7 Marketing Updates Driving Business Growth
52%
Google remains the top platform for local search, with 81% of U.S. consumers using it to find local businesses. However, shoppers now compare multiple sources before making a purchase, making it essential for brands to maintain accurate information, strong reviews, and a consistent presence across search, maps, and social platforms.
37%
Livestream shopping is gaining momentum, with 37% of consumers buying products during or soon after a livestream, and 20% spending more than $500 on livestream purchases in the past year. Limited-time deals, influencers, and interactive shopping experiences are driving impulse purchases, helping U.S. livestream ecommerce sales grow toward $20 billion in 2026.
86%
Although 86% of consumers say loyalty rewards are important, only 59% regularly use grocery loyalty programs, 49% use fuel and convenience rewards, and just 38% engage with restaurant programs. The report says brands need to move beyond sign-ups by offering personalized, immediate rewards that encourage repeat purchases.
11%
Advertisers are increasing their connected TV (CTV) ad spending, with U.S. investment expected to reach $29.3 billion in 2026 (up 11%). However, 43% of buyers still lack confidence in CTV inventory quality, highlighting the need for better transparency, fraud prevention, and clearer ad placement reporting.
25%
Marketing hiring remains under pressure as 19.2% of brands plan job cuts, while 25.7% of large companies expect to reduce marketing staff because of ongoing economic uncertainty. The report highlights that businesses are focusing on controlling costs, making recruitment more challenging across the industry.
54%
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman introduced ChatGPT 5.6 "Sol", saying it is 54% more efficient for coding tasks while delivering stronger overall performance. The new model is designed to lower AI costs and help businesses get more value from AI as enterprise adoption continues to grow.
$100 B
TSMC reported a record 77% increase in second-quarter profit, reaching NT$706.6 billion ($22 billion), driven by strong demand for AI chips. The company also expects over 40% revenue growth in 2026, highlighting the continued boom in artificial intelligence and advanced semiconductor demand.