Digital Marketing 2026 statistics: overview of trends and performance

As digital practices undergo rapid transformation, understanding digital marketing statistics has become an essential lever for steering your strategy in 2026. This reference article brings together the most recent and impactful market figures, covering all key themes: advertising investments, SEO, social media, content marketing, automation, mobile, AI, and customer experience. Our objective: to provide decision-makers and marketing teams with a clear, up-to-date, and actionable vision to maximise their digital performance.

Key digital marketing figures 2025-2026

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ SEO remains the primary acquisition channel with 93% of web traffic.
• ✓ Video has become essential (91% adoption).
• ✓ Automation and AI are transforming marketing practices.
• ✓ Mobile dominates with 57% of online purchases.
• ✓ Micro-communities deliver 25% higher ROI.

Market and advertising investments

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ The digital advertising market continues strong growth (+13.9% annually).
• ✓ Retail media represents $150 billion in global investments.
• ✓ Mobile captures over half of advertising budgets (54%).
• ✓ Advertising costs are rising (+20%), making optimisation crucial.

SEO and organic search

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ SEO remains the number one acquisition channel with 93% of web traffic.
• ✓ Reaching the first page is essential: 90% of clicks are concentrated there.
• ✓ Local SEO is strategic: 46% of searches have local intent.
• ✓ Mobile dominates with 64% of overall searches and 88% of local searches.
• ✓ 70% of B2B marketers consider SEO more profitable than PPC in the long term.

Social media and influence

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ Social media reach 97% of consumers monthly.
• ✓ 67% of consumers discover brands through social media and AI.
• ✓ Social media ads deliver 2x higher ROI than traditional banners.
• ✓ 27% use ad blockers, reinforcing the importance of organic content.

Content and video marketing

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ Video has become an essential format (91% adoption).
• ✓ 81% of marketers confirm video's direct impact on sales.
• ✓ Content marketing generates leads for 52% of marketers.
• ✓ Employee advocacy doubles content click-through rates.

Email marketing and automation

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ Email remains a highly effective channel with 10.1% conversion.
• ✓ Segmentation (+14%) and personalisation (+17%) significantly boost results.
• ✓ Automation improves productivity by 32% and is adopted by 50% of businesses.
• ✓ 85% of marketing tasks can be automated through AI.

Mobile and e-commerce

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ Mobile dominates with 57% of online purchases and $400 billion in advertising spend.
• ✓ 88% of local searches are conducted on mobile.
• ✓ Mobile-friendly optimisation is crucial: 61% are more likely to contact a business with an optimised site.
• ✓ The mobile journey must be seamless to maximise conversions.

Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ AI is widely adopted: 75% of marketers use it daily.
• ✓ 76% use AI to create content with +32% productivity gain.
• ✓ 85% of marketing tasks can be automated through AI.
• ✓ Programmatic advertising (AI + automation) is growing 30% annually.

Customer experience and personalisation

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ Authenticity is crucial: 86% of consumers make it a purchasing criterion.
• ✓ Social proof (reviews, testimonials) is decisive for 90% of consumers.
• ✓ Personalisation improves conversions from 5% (landing pages) to 17% (emails).
• ✓ 97% check online presence before purchasing: your digital visibility is your shop window.

ROI and performance measurement

💡 What these figures reveal

• ✓ Micro-communities generate +25% ROI by fostering engagement and loyalty.
• ✓ Advertising retargeting boosts conversions by +70%.
• ✓ 70% of businesses see better results with a multi-channel strategy.
• ✓ SEO remains the number one channel for generating revenue in B2B according to 23% of marketers.

Summary and strategic recommendations

Analysis of these digital marketing statistics for 2025-2026 reveals a profound transformation driven by automation, personalisation, and artificial intelligence. SEO dominates with 93% of traffic, video has become essential with 91% adoption, and mobile captures 57% of online purchases. AI is revolutionising productivity (+32%) and 85% of marketing tasks are now automatable. Brands that successfully combine operational excellence (automation, data), authenticity (human content, reviews), and multi-channel strategy will stand out sustainably.

Priority actions for 2026

1. Invest heavily in SEO: 93% of traffic depends on it, with higher ROI than PPC in the long term.
2. Adopt AI and automation: 85% of tasks are automatable with +32% productivity gain.
3. Prioritise video and content: 91% of marketers use it, 81% see direct impact on sales.
4. Optimise mobile experience: 57% of purchases and 64% of searches are mobile.
5. Personalise at scale: +17% email conversion, +5% on landing pages.
6. Develop a multi-channel strategy: 70% of businesses see better results.
7. Cultivate authenticity: 86% of consumers make it a purchasing criterion.
8. Leverage micro-communities: +25% ROI through targeted engagement.

Digital marketing FAQ 2026: essential questions

This FAQ answers the most frequently asked questions about digital marketing trends, statistics, and best practices in 2026.

Overview and general trends

What is the projected global digital advertising spend in 2026?

The global digital advertising market is expected to reach $786.2 billion in 2026, with an annual growth rate of 13.9%. This growth is driven by mobile (54% of budgets), retail media ($150 billion), and widespread AI adoption.

What is the share of automation in marketing tasks in 2026?

85% of marketing tasks can be automated through AI in 2026. This covers content creation, data analysis, segmentation, lead scoring, and campaign personalisation. Automation delivers an average productivity gain of +32%.

How many marketing professionals are using AI in 2026?

75% of marketing professionals have adopted AI in their daily practices. 76% use it specifically for content creation, and 70% rely on AI-powered advanced analytics tools.

What are the most profitable marketing channels in 2026?

Organic SEO remains the most profitable channel long-term (93% of web traffic, 70% of B2B marketers consider it more effective than PPC). Micro-communities generate +25% ROI, PPC achieves 84% positive results, and advertising retargeting boosts conversions by +70%.

What's the difference between digital marketing and inbound marketing?

Digital marketing encompasses all online channels (SEO, paid advertising, email, social media). Inbound marketing is a specific digital marketing approach focused on natural attraction through quality content and SEO, rather than traditional advertising interruption.

Budgets and investments

What share of marketing budget should be allocated to digital in 2026?

44% of businesses are increasing their digital advertising budget in 2026. On average, B2B companies allocate 60-80% of their total marketing budget to digital, compared to 40-60% for B2C depending on sectors. Mobile alone captures 54% of digital advertising budgets.

How are digital advertising budgets distributed?

Main allocations are: mobile (54% of budgets), social media (with 4.9 billion global users), search marketing/PPC (84% of brands use it), retail media ($150 billion globally), and programmatic advertising (46% of total spend).

Why are advertising costs increasing?

Cost per click on Google Ads has increased by +20% due to heightened competition, market saturation in certain sectors, and rising ad quality. This inflation makes SEO optimisation and marketing automation even more essential to maintain acceptable ROI.

What is the global retail media market worth?

Retail media represents $150 billion in global investments in 2026. This channel enables brands to target consumers directly on e-commerce platforms (Amazon, Walmart, etc.) when purchase intent is at its peak.

SEO and organic search

What share of web traffic comes from search engines?

93% of web traffic comes from search engines, confirming that SEO remains the primary acquisition channel. 75% of users never go past the first page of results and 90% of clicks are concentrated on that first page, making positioning critical.

What is the success rate of SEO strategies in 2026?

89% of SEO strategies are deemed effective by marketers. Additionally, 70% of B2B marketers believe SEO generates more sales than PPC long-term, and 23% consider it the most effective channel for generating revenue.

How many local searches are conducted each month?

There are 97 billion monthly local searches worldwide. 46% of all Google searches have local intent, and 88% of these local searches are conducted on mobile, making mobile-first local optimisation absolutely crucial.

What is the conversion rate of local searches?

28% of local searches result in a purchase, making it a particularly powerful lever for physical shops and local services. Optimising your Google Business Profile and customer reviews is therefore strategic.

How important is SEO for B2B?

23% of B2B marketers consider organic search the most effective channel for generating revenue, and 70% believe SEO generates more sales than PPC. B2B SEO should focus on expert content, case studies, and long-tail targeting.

How does voice search influence SEO?

49% of marketers say voice search influences their keyword choices. You should favour natural conversational phrases, optimise for frequent questions (who, what, where, when, why, how), and structure content for featured snippets.

What share of searches is conducted on mobile?

64% of all searches are conducted on mobile in 2026, and this figure rises to 88% specifically for local searches. Mobile-first optimisation is no longer optional but an absolute necessity for search rankings and conversion.

Social media and influence

How many users are on social media worldwide?

4.9 billion people use social media in 2026, spending an average of 2h35 daily on these platforms. 97% of consumers access them monthly, making social media an essential channel for brand visibility.

What is the role of influencers in 2026?

21% of users actively follow influencers or celebrities on social media. Micro and nano-influencers (under 100K followers) generally generate better engagement rates and ROI than macro-influencers thanks to more targeted and engaged audiences.

How do consumers discover brands in 2026?

67% of consumers discover a brand through AI and social media. Optimising for recommendation algorithms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube) and AI search engines is becoming strategic for brand discoverability.

What is the impact of AI-generated content on social media?

AI-generated content has seen a +200% increase on social media. However, 86% of consumers increasingly value authenticity, creating tension between AI efficiency and the need for humanity in brand communication.

What is the average click-through rate for social media ads?

The average CTR for social media ads is 1.21%. ROI from social media ads is 2x higher than traditional display banners thanks to precise behavioural targeting and native format integrated into news feeds.

How many users employ ad blockers?

27% of internet users employ an ad blocker in 2026, making organic strategies (quality content, influence, employee advocacy) and native content even more important for reaching these audiences resistant to traditional advertising.

Content and video

What share of marketers use video in 2026?

91% of marketers use video as a primary marketing lever, and 81% confirm that video content has a direct and measurable impact on sales. Video has become the dominant content format across all digital platforms.

Why invest in video content?

Video offers the best engagement of all content formats. It improves SEO (pages with video are 53x more likely to appear on Google's first page), builds trust, generates more shares, and simplifies understanding of complex messages.

What is the conversion rate of video campaigns?

81% of marketers find that campaigns including video convert better than text or image-only content. Product demonstration videos, customer testimonials, and educational videos are particularly effective.

What type of content generates the most leads?

52% of marketers say their content strategy (blog articles, guides, videos, webinars) generates qualified leads. Long-form educational content, detailed case studies, and interactive demonstrations perform particularly well in B2B.

What is the importance of employee advocacy?

Content shared by employees generates +30% engagement and the click-through rate is doubled (x2) compared to content shared by official brand accounts. Personal networks are perceived as more authentic and trustworthy.

Email marketing and automation

What is the average email open rate in 2026?

The average open rate for email marketing campaigns is 22.2% in 2026. This rate varies significantly by sector, segmentation quality, and content relevance for the targeted audience.

What is the conversion rate per email?

The average conversion rate per email is 10.1%, making it one of the most profitable and measurable digital marketing channels. Email remains a direct and personal channel with particularly high ROI when well executed.

How does segmentation improve email performance?

Segmentation increases open rate by +14% and personalisation improves conversion by +17%. Behavioural segmentation (based on actions, clicks, purchase history) is more effective than demographic segmentation alone.

What productivity gain does marketing automation deliver?

Automation generates an average productivity gain of +32%. 50% of businesses already use marketing automation tools to manage workflows, lead nurturing, scoring, and personalisation at scale.

What marketing tasks can be automated in 2026?

85% of marketing tasks can be automated through AI, including sending segmented emails, lead scoring, dynamic segmentation, social media publishing, data analysis, report creation, chatbots, and even a significant portion of content creation.

Mobile and e-commerce

What is the volume of mobile advertising spend in 2026?

Global mobile advertising spend reaches $400 billion in 2026, representing 54% of total digital advertising budgets. Mobile has become the primary screen for the majority of consumers worldwide.

What share of online purchases is made on mobile?

57% of online purchases are made on mobile in 2026. Optimising the mobile journey (loading speed, simplified UX, one-click payment, short forms) is decisive for maximising conversions and reducing cart abandonment.

Why optimise your site for mobile?

61% of mobile users are more likely to contact a local business if the site is mobile-friendly. A non-mobile-optimised site generates high bounce rates and instantly loses the majority of its potential audience and conversions.

What is the share of local searches on mobile?

88% of local searches are conducted on mobile. The smartphone has become the primary tool for searching for shops, restaurants, and local services. Mobile and local optimisation must therefore be combined to maximise visibility.

What is retail media and why is it important?

Retail media refers to advertising displayed directly on e-commerce sites like Amazon, Walmart, Cdiscount, etc. With $150 billion in global investments, it's an essential channel for reaching consumers in active purchase phase with strong buying intent.

Artificial intelligence

How is AI transforming content creation?

76% of marketers use AI for content creation. AI accelerates production, optimises SEO, personalises messages at scale, and helps identify trending topics. However, human expertise remains necessary for strategy, original creativity, and brand authenticity.

What productivity gain does generative AI deliver?

Generative AI improves marketing productivity by +32% on average, by automating brief writing, adapting content for different formats and channels, visual creation, personalisation at scale, and continuous campaign optimisation.

Will AI replace marketers?

No, AI augments marketers rather than replacing them. It automates repetitive tasks (85% of operational tasks), freeing time for high-level strategy, creativity, authentic human relationships, and complex decision-making that remain irreplaceable skills.

What AI tools should be used for marketing in 2026?

Essential tools include: ChatGPT/Claude (content creation, brainstorming), Midjourney/DALL-E (visual creation), HubSpot/Marketo (marketing automation), Jasper/Copy.ai (optimised copywriting), Tableau/Looker (predictive analytics), and Salesforce Einstein/Adobe Sensei (customer personalisation).

What is programmatic advertising?

Programmatic advertising uses AI and automation to buy and display ads in real-time, precisely targeting audiences based on behavioural criteria. It represents 46% of total advertising spend and is growing +30% annually thanks to its efficiency and measurable ROI.

Customer experience and personalisation

How much importance do consumers place on authenticity?

86% of consumers value a brand's authenticity before purchasing. Content that's too "marketing", generic, or generated solely by AI without human input can damage trust and therefore conversion.

What is the role of customer reviews in 2026?

90% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Authentic, detailed, and recent reviews have become a decisive conversion factor, sometimes more important than price itself in the purchase decision.

How does personalisation improve conversions?

Landing page personalisation increases conversions by +5%, and email personalisation by +17%. Personalisation based on behavioural data (browsing history, previous purchases, past interactions) is significantly more effective than demographic personalisation alone.

Why is online presence crucial?

97% of users check a business's online presence before visiting physically or purchasing. Your website, social media profiles, and online reviews constitute your essential digital shop window and directly influence purchase decisions.

ROI and performance

Which channel offers the best ROI in 2026?

Organic SEO remains the channel with the best long-term ROI (93% of web traffic, 70% of B2B marketers consider it more profitable than PPC). Micro-communities generate +25% additional ROI, and advertising retargeting increases conversions by +70%.

What is the success rate of PPC campaigns?

84% of PPC campaigns generate positive results for brands. PPC is particularly effective for rapid product launches, immediate lead generation, and testing new markets or messages before investing in long-term SEO.

How do you measure the effectiveness of a multi-channel strategy?

70% of businesses see a measurable increase in results with an integrated multi-channel strategy. You must measure cross-channel attribution, analyse the complete customer journey, and identify synergies between different touchpoints to optimise budget allocation.

What are micro-communities and why invest?

Micro-communities (private Discord groups, Slack, exclusive circles, brand forums) generate +25% additional ROI because they offer more authenticity, deep emotional engagement, increased loyalty, and higher perceived value than simple public presence on social media.

What are the priority marketing KPIs in 2026?

Essential KPIs include: qualified traffic by source, conversion rate by channel, customer acquisition cost (CAC), customer lifetime value (LTV), LTV/CAC ratio, community engagement, ROI by channel, customer retention rate, and share of voice in your sector (brand awareness).

Strategy and future trends

What are the main digital marketing trends for 2026?

Major trends are: hyperautomation through AI (85% of tasks), micro-communities (+25% ROI), mobile-first optimisation (57% of purchases), personalisation at scale, brand authenticity (86% demand it), employee advocacy (x2 engagement), and seamless omnichannel integration.

How to prepare your digital marketing strategy for 2026?

Strategic priorities include: invest heavily in SEO (93% of traffic), adopt AI and marketing automation, structure and protect first-party data, train teams on new AI tools, develop brand authenticity in the face of AI, and imperatively optimise mobile experience.

What digital marketing budget should be planned for 2026?

Budgets vary by size and sector, but it's recommended to allocate 60-80% of total marketing budget to digital in B2B, and 40-60% in B2C. Particularly increase investments in AI/automation, video content, SEO, and retail media which offer the best measurable ROI.

How to balance automation and authenticity?

Automation should handle repetitive and operational tasks (85% of tasks are automatable), whilst human teams focus on creative strategy, authentic relationships, emotional storytelling, and complex decision-making. AI augments humans, it doesn't replace them in interactions requiring empathy and creativity.

Why does SEO generate more ROI than other channels?

SEO generates 93% of total web traffic, with visitors having strong specific purchase intent. Unlike paid advertising which stops as soon as you cut the budget, SEO continues to generate qualified organic traffic over time. It's an investment that compounds and amplifies with time.

Should you prioritise SEO or PPC in 2026?

Both channels are complementary, not mutually exclusive. PPC generates immediate results (84% success) and enables rapid testing of markets and messages. SEO offers the best long-term ROI and 70% of B2B marketers consider it more profitable. The optimal strategy combines both approaches.

How is automation changing the marketer's role?

With 85% of operational tasks automatable, marketers are refocusing on creative strategy, customer empathy, innovation, and storytelling. Analytical (data), creative (original content), strategic (long-term vision), and relational (authenticity) skills are becoming more important than repetitive operational skills.

Methodological note: The statistics presented in this article come from market studies published between 2025 and early 2026. Some 2026 data are projections based on current trends. Percentages and figures may vary depending on sources, sectors, and analysis methodologies.

Sources:

https://www.seo.com/fr/blog/digital-marketing-statistics/
https://www.brandwatch.com/fr/blog/les-tendances-du-marketing-digital-qui-vont-impacter-2026/
https://www.iscom.fr/actualite/les-chiffres-qui-definissent-le-marketing-en-2026
https://www.marketing-management.io/blog/tendances-marketing-2026
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https://www.salesodyssey.fr/statistiques-marketing
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