Marketers Shift Budgets Toward Video And AR

Marketers are preparing for 2026 as short-form video and augmented reality surge across platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and Meta, reshaping engagement and commerce. Reports in 2025–2026 cite triple-digit growth in social commerce features, AR pilots delivering about 25% conversion lifts, and rising AI-driven misinformation that suppresses organic sharing. Brands must reallocate budgets to video and AR pilots while prioritizing verified, human-curated content to maintain trust.