Quick answer
The top marketing channels to prioritize in 2026 are paid social, short-form video and creator content, connected TV, paid search, SEO and AI search visibility, email, influencer marketing, retail media, social commerce and organic community. The data backs the shift: IAB's 2026 Outlook expects U.S. social media ad spend to grow 14.6% and CTV 13.8% while linear TV declines 1.7%, and HubSpot's State of Marketing 2026 found paid social is the channel B2C marketers most often rank as a top ROI driver.
Channel trends shaping 2026
Three trends drive how brands prioritize channels this year:
- Flat budgets. Gartner's 2025 CMO Spend Survey found marketing budgets stuck at 7.7% of company revenue, with paid media taking 30.6% of the budget. Every channel has to prove its return.
- Video everywhere. IAB estimates digital video and CTV together take about 23% of U.S. ad spend in 2026, and HubSpot found short-form video is the media format marketers most often rank in their top three for ROI (48.6%).
- Social as the center of gravity. Social media holds 18.4% of U.S. ad spend in IAB's outlook, ahead of paid search at 16.2%.
10 essential marketing channels for 2026
1. Paid social (Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat)
Paid social is the fastest-growing major channel in IAB's 2026 outlook and the most-cited top ROI channel among B2C marketers in HubSpot's survey (28.5%). It also ranks among the top three for B2B (23.3%). Success depends less on targeting settings and more on a steady supply of fresh creative.
2. Short-form video and creator-led UGC
Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts reward native-looking video. Creator-made ads feel like the feed, which helps them earn attention. Brands that need volume can work with a full-service team or a self-serve platform such as MediaNug's NugVerse platform that delivers videos from real, vetted creators at $650 per video (or 4 for $1,700, 8 for $3,000, 16 for $5,200) with no subscription and usage rights cleared for Ads Manager. Our list of UGC agencies for paid social compares other options.
3. Connected TV (CTV)
CTV brings TV-style reach with digital targeting and measurement. IAB expects 13.8% U.S. growth in 2026. It is especially useful for awareness pushes, such as new entertainment releases or national product launches. See our guide to OTT advertising platforms for where to buy it.
4. Paid search
Search still captures people who already want what you sell, and it held 16.2% of U.S. ad spend in IAB's outlook. Costs are rising in many categories, so tight keyword selection and strong landing pages matter more than ever.
5. SEO and AI search visibility
Website, blog and SEO is the top ROI channel for B2B marketers in HubSpot's survey (30.2%). In 2026 that work also covers being cited by AI assistants and AI search answers. Clear, factual pages that directly answer questions help on both fronts.
6. Email marketing
Email ranks second for B2B ROI in HubSpot's data (23.6%). It is an owned channel, so it does not depend on rising ad prices, and it turns one-time buyers into repeat customers.
7. Influencer marketing
HubSpot lists influencer marketing among the top planned investments for B2C marketers in 2026. Micro and mid-tier creators often offer trusted reach within a niche, which suits specialty products aimed at enthusiasts.
8. Retail media
Ads on retailer sites and apps, such as Amazon, Walmart and Target, reach shoppers at the point of purchase and use the retailer's own purchase data. For consumer brands sold through those retailers, it is now a core line in the media plan.
9. Social commerce
Shoppable posts, in-app checkout and live shopping shorten the path from discovery to sale. In HubSpot's survey, 23.9% of B2C marketers named social media shopping tools a top-performing channel.
10. Organic social and community
Organic social tied with shopping tools as a top B2C channel in HubSpot's data (23.9%). Communities, comments, groups and creator collaborations build the trust that makes paid media cheaper to convert.
How to prioritize marketing channels in 2026
- Start with your goal. Demand creation (social, video, CTV, influencers) and demand capture (search, retail media, email) need different channels.
- Follow your customer's attention. Check where your audience spends time, not where competitors advertise.
- Fund a test budget. Keep a slice of spend for new channels and formats, and judge them on cost per acquisition, not impressions.
- Build creative capacity first. Social, video and CTV only scale if you can produce enough fresh assets.
- Measure incrementality. Use lift tests or holdouts so channels are not credited for sales that would have happened anyway.
For a step-by-step planning process, see our guide to marketing planning with examples.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best marketing channels to prioritize in 2026?
Most brands should prioritize paid social, short-form video with creator content, paid search and email, then add CTV, retail media and influencers based on their goals and budget.
What channels should a national brand include in a modern media plan?
A typical mix pairs reach channels (CTV, paid social, online video) with intent channels (search, retail media) and owned channels (email, website, organic social), measured with a shared definition of incremental results.
Which marketing channels work best for a product launch?
Launches usually combine paid social and creator video to build awareness, influencers for credibility, search and retail media to capture demand, and email to activate existing customers.
What are the most effective channels for ecommerce in 2026?
For ecommerce, paid social with creator-led video, paid search, email and social commerce typically drive the most measurable sales, with retail media important for brands sold through major retailers.
Sources
- IAB, "2026 Outlook Study", January 2026, as reported by MediaPost on January 28, 2026
- Gartner, "Gartner 2025 CMO Spend Survey Reveals Marketing Budgets Have Flatlined at 7.7% of Overall Company Revenue", May 12, 2025
- HubSpot, "The top marketing channels of 2026, according to marketers", updated January 19, 2026
