How Marketers Plan to Use AI, Influencers, and More in 2026

Discover how marketers plan to use AI, influencers, and more in 2026 to boost engagement, streamline content creation, and drive smarter campaign strategies.

The latest Emplifi “State of Social Media Marketing 2026” report, based on insights from over 560 marketers, uncovers key trends shaping social media marketing strategies for the upcoming year.

AI Adoption and Productivity Gains

A striking 82% of marketers are already integrating AI tools into their daily workflow, focusing mainly on analytics and content creation, with ad targeting also a significant use case.

Despite widespread adoption, only about 35% of marketers report significant productivity improvements from AI tools. Most see moderate benefits, reflecting challenges like knowledge gaps and ingrained work habits that slow transformative change.

Importantly, AI tools are not magic wands replacing human labor but function best as complementary resources enhancing existing processes.

The hype around AI may oversell its immediate impact, as these tools excel at pattern recognition and responding to queries rather than independent intelligence.

The Rise of Influencer Marketing

The report also examines the growing impact of influencer marketing and how brands plan to incorporate influencer-driven campaigns into their overall promotional strategies.

Influencer marketing continues to grow, with 67% of marketers planning to increase influencer budgets in 2026. Brand awareness is the primary goal, further amplified by the surge of short-form video content.

Influencers’ intimate understanding of this medium makes them invaluable partners, whose endorsements now rival traditional celebrity influence.

User Generated Content

The report also explores new strategies around user-generated content and how marketers are increasingly integrating UGC into their brand and engagement efforts.

Respondents also highlighted the key platforms they plan to prioritize in the year ahead:

Platform Priorities and Diversification

As you can see that Instagram remains the dominant platform for marketing efforts, followed by LinkedIn, reflecting LinkedIn’s growing importance as a conversational and connective channel.

Marketers are also turning attention to Reddit, likely due to its frequent citation by AI chatbots, signaling its rising relevance.

The report highlights a trend toward diversification across platforms rather than heavy concentration on a select few.

“The real story is diversification. As budgets and teams stretch across multiple platforms, technology becomes essential to maintain efficiency. Automation, AI scheduling, and cross-channel analytics help brands grow their organic reach and community presence without burnout.”

Content Goals and Types

Exercising some caution with excessive cross-posting is better, as each platform has its own audience behavior and content dynamics.

Sharing identical updates across multiple channels can also lead to audience fatigue among followers who see the same posts repeatedly.

Still, marketers are expanding their presence across more platforms to capture broader reach and maximize referral traffic in a shifting digital environment.

The report further explores content goals and formats, highlighting how marketing teams are adapting their strategies to align with changing trends and audience expectations.

Focus on Engagement and Short-Form Video

Short-form video dominates content strategies in 2026. Increasing engagement remains the top metric priority.

This is followed by lead generation, which interestingly ranks third indicating marketers are increasingly viewing engagement as the critical driver of business outcomes through social channels.

Key Takeaway

As marketing landscapes become more multifaceted, smarter workflows and agile processes, not just additional tools, are essential for meaningful growth.

Marketers embracing AI as a complementary asset, investing in influencer partnerships, and spreading efforts thoughtfully across platforms are best positioned to thrive in 2026.

Final Thought

This insight provides a clear roadmap for social media strategies that balance innovation with realistic expectations valuable context for any marketer preparing for the year ahead.

You can download Emplifi’s full “State of Social Media Marketing 2026” report here.