By 2026, the advertising market will become more technologically advanced, with new tools, data, platforms and automation appearing at lightning speed…
It seems as if this is the maximum amount of innovation in the entire history of digital.
The main trend for 2026 is smart, personalised advertising that is tailored to your audience segments.
Hyper-personalisation and AI creatives
AI is no longer just a buzzword; it has become the foundation of digital advertising. In 2026, companies that use dynamic AI creatives will be in the lead, and not just images made ‘any old way’ in a neural network, but high-quality ones that reflect the user: their behaviour, interests, location, time of day and even the weather.
What businesses should do
Set up dynamic creatives where advertising automatically adapts the creative to each individual.
Connect AI-generated creatives for micro-audiences.
Move from infrequent large campaigns to constant micro-tests.
By 2026, brands will need to invest heavily in PR, reputation and presence in neural networks, otherwise it will be too late.
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GEO promotion in neural network responses (new channel in 2026)
In 2025, a new channel appeared: GEO promotion in neural network responses. Within a year, the trend became widespread: while almost no one was talking about it in the spring, by December most large agencies were implementing it.
Video – the main format
Short videos will continue to be the basis of advertising and marketing in 2026. Short clip thinking is becoming more and more ingrained in users. But if simple videos in this format were enough before, now the market demands deep specificity and honesty in content.
What businesses should do
Switch to video production
Rewrite scripts to match the tone, as if the brand is speaking ‘like a normal person,’ simply and naturally, as if the content was filmed by the user themselves
Launch and compare creatives not on a monthly basis, but daily, quickly see what works and what doesn’t, and promptly change the weak options. This saves money and speeds up results.
Made a purchase → cross-sell in a week.
Advertising based on events and customer behaviour
If your advertising is for everyone, then it’s for no one. That’s why 2026 is the year of behavioural targeting. Not based on socio-demographic characteristics, but on specific user actions. It works more accurately and effectively.
UGC content: less staging
UGC content is material created by users themselves: reviews, videos, photos, stories, and overviews.
In 2026, consumers will choose authentic, real-life content. Polished, glossy videos are now less credible. They are also more expensive to shoot and less effective with audiences.
What businesses should do
- Build a community of ambassadors.
- Encourage reviews and stories with perks and gifts.
- Combine UGC with professional editing (this approach will be powerful).
- Expert advice in the form of short videos.
Do everything possible to motivate customers to create native content.
