The state of marketing + engagement: Q3 2026
Discover the state of marketing and engagement for Q3, 2026 by diving into the trends and socioeconomic factors impacting the industry. Download the DocumentThe State of Marketing
+ Engagement
Q3 2026
+ Engagement
Q3 2026
The State of Marketing + Engagement, Q3 20262 | 7
In a world where 82%
of consumers say a
brand has disappointed
them and 60% don’t pay
attention to brands,
even if their product
needs are being met1,
marketers are facing
unprecedented
challenges.
The first half of 2026 has been a lot for
marketers – the industry is moving quickly,
tools are getting smarter, and consumer
expectations are outpacing most brands’
ability to keep up. If you told a marketer five
years ago that in 2026 they’d be using AI to
generate personalized content at scale,
shopping natively inside TikTok, and scram-
bling to build first-party data, they might have
nodded politely and gone back to optimizing
email blasts... but here we are.
The good news is that marketing budgets are
holding up. Global digital ad spend has hit an
estimated $740 billion in 2026, up 11.4%
year-over-year2. Additionally, global social
media ad spend has surged to an estimated
$334.5 billion – a whopping 20.9% increase
over last year3.
The message is clear: brands are still betting big
on digital, but they’re getting more selective
about where those dollars go.
To get a handle on where marketing stands
right now, and to figure out what to do about
it for the rest of the year, we’ve got you
covered.
What’s working in marketing, what’s changing, and
how to win the second half of the year
In a world where 82%
of consumers say a
brand has disappointed
them and 60% don’t pay
attention to brands,
even if their product
needs are being met1,
marketers are facing
unprecedented
challenges.
The first half of 2026 has been a lot for
marketers – the industry is moving quickly,
tools are getting smarter, and consumer
expectations are outpacing most brands’
ability to keep up. If you told a marketer five
years ago that in 2026 they’d be using AI to
generate personalized content at scale,
shopping natively inside TikTok, and scram-
bling to build first-party data, they might have
nodded politely and gone back to optimizing
email blasts... but here we are.
The good news is that marketing budgets are
holding up. Global digital ad spend has hit an
estimated $740 billion in 2026, up 11.4%
year-over-year2. Additionally, global social
media ad spend has surged to an estimated
$334.5 billion – a whopping 20.9% increase
over last year3.
The message is clear: brands are still betting big
on digital, but they’re getting more selective
about where those dollars go.
To get a handle on where marketing stands
right now, and to figure out what to do about
it for the rest of the year, we’ve got you
covered.
What’s working in marketing, what’s changing, and
how to win the second half of the year