What does the future hold for PR and marketing? It’s easy enough to look far ahead and make up high-concept sci-fi predictions, but the here and now is changing rapidly already.
So, instead of guessing what marketing might look like in ten years, let’s focus on the next 12 months and how it might shape what we do and how we do it.
We asked Carrington’s Head of PR, David and PPC Specialist, Debbie, for their thoughts on what 2026 might bring, drawing on what they’re seeing now across earned, paid and shared media
How will PPC change in 2026?
Debbie Woodliffe – PPC Specialist
AI is now embedded across almost every paid media platform: Google’s AI Max trials are in full force, and social platforms continue to roll out new AI-led “enhancements” at pace.
That trajectory isn’t slowing down in 2026, but more automation doesn’t mean less human input. In fact, the opposite is true.
Fully automated campaigns rarely deliver the best outcomes on their own. Left unchecked, AI-led systems tend to prioritise scale and reach, pushing spend towards broad, top-of-funnel activity which doesn’t always deliver meaningful results for clients.
This means PPC specialists will need to exercise greater judgement, so that the AI tools can be put to their most effective use.
Keyword strategy is a good example. Broad match still has a place, but it can quickly become a “spray and pray” approach if it’s allowed to run without close scrutiny. In 2026, the focus will increasingly be on high-intent phrase match keywords, which is about capturing users who are actively considering or ready to act, not just those vaguely interested in a topic.
“AI is changing paid media, but it isn’t replacing expertise”
At the same time, marketers will need to be more vigilant than ever about platform changes. Social channels in particular are introducing AI-driven optimisations at speed. Knowing what’s been switched on, what it’s doing, and whether it’s actually helping is now a core part of the job.
Creative testing remains just as important – if not more so. AI may optimise delivery, but it still needs quality inputs. That means strong headlines, clear calls to action and varied creative formats that give platforms something meaningful to work with. The old “set and forget” approach has well and truly gone: Now, test, assess, optimise should be the backbone of effective paid media.
Finally, first-party data is becoming increasingly central. As platforms rely more heavily on automation, feeding them the right signals matters. Website retargeting, abandoned cart audiences and social engagers all help guide automated bidding and targeting in a way that aligns with real business outcomes, rather than platform-defined success.
In short, AI is changing paid media, but it isn’t replacing expertise. The marketers who perform best in 2026 will be those who understand when to let automation run and when to step in and steer it.
How will PR change in 2026?
David Sykes – Head of PR
Over many years, we’ve seen the slow decline of mainstream media. That’s not to say that traditional media is “dying”, but much more of modern culture now lives on social platforms, and this is where many people now encounter news, opinion and recommendations for the first time.
Indeed, large sections of the public routinely bypass TV, print, radio and online news altogether, with news avoidance being a regular habit for today’s consumers, and this isn’t a phase that will reverse any time soon. After all, the news is often depressing, rage-baiting or highly partisan and consuming news isn’t a nice way for people to spend their time. This is particularly the case for young people who have never got into the habit of consuming traditional media in the first place, especially if that news hasn’t been tailored to their interests through amalgamators.
“It’s no use planning activity around vanity metrics”
What are are seeing, though, is a rise in video journalism, which is more in line with the short-form content people enjoy on social media. In the last five years, the proportion of people consuming news through video has risen from 52% to 65%, with personality-led journalism leading the way.
This all means PR has to be more precise about who it is trying to reach, where they are and what success really looks like. It’s no use planning activity around vanity metrics or legacy assumptions that simply don’t work any more.
At the same time, it would be a mistake to write off established media. BBC News still reaches around 35 million UK adults each week across TV, radio and online, and local and regional news is consumed weekly by nearly 48 million adults. It’s also still the case that proper journalism is far more trusted than anything on social media, although trust is unevenly distributed and it’s on the decline.
“People will be increasingly be more sceptical of all content“
Trust is going to be shaken in even more ways in 2026 because generative AI tools are now used everywhere. While there are far too many people who happily believe anything they see (no, a tiger didn’t jump into someone’s garden and get scared away by their dog, but plenty of people believe it), people will increasingly be more sceptical of all content as the line between real and fake becomes indistinguishable. That makes it much harder to earn trust at every level.
This matters because trust is already on shaky ground, with research consistently showing that recommendations from friends, family and peers are far more trusted than adverts and influencer endorsements. This is a problem that lends itself to a PR solution because one of our primary goals has always been to get trusted third parties to extol the virtues of our clients.
For brands, that means it’s essential that authenticity is at the centre of every strategy. This could mean promotional content is deliberately less polished, sharing more behind-the-scenes content, more real people and real stories. It also means seeking out more online reviews, personal recommendations and demonstrating quality and expertise to reassure audiences.
I hope that mainstream media will benefit from increased scepticism too, with audiences seeking out more reliable information, but they have their own work to do to restore trust.
More tools, fewer shortcuts
If there’s a single thread running through both PPC and PR as we head into 2026, it’s that more technology doesn’t mean less thinking – it means more critical thinking for businesses and consumers alike.
AI will continue to make marketing faster, cheaper and more scalable. But scale isn’t the same as effectiveness, and automation isn’t the same as influence. Whether it’s paid media optimisation or earning attention through PR, the work that really matters still depends on judgement, scrutiny and an understanding of human behaviour.
The marketers who succeed in 2026 will know when to trust the tools and when not to, and they’ll understand that trust, relevance and credibility still have to be earned.
If you’d like our help with marketing in 2026, get in touch!
