I Read 79 2026 Digital Trend Reports So You Don’t Have To.
I analyzed 79 reports on 2026 digital media and influencer marketing to uncover the "trending trends" shaping digital strategy.
Hey!
Greetings from Barcelona, Spain, where I am on plenty of calls with our partner agencies and clients who are actively planning their 2026 creator strategy. Let me know if you want to chat.
As promised, I read a wide range of year end digital trend pieces and consolidated them into a single list of lists. Unsurprisingly, there are quite a few overlaps from last year, but AI and authenticity are the two themes everyone is talking about.
Thanks for reading and enjoy.
Ryan
PS: If you were off work on 2 January and missed December’s The Month in Digital, here it is again.
Update: Watch The Ryans talk about these trends:
The Trending Trends in Digital & Influencer Marketing
Over the past month, I’ve read every social media, influencer, and digital marketing trends report I could find. My goal was to consolidate insights from practitioners, journalists, and academics to identify the key trends shaping digital media and influencer marketing in 2026.
I’ve organized my findings into two clear lists: Overall Digital Trends and Influencer Marketing Trends. Below, you’ll find the top takeaways distilled from the digital world’s leading voices.
Overall Digital Trends
Community/Niche Networks + Short Video
Tied at 17 mentions each are Community/Niche Networks and Short Video.
Community: These smaller networks, defined by niche interests such as topics, fandoms, or identity, include newsletters, message boards, group chats, and boutique social platforms. Many see the value of engagement within these tighter, more passionate “micro-communities” as more important to nurture than chasing virality. Lighting “digital campfires” for your most fervent followers can drive conversions, whether you are looking for votes or selling sneakers.
Short Video: Short video is the “front page of the internet.” The general consensus among experts is that “every piece of content should be video.” Whether you’re on LinkedIn selling B2B SaaS or on Instagram selling hamburgers, video is where the action is.
AI as Copilot
Receiving 15 mentions is the idea that AI is now every marketer’s “copilot.” No longer just a tool, but a “teammate.” “AI is baked into every part of content workflows,” and we are moving “from efficiency to effectiveness.”
AI Creative is Default + More Human Content + GEO/AISEO
Receiving 14 mentions each are AI Creative Is Default, More Human Content, and GEO/AISEO.
AI Creative Is Default: Many experts believe Gen AI content will become the “default” across social media. Some see this as negative, “AI Slop,” while others view it more positively as “Generative Media.” Either way, it is hard to ignore the flood of AI content heading our way in 2026.
More Human Content: In direct opposition to the flood of AI Slop is a growing desire for more “human-led” content. Expect to see more creators and brands “showing their work,” inviting audiences backstage to highlight “human creativity” and “imperfections,” since only humans can create content with “soul.”
GEO/AISEO: 2025 has shown us that chatbots have created an entirely new way for brands and organizations to get discovered. This represents a “rewiring of the customer journey” and a “transformation of consumer behavior.” Goodbye SEO. Hello GEO.
Influencer Marketing
Coming in at 13 mentions is influencer marketing, a strategy experts call the new “trust layer” and the “backbone of the marketing mix.” We’ll get into specific predictions around creator marketing later in the newsletter.
Social Commerce + Social SEO - 12 mentions
Coming in at 12 mentions each are both social: Social Commerce and Social SEO.
Social Commerce: TikTok Shop has arrived, and livestreaming and shoppable video are here to stay. Expect more platforms to make it even easier for users to shop as they scroll.
Social SEO: With all that social shopping, it is only natural that users are turning to social search to discover new ideas and products. If you’re not making videos on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, you’re missing an audience that is actively searching for you. (And don’t forget Pinterest!)
Omnichannel
With the splintering of social media and the rise of niche networks and group chats, brands have to be where their audiences are. That is “multiplatform,” with 10 mentions. Being “omnichannel” does not mean every brand needs to be on every channel, but every brand does need to be on the channels their target audiences are using.
Influencer Marketing Trends
Microinfluencers
Way out ahead in the pack of influencer specific predictions, with 18 mentions, is the continued dominance of microinfluencers. Users crave “authenticity,” creators who care deeply about their “niches,” and relationships that feel “parasocial.” Relatability now rules over perfection. Also receiving many mentions in this category are UGC and nanoinfluencers, creators with fewer than 2k followers. Caring about follower count is over.
AI Drives Operations, Not Creative + Longer Term Partnerships + AI Slop Creators
Tied at 7 mentions each are AI Drives Operations, Not Creative, Longer Term Partnerships, and AI Slop Creators.
AI Drives Operations, Not Creative: Just as experts see AI becoming a copilot for marketers, they see it taking a similar role in influencer marketing. Rather than using AI to generate creative, creators will use it to power scheduling, collaborations, communications, and more. On the marketing side, this includes agentic approaches to creator marketing, like our own Val AI.
Longer Term Partnerships: There is real value in partnering with creators over the long term. They become experts in your messaging, respond to comments more effectively, and ultimately act as a genuine extension of your brand. While one off collaborations still deliver strong conversion value, especially when content is scaled with paid campaigns or repurposed across other channels, longer term partnerships create greater ease and allow you to build deeper trust with creators. That trust empowers them to authentically communicate your message to their audiences.
AI Slop Creators: Just as many experts who believe AI will power operations, not creative, also believe AI Slop Influencers (“virtual influencers”) will be major players in 2026. It’s hard to argue they’re wrong, as 2025 saw billboard AI generated hit songs and AI creators leading streaming video charts. More to come in 2026.
Performance-Based Pricing
6 experts see performance-based pricing as the future of influencer marketing. Instead of paying creators per video or through a content retainer, brands pay directly for outcomes, such as conversions (sales or donations) or engagements. Depending on the creator, this can be either a great deal or a bad one. It’ll be interesting to see how much the creator pool shrinks when brands offer only affiliate-style compensation.
Scale/Complexity + Social Commerce
Coming in with five mentions each are Scale/Complexity and Social Commerce.
Scale/Complexity: Creator campaigns are becoming more complex. They can span multiple channels, content formats, paid media, real life events, and direct calls to action. Expect to see more creative and complex campaigns using more creators than ever in 2026.
Social Commerce: As campaigns grow more complex, they are also becoming more conversion-centered, with creators actively selling products through in-comment DM tools like ManyChat and native social storefronts like TikTok Shop. Creators are no longer just telling audiences about a product, they’re directly driving sales.
Informative and easy to digest—well done!