Welcome to 2026.
Search, social, and AI are setting new standards for how we reach our audiences, optimize sales, and get news.
Let’s take a look:
Google is testing a new bidding strategy to improve search campaigns while LinkedIn shares best practices for video ads on the platform – and Meta enters into new partnerships to deliver real-time news.
Get fully up to date with the January edition of Xtracts, your digital news overview.
Google
is testing a new bidding strategy to improve search campaigns
Google is currently testing a new bidding strategy in Google Ads called Journey Aware Bidding (JAB).
Journey Aware Bidding addresses one of the biggest challenges in digital advertising: that today’s purchase journeys rarely consist of a single action but of many touchpoints over time. If the technology lives up to expectations, it could have major significance for businesses with long and complex customer journeys – particularly within B2B and lead generation.
Google’s current Smart Bidding automates bidding using AI that evaluates up to 100 different user signals in real-time, such as device, location, time, and behavior. The system is gradually becoming insufficient because, in its current form, it can only optimize toward the last step in the journey and ignores all the actions leading up to the conversion.
This is not plug-and-play. It requires you to think carefully about your customer journey and implement tracking accordingly. Companies that are already mapping their customer journey and getting their tracking and conversion structure in order will be in the strongest position when the solution becomes available.
Source: Search Engine Land
LinkedIn
shares best practices for video ads on the platform
Video is no longer just “nice to have” on LinkedIn – it’s worth incorporating into your 2026 campaign planning. The platform has published a guide with concrete tips on how marketers can get more out of their video ads.
The numbers speak for themselves. Video posts on LinkedIn get 20 times more shares than other types of posts. They also create three times as much total engagement.
Using video in your ads? Then you can expect a 47% higher click-through rate (CTR).
LinkedIn also points out that a full 95% of B2B buyers believe that video plays a central role in their purchasing process. This makes video an important tool when you want to reach decision-makers on the platform.
The guide contains more than just statistics. You also get practical advice on how to create a LinkedIn video ad campaign from scratch. In addition, there are best practice tips that can help you get even better results from your video ads.
Source: Social Media Today
Meta enters into new partnerships to deliver real-time news
Meta is expanding the functions of its AI assistant with more real-time content. From now on, Meta AI can deliver updated information about everything from global breaking news to entertainment and lifestyle stories – directly in Meta’s apps and devices.
As the first step in this content expansion, Meta has entered into partnerships with a range of media outlets: CNN, Fox News, Fox Sports, Le Monde Group, People Inc., The Daily Caller, The Washington Examiner, USA TODAY, and USA TODAY Network.
The goal is to make Meta AI more responsive, accurate, and balanced. When you ask the AI a news-related question, you get answers from several different sources with different perspectives and content types. You also get links to the full articles, so you can visit the media outlets’ websites for more information.
For the media, it means access to new audiences. For users, it means easier access to relevant and timely information tailored to their interests.
Source: Meta Newsroom
Google has rolled out its December 2025 Core Update
Google’s third and final core update of 2025 finally rolled out just before the new year. It was completed in about three weeks.
This was the longest wait between core updates in 2025. Six months passed since the previous update in June, even though many had expected more frequent updates from Google.
The update created significant volatility in search results. The first major impacts could be felt a few days after the launch, particularly on December 13th. Then another large wave of changes came on December 20th. As always with core updates, some sites experienced major drops in ranking, others saw significant improvements, and many were not affected at all.
Google describes the update as a regular update designed to better surface relevant and satisfying content for all types of websites.
Now that the update is complete, marketers can begin analyzing the actual impact on their own sites.
Sources: Search Engine Land
Trends that will shape Social Media Marketing in 2026
Social media is evolving faster than ever, and 2026 brings new shifts in consumer behavior and platform culture. Here are four trends that will define the industry – and none of them are about AI.
Social SEO is the new top-of-funnel. More people are using social media to find answers rather than Google. 24% already prefer platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit for search. This means brands need to optimize for in-platform discovery with keyword-rich captions, explainer content, and short video.
Multi-platform engagement is the new normal. The average consumer uses nearly seven platforms per month. Brands need to weave a cohesive narrative together across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more – without losing the unique culture of each platform.
Social customer care is critical for brand reputation. Half of American adults use social platforms for brand information. When brands don’t respond quickly or empathetically, they lose loyalty and damage their reputation. Therefore, customer service and communication should be integrated into your strategy.
Reddit communities drive decisions. With nearly five billion monthly visits, Reddit is now the sixth most visited site globally. The platform’s threads dominate Google search results and influence purchases – but it requires authentic engagement, not overt marketing.
Source: Social Media Today
