So Big Ben has chimed twelve, the twelve days of Christmas are over and we now have twelve months of 2026 ahead. But what will those twelve months look like for you?
Whether you work in digital marketing for a major corporate, a small business, or a digital marketing agency, there are some common factors that could help to make your efforts more successful in 2026.
In this article we take a quick look at some of these factors. We promise to keep it short and sweet. And, in the spirit of New Year festivities, we’ll use the title of that traditional song Auld Lang Syne to help us remember them.
Analytics before action
Before you do anything, know why you’re doing it. And when you’ve done it, be honest about how well or otherwise it went. Take time for a deep dive into your analytics to fully understand campaign performance and use historical data to inform future activities. The bottom line is that data-driven marketing will enable you to make better decisions and achieve more successful outcomes.
Understand your priorities
Obvious but essential. Unless everyone in your business fully understands the priorities and key performance indicators you are trying to achieve, and puts 100% effort into that, you will not be as successful as you would want to be. Also understand what sets your business apart from your competitors and what differentials to focus on in 2026 so that customers choose you instead of them.
Learn continually
Learning is a journey towards a destination that you will never reach. Even if you think you or your business is brilliant at something, you can always do better : there is always more to learn. Make sure you model and develop a learning culture in your business or team that makes continual learning an expectation rather than an optional extra. Find out more about some of the skills needed for digital marketing in our article Digital Marketing – Are You a Good Fit?
Delegate the small stuff
It’s so easy to waste time sweating the small stuff. And sometimes that’s because it feels easier and safer to spend time doing what you know rather than moving onto the more difficult and challenging aspects of the job. But all that has to change if you want to improve in 2026. Either delegate the small stuff to other team members, or automate it if that works. Free up your time for more strategic and entrepreneurial work instead.
Listen more carefully
In any situation, listen more than you talk. Whether it’s with clients, employees, training or networking events, or competitors, take it all in. Listen. Then consider whether you need to take action or implement changes based on what has been said. It’s easy to pretend to listen when you are actually just planning what to say next, or when to inform the other party of a decision you’ve already made. But taking time to listen could improve satisfaction and achieve better results.
AI is here to help
AI can be seen as a threat, and can also be overused. But incorporating AI into your marketing strategy can help in a number of ways. From helping to automate processes, enhance personalisation, draft content, boost customer support channels with chatbots, analyse data and fine tune SEO and ad placement, there are many possible options. Read more about how AI can help in our article Five Ways to Use AI in your Digital Marketing Strategy.
Newness is worth exploring
It can be very easy to get stuck in a rut with where and how your team does things. But why not branch out in 2026 and determine to explore new channels and strategies? Some of the strategies we have explored in recent articles include paper marketing, video SEO and the use of influencers. Another option you may want to consider is moving from being a generalist to specialising in a particular niche, be it AI marketing, content strategy or social media marketing. But whatever you choose to do, try adding something new to your marketing repertoire in 2026.
Get to know your clients
The more you know your current clients and target audience of future clients, the more successful you will be. To appeal to new clients, personalisation is increasingly important. Segment them by demographics and behaviour, and use personalised communication and product recommendations to draw them in. And once you have a client, never forget how valuable they are. Keep client relationships strong, and maintain clear and regular lines of communication at all times.
SEO
SEO is still very important in the world of marketing, even though its emphasis has changed over recent years. The emphasis is now more on helpful and quality content, rather than specific keywords. Content should be both human-friendly and search engine-friendly. So effective SEO is a key factor in marketing success in 2026. Check out our recent articles on SEO trends and AI is changing Google Search for more food for thought on SEO.
Year-round
It goes without saying that consistency in your marketing messaging and brand identity is essential. This must be on a year-round basis. It applies both to regular marketing efforts such as content marketing, social media, emails, paper marketing and more seasonal efforts such as holidays, celebrations etc. Ensure you have a strategic marketing plan for the year which ticks all the boxes and is also sufficiently flexible to adapt to any unforeseen changing events or circumstances throughout the year.
Nail your content
Content will always be king, but the emphasis continues to change. Google algorithms increasingly demand high quality and helpful content that conveys authority and trust. Whether that’s long form content such as articles and blogs, social media content, interactive content such as quizzes and polls, or User Generated Content, it all has to be top notch. You can read more tips in our recent articles on Social Media Marketing and User Generated Content. The key thing is to ensure that content attracts your target audience so that the right type of content gets in front of the right people at the right time.
Employees matter
The final thing to remember for marketing success in 2026 is that your greatest asset is your employees. Whether you run your own small business or digital marketing agency, manage a small marketing team or a huge department, they are the key to success. It’s your job to take on the right people then keep them happy, motivated and empowered in order to achieve the best results for everyone. If you do just one of these twelve steps during 2026, make it this one and you won’t go far wrong.
Happy New Year from all of us at Xcite Digital! We hope it is everything that you want for you and your business.
And do visit us again soon as we explore some of the above tips in more detail, and navigate through 2026 together.