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As 2025 winds down, businesses are reassessing strategies and preparing for a new year defined by faster AI evolution, deeper shifts in consumer psychology, and a marketplace that rewards brands capable of adapting quickly. These forces are shaping the top digital marketing trends that will define 2026.
Few companies have a clearer vantage point on these changes than Google. With 83% of global consumers using Google and/or YouTube daily — “significantly higher than any other online platforms,” according to an Ipsos survey — the company sits at the center of how people search, shop, stream, scroll, and make decisions. This scale gives Google’s leadership a precise read on the digital marketing trends marketers must prepare for.
Phil Wilson, Google’s vice president of ads marketing for EMEA, underscores the human constant behind the tech innovation: people still search for answers, solutions, products, and connection — but they do so in more dynamic ways than ever.
These are the top digital marketing trends for 2026, based on insights from Google’s internal visionaries.
1. Consumers Will Prioritize Present Wellbeing — A Key Shift in Digital Marketing Trends
Pablo Perez, Google’s Senior Marketing Research and Insights Manager, identifies a growing emotional shift that sits at the heart of next year’s digital marketing trends.
“Consumers are increasingly feeling anxious, worried, and tired,” he explains. “They’re combatting this emotional fatigue by prioritising immediate rewards and new experiences that enhance their present wellbeing.”
Younger generations, shaped by economic and social turbulence, are choosing experiences that deliver instant value over far-off goals. This shift redefines customer journeys, loyalty programs, and value propositions.
In 2026, winning brands will break down their promises into smaller, gratifying, achievable steps. Instead of selling a long-term dream, marketers must deliver micro-moments of progress. It’s one of the most human-centered digital marketing trends set to reshape brand loyalty.
2. AI Will Reshape Consumer Behavior — The Most Transformative Digital Marketing Trend
According to Oliver Borm, Google’s Director for Search Ads Product Strategy in EMEA, 2026 will be the year AI transitions search from fact-finding into fully immersive exploration.
Consumers are no longer typing queries — they’re entering conversations with AI.
The result: the search bar becomes a “creative canvas” where users expect visual, contextual, intelligent responses. As Borm notes, tools like Gemini’s Nano Banana are already redefining how people explore ideas through images, text, and audio.
Marketers must embrace Generative Engine Optimisation, a crucial addition to next year’s digital marketing trends. Success will depend on producing:
Brands that adapt will maintain visibility in a world driven by AI-powered conversational search.
3. Young Audiences Will Demand Creative Participation — A Cultural Digital Marketing Trend
Roya Zeitoune, YouTube’s Head of Culture & Trends for EMEA, points out that Gen Z and Gen Alpha are redefining engagement.
“They don’t just consume brand stories, they want to participate and remix them.”
This expectation drives the rise of “creative maximalism,” where fans co-build brand narratives. Zeitoune cites EPIC: The Musical, with over 50,000 YouTube uploads inspired by the project — a model for 2026’s participatory digital marketing trends.
To stay relevant, brands must build universes, not campaigns. Generative AI tools now enable even small companies to produce studio-quality visuals, empowering communities to co-create.
The clearest guidance: “Instead of telling brand stories to audiences in 2026, co-create worlds with them.”
4. Nostalgia Remixing Will Become a Powerful Growth Engine — A Top Emotional Digital Marketing Trend
Marion Bernard, Google France’s Head of Ads Marketing, highlights nostalgia as one of 2026’s most influential digital marketing trends.
She notes that nostalgic advertising can “increase brand likability by up to 20%,” but simple reboots no longer make an impact. The winning strategies instead remix iconic IP into new collaborations.
For 2026, the opportunity lies in identifying your brand’s strongest nostalgic assets and reimagining them through modern partnerships.
5. Sustainability Will Shift From Ideals to Tangible Value — A Practical Digital Marketing Trend
Adam Elman, Google’s Director of Sustainability for EMEA, says the old era of vague sustainability claims is over.
“The era of vague, sweeping corporate sustainability pledges is over.”
Consumers want proof. Regulators want detail. And brands must avoid greenwashing while still demonstrating value.
The most effective content — and one of the most actionable digital marketing trends — focuses on:
Videos highlighting practical value, such as creator-led collaborations with resale marketplaces, outperform generic sustainability messaging.
The winning formula for 2026: prove value, skip the slogans.
The Bottom Line: Digital Marketing Trends for 2026 Demand Intelligence and Humanity
Across all insights, the dominant theme is clear:
2026 will reward brands that combine AI-driven intelligence with genuine human understanding.
Consumers want:
The brands that embrace these digital marketing trends now will shape the competitive landscape next year.
