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. Lae alla document
Discover the state of marketing and engagement for Q3, 2026 by diving into the trends and socioeconomic factors impacting the industry. The 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
The State of Marketing + Engagement, Q3 20263 | 7
1. AI is a starting point, not an
experiment
AI isn’t a cool thing to try anymore. It’s become
the baseline operating mode for most market-
ing teams. 33% of marketing leaders are look-
ing to AI to create hyper-personalized seg-
ment engagements, while 31% state that a
top priority for them so far in 2026 has been
leveraging AI for predictive insights and
personalization4.
The shift that’s happening in marketing is subtle,
but important. The best teams aren’t using AI to
replace their marketers; they’re using it to
expand what those marketers can do. By using
AI to quickly build workflows, testing variations,
and personalized messages at scale, human
strategists are freed up to focus on what AI
can’t do: nail true brand sentiment, get more
creative, and message to express deep cus-
tomer empathy.
TL; DR: If you’re still treating AI as an experi-
ment running in part of your organization,
you’re already behind the eight ball. AI needs
to be woven into your production flow, your
analytics, and your personalization strategy.
2. Click, click, buy: Social
commerce now reigns supreme
In 2026, marketing and shopping is fully native
to social media, and the numbers back it up.
SAP Emarsys research found that in the UK,
43% of Gen Z shoppers bought something
just because it was trending on social media,
while 45% said they’re more likely to trust a
product if it goes viral5. Globally, shoppable ad
formats account for 41% of social ad budgets
compared to 29% just last year6.
TikTok Shop is the key story here: For the sec-
ond year in a row, TikTok shop is growing faster
than all key U.S. retailers tracked by eMarketer7.
That means it’s not just a niche play anymore;
it’s a commerce and marketing channel.
TL;DR: For brands still treating social as a
purely top-of-funnel awareness play, your
wake-up call has arrived. Your customers
aren’t just discovering brands on Instagram
and TikTok, they’re buying there, too.
43% of Gen Z shoppers
bought something just
because it was trending
on social media
1. AI is a starting point, not an
experiment
AI isn’t a cool thing to try anymore. It’s become
the baseline operating mode for most market-
ing teams. 33% of marketing leaders are look-
ing to AI to create hyper-personalized seg-
ment engagements, while 31% state that a
top priority for them so far in 2026 has been
leveraging AI for predictive insights and
personalization4.
The shift that’s happening in marketing is subtle,
but important. The best teams aren’t using AI to
replace their marketers; they’re using it to
expand what those marketers can do. By using
AI to quickly build workflows, testing variations,
and personalized messages at scale, human
strategists are freed up to focus on what AI
can’t do: nail true brand sentiment, get more
creative, and message to express deep cus-
tomer empathy.
TL; DR: If you’re still treating AI as an experi-
ment running in part of your organization,
you’re already behind the eight ball. AI needs
to be woven into your production flow, your
analytics, and your personalization strategy.
2. Click, click, buy: Social
commerce now reigns supreme
In 2026, marketing and shopping is fully native
to social media, and the numbers back it up.
SAP Emarsys research found that in the UK,
43% of Gen Z shoppers bought something
just because it was trending on social media,
while 45% said they’re more likely to trust a
product if it goes viral5. Globally, shoppable ad
formats account for 41% of social ad budgets
compared to 29% just last year6.
TikTok Shop is the key story here: For the sec-
ond year in a row, TikTok shop is growing faster
than all key U.S. retailers tracked by eMarketer7.
That means it’s not just a niche play anymore;
it’s a commerce and marketing channel.
TL;DR: For brands still treating social as a
purely top-of-funnel awareness play, your
wake-up call has arrived. Your customers
aren’t just discovering brands on Instagram
and TikTok, they’re buying there, too.
43% of Gen Z shoppers
bought something just
because it was trending
on social media
The State of Marketing + Engagement, Q3 20263. Influence this: The creator
economy has fully matured
Influencer marketing has grown up – it’s not
about chasing viral moments or one-off celebrity
deals anymore. In 2026, brands are building
always-on creator programs and investing in
micro-influencer partnerships for reach and
authenticity – and it’s paying off.
In fact, 76% of brands report that sponsored
content with creators outperforms traditional
advertising8, specifically because creators tap
into a level of trust that audiences already have
when it comes to those specific influencers.
While Facebook and Instagram remain twin
pillars of social marketing for most brands,
Instagram is pulling ahead strategically, espe-
cially when it comes to engagement, videos, and
commerce. Meanwhile TikTok is key to cam-
paigns targeting younger audiences and any
products with the potential to go viral. Finally,
YouTube still remains the go-to for long-form and
search driven content.
4. Bye, bye fragmented data
ecosystems: First-party data is
now a requirement
An uncomfortable truth many marketing teams
are facing right now is that the data infrastructure
most brands were built on is eroding. Third-
party cookies are disappearing, privacy regula-
tions are tightening globally, and targeting preci-
sion that paid campaigns formerly relied upon
just isn’t working like it once did.
In fact, 43% of marketing leaders cite frag-
mented data ecosystems as a key challenge,
while 26% are looking to consolidate and inte-
grate customer data from multiple sources in
20269, meaning that a significant portion of the
industry is operating with a measurement gap
they haven’t fully addressed yet. On the flip side,
52% of leaders plan to rely on first-party data
platforms and CRMs as their primary data strat-
egy going forward10.
There’s significant opportunity for brands
around zero-party data that customers actively
and willingly share through surveys, quizzes, and
preference centers – meaning that by simply
asking your audience what they want, you can
tap into unrecognized potential and get closer
to your customers by understanding their senti-
ments and emotions around your brand.
economy has fully matured
Influencer marketing has grown up – it’s not
about chasing viral moments or one-off celebrity
deals anymore. In 2026, brands are building
always-on creator programs and investing in
micro-influencer partnerships for reach and
authenticity – and it’s paying off.
In fact, 76% of brands report that sponsored
content with creators outperforms traditional
advertising8, specifically because creators tap
into a level of trust that audiences already have
when it comes to those specific influencers.
While Facebook and Instagram remain twin
pillars of social marketing for most brands,
Instagram is pulling ahead strategically, espe-
cially when it comes to engagement, videos, and
commerce. Meanwhile TikTok is key to cam-
paigns targeting younger audiences and any
products with the potential to go viral. Finally,
YouTube still remains the go-to for long-form and
search driven content.
4. Bye, bye fragmented data
ecosystems: First-party data is
now a requirement
An uncomfortable truth many marketing teams
are facing right now is that the data infrastructure
most brands were built on is eroding. Third-
party cookies are disappearing, privacy regula-
tions are tightening globally, and targeting preci-
sion that paid campaigns formerly relied upon
just isn’t working like it once did.
In fact, 43% of marketing leaders cite frag-
mented data ecosystems as a key challenge,
while 26% are looking to consolidate and inte-
grate customer data from multiple sources in
20269, meaning that a significant portion of the
industry is operating with a measurement gap
they haven’t fully addressed yet. On the flip side,
52% of leaders plan to rely on first-party data
platforms and CRMs as their primary data strat-
egy going forward10.
There’s significant opportunity for brands
around zero-party data that customers actively
and willingly share through surveys, quizzes, and
preference centers – meaning that by simply
asking your audience what they want, you can
tap into unrecognized potential and get closer
to your customers by understanding their senti-
ments and emotions around your brand.
The State of Marketing + Engagement, Q3 20265 | 7
Game on: Best practices for marketers in
the second half of 2026
We’ve reviewed the landscape for marketers in the first half of 2026. Now let’s dive into
some best practices that can help you stand out in H2.
Audit your AI integrations with
complete honesty:
Are you using AI just for copy ideas or drafts, or
is it embedded in your personalization engine,
ad testing, and analytics? The brands pulling
ahead right now are using AI across their full
marketing stack, not just at the content creation
layer.
Build a first-party data strategy,
STAT:
If you’re still dependent on third-party data for
targeting and attribution, start a migration plan
now. Make sure your CRM is the source of truth
for customer data, and launch zero-party col-
lection efforts through quizzes and surveys.
Get serious about social:
If you’re marketing a product and you’re not
testing TikTok Shop or Instagram, put it on your
H2 roadmap. Start small, measure, and iterate
– you can’t afford to wait until 2027 to figure out
if it works for you.
Invest in creator relationships,
not one-offs:
Deliver more authentic content and better
performance by investing in micro-influencer
programs via ongoing partnerships versus one-
and-done deals. Think of creators as an exten-
sion of your content team, not a paid media
placement.
Prioritize content trust:
61% of B2B buyers say that trust and credibility
are the most important benefit delivered by
content – ranking above lead generation. In a
world drowning in AI-generated noise, the
brands that feel authentic, human, and trustwor-
thy are going to be the ones that stand out.
Game on: Best practices for marketers in
the second half of 2026
We’ve reviewed the landscape for marketers in the first half of 2026. Now let’s dive into
some best practices that can help you stand out in H2.
Audit your AI integrations with
complete honesty:
Are you using AI just for copy ideas or drafts, or
is it embedded in your personalization engine,
ad testing, and analytics? The brands pulling
ahead right now are using AI across their full
marketing stack, not just at the content creation
layer.
Build a first-party data strategy,
STAT:
If you’re still dependent on third-party data for
targeting and attribution, start a migration plan
now. Make sure your CRM is the source of truth
for customer data, and launch zero-party col-
lection efforts through quizzes and surveys.
Get serious about social:
If you’re marketing a product and you’re not
testing TikTok Shop or Instagram, put it on your
H2 roadmap. Start small, measure, and iterate
– you can’t afford to wait until 2027 to figure out
if it works for you.
Invest in creator relationships,
not one-offs:
Deliver more authentic content and better
performance by investing in micro-influencer
programs via ongoing partnerships versus one-
and-done deals. Think of creators as an exten-
sion of your content team, not a paid media
placement.
Prioritize content trust:
61% of B2B buyers say that trust and credibility
are the most important benefit delivered by
content – ranking above lead generation. In a
world drowning in AI-generated noise, the
brands that feel authentic, human, and trustwor-
thy are going to be the ones that stand out.