Marketers Set Sights on AI, Influencers for 2026 Strategy

Most social media marketers are embracing AI tools in their daily operations, but only 35% report significant productivity gains from these technologies, according to Emplifi's latest "State of Social Media Marketing 2026" report surveying over 500 marketing professionals.

The comprehensive study reveals how marketing teams are planning their strategies for the coming year, with AI integration, increased influencer marketing budgets, and platform diversification emerging as key priorities. These insights offer a window into how the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve in response to changing consumer behaviors and technological capabilities.

AI adoption shows mixed results

While AI has generated tremendous buzz across industries, the reality of its implementation in marketing departments appears more nuanced than headlines might suggest. The report found 82% of marketers now incorporate AI tools into their workflows, with analytics, content creation, and ad targeting being the most common applications.

However, the efficiency gains from these tools have been moderate for most users. Only about one-third of marketers report dramatic productivity improvements, suggesting potential knowledge gaps or challenges in integrating AI tools into established work processes.

"There's also the possibility that AI tools aren't going to revolutionize work the way that many expect," the report notes. "For the most part, AI tools function best as complementary additions, and in some ways, they're being framed incorrectly as intelligent machines that will be able to take over human labor wholesale."

This realistic assessment suggests marketers may need to adjust their expectations about AI's capabilities. Rather than viewing these tools as replacements for human creativity and strategy, they appear to deliver the most value when used to enhance specific tasks within a broader marketing framework. Organizations should focus on identifying practical business benefits of artificial intelligence rather than expecting complete workflow transformation.

Influencer marketing gains momentum

The report reveals influencer collaborations will receive significant additional investment in 2026, with 67% of marketers planning to increase their influencer marketing budgets. Brand awareness emerged as the primary benefit marketers seek from these partnerships.

This shift toward influencer marketing correlates strongly with the continued dominance of short-form video content across platforms. As the report explains, "The rise of short-form video has made influencer marketing a more valuable consideration, because it's much harder to tap into short-form video trends if you don't understand the medium."

Influencers bring built-in audience understanding and platform expertise that many brands struggle to develop internally. Their authentic connection with followers and innate understanding of platform-specific content styles makes them increasingly valuable partners for brands looking to connect with specific demographics.

The data suggests influencer partnerships have evolved from experimental tactics to core marketing strategies, with their impact now rivaling traditional celebrity endorsements for many brands. For online retailers particularly, e-commerce influencer marketing strategies have become essential for driving both awareness and conversions in competitive markets.

Industry expert insights on influencer effectiveness

According to recent research from the Influencer Marketing Hub, campaigns leveraging micro-influencers (those with 10,000-50,000 followers) generate an average ROI of $5.20 for every dollar spent, demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of these partnerships when properly executed. This reinforces the Emplifi findings about increased budget allocations.

Platform priorities and diversification

Instagram remains the leading platform focus for marketers heading into 2026, followed somewhat surprisingly by LinkedIn. This LinkedIn prioritization may reflect either the professional composition of survey respondents or the platform's growing engagement levels.

The full platform ranking from the report shows:

1. Instagram
2. LinkedIn
3. TikTok
4. Facebook
5. YouTube
6. X (formerly Twitter)
7. Reddit

Reddit's appearance on the list, while at the bottom, is particularly noteworthy. The report attributes increased interest in Reddit to "how often AI chatbots are referring to Reddit for their responses," highlighting an interesting feedback loop between AI tools for social media management and platform strategies.

Rather than concentrating resources on just one or two platforms, marketers are increasingly spreading their efforts across multiple channels. This diversification strategy aims to maximize reach and referrals in an increasingly fragmented digital landscape.

"The real story is diversification," Emplifi notes in the report. "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."

The report does caution against simple cross-posting, however, noting that "each platform is different, and requires a different content approach, while people who follow you on multiple platforms might get sick of seeing the exact same updates."

Cross-platform engagement metrics

A significant enhancement to consider when implementing multi-platform strategies is establishing consistent cross-platform measurement frameworks. According to Hootsuite's Social Media Trends Report, brands that standardize their engagement metrics across platforms see 32% more efficient resource allocation and clearer ROI calculations than those using platform-specific measurement approaches.

Content strategies evolve with consumer preferences

In terms of content priorities, short-form video unsurprisingly tops the list, continuing its dominance from previous years. Increasing engagement remains the primary metric marketers are focused on, followed by growing their follower counts, with lead generation ranking third in priority.

This hierarchy suggests marketers are embracing a longer-term view of social media success—building engaged communities first, with conversion metrics as secondary considerations. The strategy appears to be that stronger engagement and larger follower counts will naturally lead to improved lead generation over time.

The content focus on short-form video aligns perfectly with platform algorithm priorities and user consumption habits. As platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts continue to dominate attention spans, marketers are adapting their content strategies accordingly.

Advanced video optimization techniques

To enhance content performance, marketers should consider implementing:

• Platform-specific aspect ratios: Each platform has optimal video dimensions that maximize screen real estate and viewership.
• Custom thumbnails and hooks: The first 3 seconds determine whether viewers continue watching.
• Closed captions by default: Up to 85% of social videos are watched without sound, making captions essential rather than optional.

How to use these insights

These findings provide valuable direction for marketing professionals planning their 2026 strategies:

• Adopt realistic expectations about AI tools—they enhance specific tasks rather than transform entire workflows
• Consider increasing influencer marketing budgets, particularly for short-form video initiatives where authentic platform expertise is crucial
• Develop platform-specific content strategies rather than cross-posting identical content
• Prioritize engagement metrics over immediate lead generation, focusing on building meaningful community connections

The report serves as a valuable benchmark for marketers to compare their current strategies against industry trends and adjust their approaches accordingly.

The complete Emplifi "State of Social Media Marketing 2026" report is available for download with email registration and contains additional insights on user-generated content strategies, specific AI implementation techniques, and detailed platform breakdowns.