Marketing Trends to Look Out for in 2026

2026 will be a pivotal year for marketing. The landscape continues to evolve rapidly, driven by AI, technological breakthroughs, shifting consumer behaviors, and heightened expectations for personalization, relevance, and value. 

“Small business productivity will skyrocket as business owners use AI-enhanced automations for everything from marketing to invoicing and scheduling, to customer communications,” Thryv CEO, Joe Walsh explains. “The insights these automations produce, once only available to enterprises, create the opportunity for them to make data-driven decisions and anticipate business demands in ways they never could have before.” 

Small business owners today can no longer rely on “business as usual” tactics. This year’s trends reflect a moment when foundational technologies (especially artificial intelligence) move from experimental to essential. But while tools evolve, the core objective remains constant: connect meaningfully with your audience and deliver experiences that feel tailor-made, not templated.

1. AI-driven personalization becomes standard for small businesses.

In 2026, personalization isn’t just a competitive edge; it’s an expectation. Advances in AI now allow businesses of all sizes to personalize marketing at scale, from customized website content to real-time product recommendations and targeted messaging. What once required large teams and complex systems is now accessible to small businesses, allowing them to create more relevant experiences across every digital touchpoint.

The data shows just how widespread this shift has become. 92% of companies report using AI-driven personalization to drive growth, signaling that machine-learning-powered personalization is no longer experimental but becoming a core part of modern marketing strategies.

AI can provide the data insights that allow employees the freedom to bring empathy. Together, they create the kind of experiences that customers value.

This trend goes beyond adopting new technology; it reflects changing customer expectations. Today’s consumers expect marketing to feel relevant and timely. AI helps small businesses meet those expectations by delivering experiences tailored to individual behaviors and preferences. From personalized emails to predictive recommendations across channels, AI-enabled tools help companies to anticipate what customers need, often before they ask, improving engagement and increasing revenue.

2. AI marketing tools for small businesses are on the rise.

AI marketing tools are becoming a standard part of how small businesses operate. According to a recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce report, 58% of small businesses now use generative AI, up from 40% the previous year. This rapid increase signals a shift in how small business owners view AI: not as a future investment, but as a practical solution for today’s marketing challenges.

According to Thryv President, Grant Freeman, “We’re in full “human + AI” mode. While predictive analytics will help businesses proactively prevent a customer issue before it becomes a negative online review, human interaction will continue to be expected and appreciated. Which is a real advantage for small businesses.”

Small businesses are using AI tools across a wide range of marketing activities, including content creation, campaign optimization, customer segmentation, and performance analysis. As these tools become more affordable and easier to use, even small teams can automate time-consuming tasks and gain insights that once required dedicated analysts or agencies. This allows business owners and marketers to focus more on strategy, creativity, and customer relationships, rather than manual execution.

3. Social commerce continues to increase.

Social commerce, the growing practice of discovering and purchasing products directly through social media platforms without leaving the app, is more than a trend; it’s a shift in how people shop online. In fact, the social commerce market is growing rapidly. Global social commerce sales are expected to reach around $2.9 trillion by 2026, up from roughly $992 billion in 2022.

For small businesses, social commerce presents a practical way to shorten the path from awareness to revenue. Instead of directing customers through multiple clicks and redirects, social platforms allow buyers to move from inspiration to checkout in a single, seamless experience, whether through shoppable posts, live product demos, creator recommendations, or in-app product catalogs.

4. Local SEO takes on new importance.

Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your online presence so your business appears in search results when nearby potential customers search for the products or services you offer. This includes rankings in search engines like Google, visibility in map results, and relevance for location-based queries such as “near me” searches. As consumers increasingly rely on their phones and search engines to find local businesses, local SEO has become a critical foundation for discovery.

The data highlights how essential this trend has become: 80% of U.S. consumers search for local businesses weekly, and 32% do so daily. These frequent local searches often lead directly to conversions. For example, many mobile users who search for a nearby business visit that business within a day. Appearing prominently in local search results can be the difference between attracting new customers and going unnoticed.

5. Customer experience software becomes a must-have.

Customer experience is one of the strongest drivers of loyalty and long-term revenue. Customer experience software helps small businesses deliver consistent, responsive, and personalized interactions without adding operational complexity. As competition increases and customers become less tolerant of friction, companies that invest in customer experience tools are better positioned to retain customers, strengthen relationships, and turn satisfaction into sustained growth.

Beyond retention, customer experience platforms also provide valuable insights into customer behavior and sentiment. By capturing feedback, tracking engagement, and monitoring service interactions in one place, businesses can identify patterns, proactively address issues, and continuously improve how they serve customers. In 2026, customer experience is no longer just a support function, but a core growth strategy.

It’s another case of accessible technology leveling the playing field for small businesses.

At Thryv, the team has seen how AI-driven personalized automation gives them the ability to easily access and leverage data on purchase history, preferences, and browsing habits that provide tailored recommendations and customized solutions, explains Sarah Madden, Head of Customer Experience, Thryv.

6. Voice and AI-led search transform SEO practices.

Voice and AI-led search are changing how audiences find information. Increasingly, users are asking questions aloud or via AI-powered assistants such as Siri, Alexa, and conversational AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. This shift toward voice and AI-led search is reshaping how businesses think about SEO and online visibility. Rather than optimizing solely for keyword rankings, brands must focus on conversational phrases, natural language, and highly relevant, structured content that these systems can interpret and surface effectively.

Research shows that over 50% of U.S. adults have tried voice search, and a notable share use it regularly for local information and discovery, including finding businesses and services nearby. In fact, voice search is considered a significant emerging SEO factor by nearly one-quarter of SEO professionals, highlighting its rising impact on visibility strategies.

As AI-powered search experiences evolve, the SEO landscape continues to shift from traditional keyword mechanics toward answer-centric optimization. This means creating content that provides clear, concise responses to specific questions and optimizing for relevance, structured data, and context.

7. Short-form video dominates engagement.

Short-form video has firmly established itself as a leading format for audience engagement. The rise of short-form video isn’t just about entertainment, but connection. These videos allow brands to communicate personality, demonstrate products, answer common questions, and leverage trends to increase visibility and drive action, often in real time. Additionally, 21% of marketers say short-form videos deliver the highest ROI of any content format, making it not only popular but effective. Users respond well to quick, visually engaging content, and platforms continue to refine discovery algorithms that favor short, authentic video interactions.

Preparing for Strategic Success in 2026

2026 is shaping up to be a year defined by intelligent automation, deeper personalization, and customer-centric experiences. For small business owners, this means investing in technologies that amplify strategic insight, prioritizing the customer experience in every interaction, and increasing visibility on search engines through voice and AI-led searches. The brands that win will be those that embrace change thoughtfully, integrating the trends that align with their audience and long-term goals.