How Marketing Will Completely Change in 2026

Neil and Eric break down their biggest marketing predictions for 2026, covering SEO’s rebound, AEO reality checks, AI workflow automation, community building, in-person events, and why switching costs now matter more than product market fit. Recorded on Christmas Eve, this episode dives into how agencies, SaaS companies, and enterprise brands should adapt as AI accelerates feature parity and channels evolve. From go-to-market engineers to owned communities, this conversation is a practical roadmap for marketers planning the year ahead. Key takeaways: • SEO and AEO will coexist, not replace each other • In-person events and community will outperform algorithms • Switching costs beat features in modern SaaS Chapters: (00:00) Christmas Eve kickoff (00:30) SEO uncertainty and recovery (02:12) 2026 marketing predictions (03:26) Go-to-market engineers (05:40) AEO vs SEO reality (08:44) Community strategy mistakes (10:45) AI product market fit shifts (13:29) Switching costs over features (16:20) Final 2026 outlook