The playbook that worked for you and your organization in 2025 likely won’t produce the same results in 2026. New trends and shifts in marketing and communications, many fueled by the rapid growth of AI, will become structural changes. The question isn’t whether to adapt, but how and when.  

GFM team members with expertise across marketing and communications came together to share some of the biggest trends we see surfacing in 2026 and, more importantly, what you should do about them. 

Search Has Fundamentally Changed 

Traditional search is declining fast. Gartner predicts Google search volume will drop by 25% in 2026 and 50% by 2028. Why? Because people are finding real answers everywhere else: 

• ChatGPT has over 400 million weekly users 
• 74% of Gen Z use TikTok for search, and 51% prefer it over Google 
• Google AI Overviews now appear for 30% of desktop keywords and nearly 60% of searches end without a click 
• Reddit became the third most visible website after Google’s latest algorithm update 

For health care marketers, this is critical: 28% of Gen Z and 25% of millennials begin medical research on social media before consulting search engines or health care providers. 

How to Prepare: 

Implement “Answer Engine Optimization” 
Before diving in to begin improving your visibility within the answer engine ecosystem, we recommend first executing an assessment to understand where your brand is and isn’t visible.  

• For Search Engines: Continue traditional SEO, but add analysis of AI overviews and whether you appear. The overview strategies will mirror Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) work and serve as a bridge between traditional and AI search. If you serve local customers (health care, government, food service), optimize your Google Business profile. About 76% of “near me” mobile searches lead to a store visit within 24 hours. 

• For Generative Search (AI Tools): Add GEO to your search plan. Structure content so AI systems can cite you by including statistics, clear Q&A formatting and scannable 40- to 100-word answers. AI models typically cite only two to seven domains per response, so authority matters more than ever. 

• For Social Search: Develop a social search plan distinct from your current organic social media plan and calendar. Identify the searches you want to rank for and develop a targeted content strategy to meet those needs effectively by producing high-quality, search-optimized content tailored to your audience’s queries. Place keywords in captions, on-screen text and hashtags. Create educational content that answers common questions in your industry. 

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Organic Social Rewards Depth Over Volume 

Social media algorithms have again changed what they prioritize when serving content to users. Platforms are penalizing volume and rewarding genuine engagement: 

• LinkedIn organic views dropped 50% and engagement fell 25%, but posts with 12 substantive comments have 3.2 times the reach of posts with 50 generic reactions 
• Instagram now prioritizes saves and shares over likes, with original content rewarded and reposted content facing 80%+ reach reduction 
• 51% of global users plan to spend more time on community-based platforms like Reddit in the next 6 months 

Platforms are pushing users toward smaller, more engaged communities. Threads hit 320 million monthly active users and will likely overtake X. Discord has 200 million monthly users in small, tight-knit servers. 

How to Prepare: 

Prioritize Community Over Reach 

• Focus on Shareability: DMs are the new metric to optimize for. Create content that is entertaining and interesting enough that people want to share privately, not just like publicly. Try tracking saves and shares alongside likes and comments. Which content drives private sharing? 
• Respond to Everything: Three-quarters of social users expect brand replies within 24 hours. Community management isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a retention strategy. 
• Go Deeper on Fewer Platforms: You don’t need to be everywhere. Pick two or three platforms where your audience engages and build real presence there. 
• Experiment on Threads: It’s reached 150 million active users and is on pace to surpass X. With lower stakes and higher organic reach, it’s also a place for experimentation. 
• Use Reddit Strategically: Use social listening to track what users are saying about you and your competitors before developing any strategy engage directly. 

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Every Brand Needs an Influencer Strategy 

Brands are now expected to spend more on influencer marketing than social/digital ads, with the global market hitting $32.55 billion last year. But the real story is the shift toward smaller creators: 

• Micro-influencers (10,000–100,000 followers) generate up to 60% more engagement than macro- or mega-influencers 
• Nano-influencers (1,000–10,000 followers) deliver the highest engagement rates of all 
• Influencer CPMs dropped more than 50% year-over-year 

Your employees can be influencers, too. Employee advocacy represents the most underutilized influence opportunity, as employee networks have 10 times more connections than company pages, and employee-shared content receives two times higher click-through rates. 

How to Prepare: 

Build Micro- and Nano-Influencer Relationships: 

• For B2B: Partner with LinkedIn thought leaders for long-term collaborations and content like webinars, whitepapers and podcasts. Among B2B buyers, 87% give more credence to content featuring trusted industry experts. 
• For Health Care: Lean into clinician-created content, like physicians explaining procedures, nurses sharing patient education, staff demonstrating facility capabilities, etc. It builds authentic trust that polished marketing can’t replicate. 
• For All Sectors: Activate your employees. Companies with socially engaged employees are 58% more likely to attract top talent and 20% more likely to retain them. 

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Creative Authenticity Matters More Than Ever 

Audiences can detect “AI slop” quickly, and they’re rewarding brands that lead with genuine expertise and creativity: 

• 31% of nonprofit donors say AI use would make them less likely to give 
• Consumers rank undisclosed AI-generated content as their number-one concern about brands on social media 

How to Prepare: 

Lead With Human Creativity, Support With AI Efficiency: 

• Reserve Human Talent for: Strategic direction, brand voice, expert commentary, anything requiring genuine experience or emotion 
• Use AI for: Research, first drafts, ideation, routine tasks that don’t require creative judgment 
• Invest in Short-Form Video: Vertical videos achieve higher completion rates than horizontal, and over 80% of viewers watch without sound, making captions essential. 

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PR Has Never Been More Crucial 

PR has become a vital cog in the search ecosystem, even as newsrooms continue to shrink.  

• Only 7% of journalists say the majority of pitches they receive are relevant 

How to Prepare: 

Don’t Demand Attention; Earn It: 

• Hyper-Personalized Pitches: Use AI for research, but make every pitch relevant to that specific journalist. Limit to under 200 words and follow up only once within three to five days. 
• Lead With Data: Original research and exclusive access cut through the noise. 
• Use Sponsored Content: Generative tools prefer third-party content, making sponsored content an increasingly important component of a well-rounded marketing campaign. 

In 2026, organizations with focused, clear marketing plans will be rewarded. Knowing what to do, what not to do and how AI amplifies — rather than replaces — human judgment will help your strategy stand out.  

The tools available to marketing teams have never been more powerful or more accessible to mid-market organizations. Success will come to organizations that combine technological capability with authentic human connection. 

Have questions about shaping your 2026 strategy? Connect with a GFM team member or contact us directly to start planning for success.