The Marketing Impact – March 2026

From the rise of autonomous AI agents to the rapid expansion of in-store retail media networks, we've distilled the key updates you need to navigate this complex terrain. Let's explore the developments that will shape your strategy this month.

Ready for the highlights (and lowlights)?

The TL:DR you need:

• Agentic AI is here, with platforms like Amazon Ads enabling AI agents to manage campaigns directly.
• Despite mounting pressure to adopt AI, only 6% of marketers have fully embedded it into their day-to-day workflows, creating a productivity squeeze.
• Google's Circle to Search can now identify multiple objects within a single image.
• LinkedIn is taking action against inauthentic activity.
• Pinterest reports higher search volume than ChatGPT.

Search Updates for February

AI Updates for February

• Amazon Ads unveiled a new tool allowing third-party AI agents such as ChatGPT to pull reports directly from the platform and adjust settings using natural language.
  • Given the rate of hallucinations in AI LLM responses, handing over ad reporting entirely to AI agents deserves careful consideration before you commit.
  • Alongside this, SAGE launched—an agentic AI platform designed to improve ad effectiveness.
  • And STRATIS also arrived, an agentic AI solution targeting marketing intelligence.
• ChatGPT is declining sharply. Following a deal struck with the Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense), user backlash resulted in a 295% spike in uninstalls.
  • Ethical AI usage is a growing concern. People are now scrutinising not just what AI tools do, but who and what they are aligned with.
• Forrester's 2026 predictions are placing significant pressure on marketing teams. Their forecast of a 15% reduction in agency jobs driven by automation has left many feeling exposed.
• The US Supreme Court has declined to revisit its ruling that AI-generated art cannot be copyrighted.
• ChatGPT is testing ads in the US, with the assurance that “ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you, and we keep your conversations with ChatGPT private from advertisers.”
• AI Overviews coverage grew by 58% across all searches over the past twelve months.
  • Healthcare AIO coverage increased in 88% of queries
  • B2B tech AIO coverage increased in 82% of queries
  • Education sector AIO coverage increased in 83% of queries
• Sites that use self-promoting listicles have seen meaningful visibility drops, with some brands reporting losses of 30–50%. This tactic is particularly common in SaaS, and Google appears to be penalising it accordingly.

Google Updates for February

Having dominated search for so long, it is no surprise that Google is pushing hard to cement its position in AI. Numerous AI-related updates have emerged from the company recently.

• Google's Circle to Search can now identify multiple objects across an entire image.
  • User adoption of this feature has been growing steadily, so investment in improving it makes perfect sense.
• A Google patent describes replacing traditional search results with AI-generated landing pages.
  • Given recent investment in new websites across the industry, this is a concerning prospect—though how far this patent translates into reality remains to be seen.
• Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode now feature a pop-up hover function that displays more prominent, descriptive links to help improve click-through rates in this section.
• Google's AI Mode has expanded to 53 new languages.
• The February 2026 Discover core update has been released.
  • As ever, Google is advising against clickbait, sensationalism, and artificially inflating engagement metrics.

Bing Updates for February

• Multi-turn search has been rolled out globally, allowing users to run follow-up searches within a Copilot chat session without ever leaving the search results page.
• Microsoft has introduced a new initiative that compensates publishers for any content featured in AI products. This opt-in system enables content licensing for LLMs and web crawlers.

Social Media & Platform Updates

Meta Updates for February

• Adam Mosseri has clarified that scheduling content and using “link in bio” does NOT restrict your reach on Instagram.
• WhatsApp is rolling out voice and video calls via its web app.
  • Excellent news for businesses using WhatsApp as a customer service channel.
• Instagram has launched a range of new features:
  • The ability to reorder carousel images after publishing.
  • A way for users to remove themselves from someone's Close Friends list.
  • Clickable links, currently limited to Edits and linking to previous Reels or other user profiles.
  • Customisable Reels feeds, including a chronological view of content from accounts you follow.
  • The option to edit thumbnails on already-published grid posts.
  • Native content scheduling is now available.

LinkedIn Updates for February

• LinkedIn is cracking down on inauthentic behaviour, with updates targeting automated “Great post!” style comments. These are being removed from the “most recent” feed and may soon be prevented from reaching beyond the commenter's own network.
  • Engagement baiting is out. Meaningful reach now requires comments that actually contribute something—insight over empty flattery.
• A list of the fastest-growing marketing skills has been published.
  • The top five are: performance analysis, AI literacy, social media branding, client prospecting, and visual storytelling.
• LinkedIn has shared guidance on how to optimise content for AI chatbot discovery: use clear and accessible language, adopt a natural but authoritative tone, and write in digestible sections where each part makes sense independently.
  • You are no longer writing only for human readers—you are also writing for the algorithms that surface content to them.
• Research shows nearly six in ten buyers discover brands through creator content, almost half visit a vendor's website after engaging with it, and employee networks are approximately 12 times larger than company pages.
  • Empower your employees to advocate on LinkedIn and invest attention in creator partnerships. Trust is built through people, not logos.

TikTok Updates for February

• In a development that surprised nobody, TikTok went down again in the US. The culprit: an issue with Oracle's data centre.
  • Never build your entire business on a platform you do not control. When things fail, where does your audience go? This is a timely reminder to keep building your email list, grow your newsletter, and drive traffic to a platform you actually own.
• TikTok is rolling out a Local feed to US users—essentially a hyperlocal “For You” page surfacing content from nearby brands, creators, and shops.
• Brands are recording stronger growth on TikTok while organic reach on Instagram continues to decline.

Snapchat Updates for February

• Creators on Snapchat can now charge for their content. The platform has launched creator subscriptions in the US.
  • A lighter version of Patreon, built right into the app. The question to ask is: what exclusive or behind-the-scenes content would your most loyal fans genuinely pay to access?
• Snapchat is making the case that it drives 5x more brand recommendations and 2x more buying power than YouTube.
• The platform has also launched a “Home Safe” feature that automatically notifies chosen contacts when you have arrived at your destination safely.
  • While this is not an ad placement, it reveals a great deal about how Snapchat sees itself: as a practical tool woven into everyday life. For marketers, this reinforces that the platform thrives on authenticity and genuine connection.

More Social Media Updates for February

• Pinterest is making a bold claim: it receives higher search volume than ChatGPT. The visual discovery platform is apparently competing with the AI chatbot for search intent.
  • If you have visual content that answers a “how-to” or “what to buy” question, Pinterest is a rich source of high-intent traffic. Treat it as a visual search engine, not just another social network.
• Reddit has shared the four trends driving the strongest brand engagement on its platform: nostalgia-driven storytelling, UGC social proof, niche-inspired campaigns, and campaigns that develop over time rather than launching in a single moment.
  • The message from Reddit is clear: arrive with a real story, not a polished press release.
• Bluesky has finally launched drafts—a feature that has been standard on every other platform for well over a decade.
• Twitch is testing a feature that displays ads when livestreams are paused.
• Spotify continues to expand its feature set, rolling out group chats that let users share podcasts, playlists, and audiobooks with up to ten people.
• YouTube has overtaken Reddit as the top citation source in AI-generated responses. The algorithms are watching more videos than they are reading forum threads.

Measurement & Strategy Updates

The demand to demonstrate business impact is intensifying, and budgets are tracking closely behind audience attention.

• The ANA's “State of Marketing Measurement Report” has surfaced some uncomfortable truths:
  • 53% of marketers struggle to unify measurement across channels. Adding to this, Forrester is predicting a 7% decline in marketers' confidence in their ability to demonstrate business impact in 2026.
• Consumer behaviour continues to disrupt budget planning.
  • Forrester predicts marketers will cut display ad spend by as much as 30% as audiences migrate to AI-driven discovery and entertainment-first platforms such as connected TV and social video.
  • Digital fatigue is a real and growing factor, with 52% of US online adults now actively seeking in-person experiences.
• The “2026 Customer Loyalty Report” found that while most brands claim a balanced 50/50 split between acquisition and retention, 67% of consumers feel that brands prioritise acquiring new customers over looking after existing ones.

Marketing Training & Industry Updates

Marketing Week and other industry bodies have published reports that highlight some uncomfortable realities for the profession.

• While 80% of marketers report feeling pressure to adopt AI, only 6% have fully embedded it into their workflows. This gap is generating what researchers describe as a “productivity squeeze”—where AI increases output but also raises expectations, making roles more demanding even as time is saved elsewhere.