Where’s All The Marketing Money Going in 2026?

Marketing is always changing, and 2026 looks to keep all of us on our toes. If you’re wondering where businesses are putting their marketing dollars next year—and what’s out of style—let’s break it down in simple terms.

Digital is King

First off, digital marketing is still the big winner. More than half of most companies’ budgets are now spent on things like search advertising (Google and beyond), paid social media, and digital video. If it’s interactive, measurable, and online, marketers are spending on it. Even video ads are getting smarter, letting people buy directly from the clip—click, buy, done!

The shift toward performance marketing means brands want to see ROI fast. That’s why channels with clear attribution—where you can track exactly which ad led to which sale—are getting the lion’s share of budgets.

So, What’s Getting Cut?

Old-school TV, print ads, and cold emails that aren’t part of something fun or interactive? Budgets for those are slowly shrinking, except for the cases where it’s paired up with digital in some clever way. If it’s hard to measure or doesn’t connect well with customers, companies are giving it a pass.

Why the shift? It’s not that traditional media is dead—it’s that businesses need accountability. Every dollar needs to prove its worth, and channels without clear metrics are increasingly tough to justify to stakeholders.

What’s New or Trending?

• Trying new things is in. Many businesses are now saving part of their budget—15 to 20 percent!—just to test out new channels or tech. Think shoppable videos, fresh social platforms, or the latest AI-powered ad tools.
• Speaking of AI, tools that help personalize ads, automate campaigns, or crunch huge piles of marketing data are getting lots of love. The goal? To show the right message to the right person at the perfect time, automatically. Predictive analytics are helping marketers anticipate customer needs before they even know what they want.
• Data is gold. Expect more surveys, online quizzes, loyalty programs, and feedback forms to pop up as brands look to collect their own data (instead of relying on cookies, which are going extinct). It helps companies know what’s working—and what isn’t—faster than ever. This “zero-party data” strategy—where customers willingly share preferences—is becoming essential for personalization.
• Creator and influencer partnerships are maturing beyond one-off posts. Brands are building long-term relationships with micro and nano-influencers whose audiences trust them deeply. Authenticity beats reach when it comes to conversion.
• Community-building platforms like Discord, private social groups, and branded communities are getting budget allocations. Companies realize that owning the relationship—not renting it from social platforms—creates lasting value.

The Privacy-First Reality

With stricter data regulations and the death of third-party cookies, marketers are rethinking their entire approach. First-party data strategies, contextual advertising (targeting based on content rather than personal data), and privacy-compliant tracking are no longer optional—they’re the foundation of sustainable marketing.

Tried-and-True Tactics Remain

Some things never go out of style:

• Keeping up your online reputation—monitoring reviews, fixing what’s broken, and listening to real feedback.
• Creating content that actually helps customers, not just sells to them. Educational content, how-to guides, and problem-solving resources build trust that pays dividends.
• Showing up where your audience hangs out, mixing digital with in-person or local events whenever you can.
• Email marketing (the right way) continues to deliver impressive ROI. Segmented, personalized email campaigns still outperform many newer channels—they’re just getting smarter with automation and behavioral triggers.

A lot of these strategies were already winning back in our 2022 Marketing Trend blog post, and they’re getting even more important as digital gets crowded.

Budget Allocation Advice by Business Size

Small businesses (under $100K marketing budget): Focus on organic social, SEO, email marketing, and one paid channel you can master. Don’t spread too thin.

Mid-size companies ($100K-$1M): Balance paid and organic strategies, invest in marketing automation, and dedicate budget to content creation and community building.

Enterprise ($1M+): Diversify across channels, invest heavily in martech stack integration, test emerging platforms aggressively, and consider brand-building campaigns alongside performance marketing.

What Success Looks Like in 2026

Smart marketers are moving beyond vanity metrics. Instead of obsessing over likes and impressions, they’re tracking:

• Customer lifetime value (CLV)
• Return on ad spend (ROAS) across channels
• Marketing-attributed revenue
• Customer acquisition cost (CAC) trends
• Brand sentiment and share of voice

By keeping things flexible and thinking digital-first—but not ignoring personalization and community—businesses can make the most out of their 2026 marketing spend, no matter their size or industry.