. Regular publishing
4. Cross-promotion

Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Sustainable brands are winning this race.

Why Sustainability Matters

Consumer Stats

• 73% would change consumption habits to reduce environmental impact (NielsenIQ, 2019: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/analysis/2019/identifying-unique-sustainability-opportunities-across-categories-to-foster-trust-with-consumers/)
• Gen Z factors sustainability into purchase decisions
• A significant share of consumers abandon irresponsible brands

Sustainability Strategies

1. Supply Chain Transparency

Show:
├── Origin of raw materials
├── Labor conditions
├── Environmental impact
└── Relevant certifications

2. Green Products

• Using recycled materials
• Reducing packaging
• Renewable energy

3. Community Engagement

• Donating to charities
• Local projects
• Education and awareness

Sustainability Marketing

Environmental Storytelling

# Storytelling example
"When we started the company 10 years ago,
we decided to plant a tree for every product sold.
So far we've planted 500,000 trees..."

Measuring Impact

• Carbon reduction
• Water savings
• Waste reduction

Augmented and Virtual Reality

AR/VR have gone from toys to marketing tools.

AR Applications in Marketing

1. Virtual Try-On

Industries:
├── Fashion and apparel
├── Cosmetics
├── Eyewear and accessories
└── Furniture and home decor

2. Product Visualization

• Showing products in real spaces
• Rotating and inspecting details
• Comparing sizes and colors

Success Stories

IKEA Place

• Users see furniture in their own homes
• 98% accuracy in measurements (official IKEA news, 2017: https://web.archive.org/web/20240529161025/https://www.ikea.com/kr/en/newsroom/corporate-news/page-title-h1-pubb1d8e437/)
• Fewer product returns

Sephora Virtual Artist

• Try makeup without using the product
• Big jump in user engagement
• Higher online sales

Launching AR/VR

Step 1: Define the Goal

• Improve the shopping experience
• Reduce returns
• Increase engagement

Step 2: Choose a Platform

• WebAR: No app needed
• Dedicated app: Better experience
• Social networks: Easy access

Step 3: Produce Content

• 3D modeling of products
• Quality testing
• Speed optimization

September 2026 Update: Which Trends Survived?

This article was first published in January 2024. Now, more than two years later, it’s time to look back at which predictions came true, which were exaggerated, and what should be added to the list.

What We Predicted and Got Right

• AI at the center of everything: This trend didn’t just materialize — it graduated from “helper tool” to “operating infrastructure.” The key difference in 2026 versus 2024 is that the conversation has moved from “using AI” to “AI agents”: systems that carry out parts of the work without moment-to-moment supervision.
• Personalization: Still the top priority, but the way it’s powered has changed. With third-party cookies restricted, the pillar of personalization has shifted from purchased data to first-party data.
• Video content: Video’s dominance was confirmed — except the focus moved from long-form video to short vertical video on social platforms.

What Needs Adjusting

• Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR): This trend moved slower than expected. Mass adoption never arrived, and today it’s mostly a complementary shopping feature (like product previews) rather than a standalone marketing channel. Heavy investment in it isn’t economically justified yet.
• Sustainability and social responsibility: Its importance holds, but broad, undocumented claims in this area now carry serious reputational risk. Sustainability messaging must come with numbers, reports, and verifiable evidence.

Three New Trends Missing From the Original

1. Zero-click search: A large share of searches now get answered right on the results page and never become clicks. The direct consequence: your success metric must shift from “visit counts” to “brand visibility and share of answers.”
2. Search on social networks: A significant share of users, especially younger generations, start their searches on social platforms instead of search engines. That means your content must be present and discoverable outside your website too.
3. Optimization for answer engines (AEO/GEO): The goal of content production is no longer just ranking in the results list — it’s being cited in AI-generated answers. For the details of this approach, read our AI and SEO article.

Practical Takeaway for Local Businesses

Instead of chasing every trend, invest in three pillars: your customers’ first-party data, short localized video content, and a content structure that answer engines can extract. To prioritize for your budget and market, get a free consultation.

Conclusion

2026 is a year of major shifts in digital marketing. Brands that adopt and implement these trends early will gain a significant competitive edge. The key is to roll out changes gradually and always keep the customer at the center.