2026 Digital marketing trends and predictions

Marketing in 2026 will be defined by connection: between activation and measurement, data and AI, platforms and outcomes. These connections are what turn innovation into impact, and they’re where Experian helps marketers lead with confidence.

Our 2026 digital marketing trends and predictions report explores how marketers, platforms, and agencies are adapting as AI moves from experimentation to everyday execution and commerce media expands beyond retail. 

1. AI is only as good as its data   
Find out why the marketers who shape how AI works, with high-integrity, human-centered data, will be the ones who lead.  

2. Activation and measurement are coming together
Explore how marketers are shifting from reporting after the fact to guiding performance in the moment.

3. First-party data activation  is becoming a foundational capability
See how it's now possible to onboard and activate privacy-compliant audiences across channels, all from a single system.

4. Commerce media is no longer just a retail play
Understand why auto, CPG, financial services, and travel brands are now adopting retail-style models to connect data, media, and sales outcomes.   

5. Curation is the new programmatic standard
Learn how curation brings identity, quality, and control together, allowing marketers to target confidently across connected TV (CTV), audio, and the open web.

^{* Canva’s 2025 State of Marketing & AI Report. March 2025.
** eMarketer. B2B Marketers Plan to Invest Most Heavily in First-Party Data. February 2025.
*** eMarketer. Why commerce media networks have grown so quickly. July 2025.}