What can you expect from 2026? Here are the five trends for communications and marketing leaders to pay attention to, according to our management team:
The great GEO emergence and earned media’s critical role. Good news for the PR world, an estimated 89% of AI citations come from sources considered earned media. This means PR pros are uniquely positioned to help brands boost their AI search visibility, also known as Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). With the right tools, we can uncover when and how companies are appearing in generative AI searches across popular platforms like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini relative to competitors, as well as which news outlets and reporters are most influential in search results. These learnings can guide our earned media strategies to ensure companies and brands are showing up on the platforms consumers are using daily. GEO will become increasingly important as website traffic declines, “zero click” searches reign supreme and AI-driven retail purchases surge. - Libby Pinkerton
Stakeholder engagement is a trust imperative. In 2026, stakeholder engagement isn’t a ‘nice to have’; it’s a must-do. Stakeholder expectations are higher, and trust erodes faster than it used to. Communities and customers want transparency, personalized communications and to know their feedback is taken seriously. While stakeholder engagement isn’t new, what is changing is the speed at which information moves, how quickly misinformation can spread and how AI-generated content can amplify inaccuracies, undermine credibility and reshape a narrative at a scale and speed never seen before. Communications teams need to elevate engagement efforts, so they’re consistent, tailored and grounded in genuine two-way dialogue – while also supported by smart use of AI tools. The stakes are high, attention spans are short, and a proactive approach is the only path to maintaining trust, defending reputation and earning support. - Kelly Brown
The reputational risk of AI. With the rise of AI, tools can now create very convincing false narratives, deepfakes and “alternative facts” at unprecedented speed and scale, making misinformation easier to produce and harder to contain. These narratives can spread rapidly across non-traditional channels – and spill over into traditional channels – often outpacing an organization’s ability to respond. Once a false narrative takes hold, course correction becomes costly and complex, requiring significantly more time, resources and credibility to undo the damage, if it’s even possible. Misinformation can undermine brand trust, erode reputation, reduce engagement and ultimately impact the company’s bottom line. Brands should monitor for early signs of brewing issues, while also maintaining well-rehearsed crisis plans to ensure response communications are fast, transparent and factual. - Shannon Mueller
Crisis communications planning and preparedness are more important than ever. As my colleagues Kelly Brown and Shannon Mueller astutely flagged, it’s no longer a question of if a crisis will impact a company or brand, but when. In 2026, crisis communications prep must be a business priority, and less than half of organizations claim to have structured, practiced plans in place. We face an always-on media environment where AI-generated misinformation and viral narratives can spread faster than facts. Trust is fragile, and silence or delayed responses are often perceived as guilt or indifference. At the same time, legal scrutiny is intensifying and employees have become powerful broadcasters of internal issues. Operational disruptions from cyber incidents to climate and supply-chain events add further complexity. Boards and investors increasingly expect documented plans, worst-case scenario readiness and leadership alignment. Put crisis preparedness – including an assigned activation team that understands their roles and ongoing practice exercises to uncover gaps – at the top of your January 2026 to-do list. - Kelly Janhunen
Using owned channels to share information. Only 28% of Americans have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in newspapers, television and radio to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. This is a new low, down from 31% last year. Declining trust in media, combined with the hollowing-out of newsroom reporting and editing resources, makes it imperative for organizations to pursue “owned” media strategies in addition to earned media programs, especially digital, for reputation management and message delivery, and to do so in ways that will capture attention from AI search queries. - Paul Raab
