Is 2026 the year you refine your marketing and create meaningful growth in your small business?
Marketing in 2026 is less about doing more and more about doing what matters… building trust, delivering value and creating genuine connection across your marketing channels. With consumer behaviour continuing to evolve and technology advancing rapidly, small businesses that stay intentional and adaptable will stand out.
To support you, I’ve compiled 26 marketing tips for 2026. These will help increase visibility, strengthen relationships with your audience and support sustainable business growth.
26 Marketing Tips for 2026
Marketing in 2026 isn’t about chasing every trend, it’s about clarity, consistency and connection. When you align your marketing with your business goals, values and audience needs, you create momentum that builds bigger results.
- Strengthen Your Local SEO
Local search remains one of the highest-performing channels for small businesses so ensure you claim your Google Business Profile. You should regularly update the profile, encourage reviews, add photos and use location-based keywords to stay visible in local searches. For more information on getting started with Local Area Marketing click here. - Optimise for AI-Driven Search
Search is changing. Optimise your website content for conversational queries, FAQs and clear answers to support AI-assisted and voice search results. - Focus on Meaningful Personalisation
Move beyond first names in emails. Use behavious-based segmentation to tailor messaging, offers and content to where customers are in their journey. Learn more on How to Master Email Marketing in this blog. - Prioritise Mobile-First Experiences
Your website, emails, booking systems and landing pages must be seamless on mobile. In 2026, mobile optimisation is non-negotiable. - Create a Flexible Content Calendar
Plan your content ahead, but allow room for real-time trends, seasonal shifts and audience feedback. Consistency and clarity builds trust. - Build and Nurture Your Email List
Email marketing continues to outperform social platforms for ROI. Focus on value-driven emails that educate, nurture and support, not just sell. You may like to read our Guide to Creating an Irresistible Lead Magnet. - Embrace Short-Form Video
Short, authentic video content remains one of the most effective ways to build brand awareness. Focus on education, behind-the-scenes moments and human connection. - Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)
Customer stories, reviews and testimonials build credibility faster than branded messaging. Make it easy and rewarding for customers to share their experience. - Invest in Evergreen Content
Create blogs, guides and videos that answer common customer questions and remain relevant long-term. These assets compound in value over time. - Repurpose Content Strategically
One piece of content should fuel many channels. For example, blogs can be repurposed for newsletters, videos can become reels, turn webinars into guides. Work smarter, not harder. - Use Paid Ads Intentionally
Invest in paid advertising, however focus your advertising spend on high-performing offers, retargeting warm audiences and promoting key content. Leverage analytics tools to track campaign performance, understand customer behaviour and refine your strategy. - Build Community, Not Just an Audience
Memberships, private groups, events and workshops foster loyalty and long-term engagement beyond transactional marketing. - Collaborate with Micro-Influencers
Local creators and niche experts with smaller but engaged audiences often outperform large influencers, especially for small businesses. Ensure those you choose to work with are ethical and align with your values. - Host Events, Webinars or Live Streams
Workshops, pop-ups, networking sessions and community events are making a strong comeback as consumers crave connection. Educate your audience and showcase your expertise. - Focus on Customer Experience (CX)
Customer experience is one of the most powerful marketing tools a small business has. Every interaction, from how easily someone finds your business online, to how smooth your booking or purchase process is, to the way you follow up after a sale, shapes how your brand is perceived.
Think of clear communication, quick responses and a seamless experience across all touchpoints. Remember, from the first touchpoint to follow-up, the experience is your marketing. - Introduce or Refine Loyalty Programs
Reward repeat customers with meaningful incentives, not just discounts. Effective loyalty programs may include early access to new products or services, exclusive events or workshops, referral rewards, priority bookings or members-only content. When designed thoughtfully, loyalty programs not only encourage repeat business but also strengthen long-term relationships, increase customer lifetime value, and turn satisfied customers into brand advocates. - Showcase Your Values Authentically
Sustainability, ethics and community involvement matter more than ever. Share what you stand for, and how you live it. Consumers are increasingly supporting businesses based on like-minded thinking and aligned values. - Leverage AI as a Support Tool
Use AI to assist with content planning, customer insights, admin tasks and automation, while keeping your human voice front and centre. You may also like to read, Your Guide to AI for Small Business Marketing. - Improve Website Conversion Paths
Clear messaging, strong calls-to-action and simplified navigation help turn visitors into enquiries and customers. Take yourself through your website as if you were a new visitor, and make adjustments where needed. - Use Automation to Save Time
Automate reviews, reminders, onboarding emails and FAQs so nothing falls through the cracks, without losing your personal touch. - Leverage Customer Feedback
Actively seek and use customer feedback to improve your offerings and show customers their opinions really do matter. - Strengthen Visual Brand Consistency
Consistent visuals across all platforms improve recognition and trust. Invest in templates, photography and cohesive branding through your website, social media, email marketing, nurture sequences and online advertising. - Explore Strategic Partnerships
Collaborate with complementary businesses to expand your reach, share audiences and create joint offers or campaigns. Collaborations and partnerships can eventuate when networking, both online and offline, and you connect with the right people. Access my 7 Networking Tips for Small Business Owners if you’re new to networking. - Track What Matters Most
Focus on meaningful metrics, not vanity metrics. Where are your enquiries being generated, what is the conversion rate, how well do you retain clients? Let the data guide your decisions. - Schedule Regular Marketing Reviews
Book time in your calendar on a regular basis to assess what’s working, what’s not, and where to refine. Marketing should evolve with your business. I’ve prepared a Step-by-Step Guide to help you review your Marketing with lots of helpful tips. - Stay Adaptable and Curious
The most successful businesses in 2026 are the ones that are open to change and are committed to learning. Technology and trends are constantly evolving, keep learning, test things and refine as needed for your business. Always monitor industry changes and be ready to adjust your marketing strategies to remain competitive.
Get Started Today
Marketing in 2026 doesn’t require doing everything at once. It requires clarity, intention and consistency. Start by selecting a few marketing tips that align with your business goals and current capacity, and build momentum from there. When you focus on marketing your small business with purpose, you increase visibility, create meaningful connections with your audience, drive sales and set your business up for sustainable growth well beyond the year ahead.
If you don’t know where to begin with marketing your business, I encourage you to book a 30 minute intro chat to explore your challenges and how to overcome them. Click here to book a time.
