Top 5 Marketing & Digital Trends You Need to Know This Week (January 5, 2026)
We’re only a few days into 2026, and already the digital marketing landscape is evolving at breakneck speed. From TikTok-fueled brand strategies to the rise of AI-powered search visibility, staying current isn’t optional — it’s strategic survival.
Whether you're in brand strategy, performance marketing, or content creation, these trending topics give you the edge to show up smart in meetings, pivot campaigns with purpose, and lead innovation within your space.
What You'll Learn from This Week’s Trends:
How Unilever is reinventing legacy brand marketing via TikTok
What “Generative Engine Optimization” (GEO) means for your SEO roadmap
Why video commerce and retail media networks are exploding
Which social strategies will define 2026 (hint: virtual influencers + UGC)
How AI tools and social search are reshaping creative workflows
Let’s dig in!
Unilever’s TikTok‑Driven “Social Listening” Strategy Shift
📄 Source: Unilever shifts ad strategy to TikTok & creator engagement (The Guardian)
Summary: Unilever is reallocating a significant portion of its advertising budget toward social platforms — especially TikTok — driven by real‑time social listening insights. Rather than traditional broadcast ads, the company is collaborating with creators to embed Vaseline into relevant cultural moments sparked by user‑generated trends.
Key Takeaways:
Social listening as strategy — brands can leverage community trends for product relevance.
Creator economy growth — spending on creator‑led content is rising faster than broader media.
Integration over interruption — audience engagement beats one‑way messaging.
Search Engines Become AI + Conversational Engines — New Visibility Rules
📄 Source: January 2026 Marketing Trends: AI Visibility & GEO Insights (Seafoam Media)
Summary: January marks a shift: brands must now optimize for AI visibility — how they appear in chatbot and generative search outputs — alongside traditional SEO. “Generative Engine Optimization” (GEO) is emerging as a new discipline focused on getting cited in AI responses.
Key Takeaways:
AI visibility is a KPI — citations in chat responses influence discovery.
First‑party data is core — privacy‑centric data strategies now drive retention and ROI.
Structured data matters more — brands that standardize content for AI parsing gain early advantage.
Digital Marketing Trend Report: Video‑Commerce & Privacy‑First Progress
📄 Source: Top Digital Marketing Trends Shaping 2026 (Search Engine Journal)
Summary: A major trend overview for 2026 highlights Video‑Commerce’s explosive growth — where short and interactive video becomes transactional — and the Privacy‑First Data Revolution, with brands building future‑proof strategies around consent and first‑party information.
Key Takeaways:
Video moves from engagement to commerce.
Privacy regulations are accelerating first‑party data value.
Retail media networks aren’t niche anymore — brands of all sizes can leverage RMNs.
Six Predictions Shaping Social Media Strategy in 2026
📄 Source: Forbes: Top Social Media Strategy Predictions for 2026 (Forbes)
Summary: Early‑January predictions emphasize the blending of short‑form video, user‑generated content (UGC), and emerging trends like virtual influencers and hybrid content formats reshaping how brands connect socially.
Key Takeaways:
Virtual influencers continue rising.
Short‑form + UGC grows audience trust.
Convergence of entertainment and social engagement.
Social Media Trends: Search, Commerce, and AI Co‑Pilots
📄 Source: 10 Social Media Trends to Watch in 2026 (torro.io)
Summary: This trend roundup identifies key shifts for social media brands — from social search becoming a discovery channel to social commerce normalizing and AI tools integrated into creative workflows — with an emphasis on deeper engagement beyond traditional posting.
Key Takeaways:
Social search is rapidly rivaling Google behavior.
Shoppable content and commerce features are mainstream.
Private communities and messaging will power real engagement.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What’s the difference between SEO and GEO?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is focused on how your content appears or is cited in AI chatbot results and summaries — a different goal than simply ranking high on SERPs.
How can smaller brands compete in the video commerce space?
Leverage short-form UGC or influencer collaborations that directly link to product pages. Low production value can still drive high conversion if the story and hook are right.
Are virtual influencers worth investing in now?
If you're targeting Gen Z or experimenting in entertainment-adjacent categories, they’re absolutely worth piloting — particularly as CGI tools become cheaper and more credible.
How can brands build for AI visibility?
Structure your content semantically, cite reputable sources, and use schema markup. Focus on creating content that “answers” rather than “sells.”
What are the biggest risks if I ignore these trends?
Decreased discoverability, slower content velocity, and losing ground to competitors who are more agile with formats, platforms, and tools.
B2The7 Final
Success in 2026 requires not just being where your audience is, but where they’re going next. The trends above aren’t just hot topics — they’re strategic signals. Aligning your content, tech stack, and creative mindset to these shifts now will put you ahead of the next wave.
👉 Ready to ride the trend curve, not chase it? Let’s turn these insights into execution.
📩 Get Weekly Trend Alerts in Your Inbox
Want these insights delivered straight to your inbox every week?
Sign up here to subscribe to the Trend Brief
Stay ahead of what’s moving in marketing, social, and tech.
