Marketing 2026 starts today – 3 decisions that will determine your ROI in a year

In 2026, data will not be an advantage – it will be a given, and if you overlook this aspect in your decision-making, you will lose a lot. What will determine your ROI is not the number of reports you prepare, but how you conclude them. Sometimes, a single page with a collection of data that is actually relevant is enough to understand what is and isn’t working.

Marketing is no longer a collection of campaigns run separately on different channels. Marketers need to view it as a data ecosystem where GA4, CRM, GSC, Google Ads, and BigQuery create a common language for decision-making.

The conclusion? The report itself shows what happened. However, a system combining data from different tools will show why something happened and what didn’t, and allow you to determine what to do next.

What pitfalls should you avoid when preparing data?

Beware of  “Direct” traffic eating into your organic traffic

One of the pitfalls marketers are already falling into is data distortion in GA4, which makes it difficult to draw conclusions and track conversions. We are talking about direct traffic, which is growing unnaturally, while organic traffic is stagnating or declining, despite SEO efforts. From my observation, this is one of the most common analytical errors in recent months. 

This error occurs when organic traffic is incorrectly attributed to direct traffic. Why is this happening?

1. GA4 works differently from Universal Analytics

Unfortunately, a disadvantage of GA4 is that sessions can be overwritten easily. Suppose traffic comes to the site without complete source data (e.g., due to a lack of UTM parameters, a shortened link, or a transition from an application). In that case, it is automatically assigned to the direct source.

2. User behavior has changed

Data collection is one thing, but user behavior is also not what it used to be. A user may find your brand on Google and click on an organic result. After a few days, they will return to your site, e.g., with the intention to purchase, but they will enter via a saved shortcut or by typing the address into the search engine and selecting it from the suggestions. In this case, the entire sequence of events will be attributed directly.

3. AI Search and SGE complicate paths

Staying on the topic of point two, the emergence of new search channels, such as AI Search, AI Overviews, and so-called zero-click answers in Google, also makes accurate analytics difficult. If a user enters your site via a recommendation in generative search results, GA4 will not recognize that traffic as organic.

What does this mean for ROI?

As a result, your reports may underestimate the real impact of SEO on generated sales by as much as 20-40%! This can lead to wrong budget decisions – SEO may seem unprofitable, and ROI may be better for ADS activities. You may mistakenly limit your investment in Search even after achieving real results. 

How to fix it?

• Create your own custom channel grouping in GA4 to distinguish organic traffic from direct traffic.
• Combine data from GSC, Ads, and CRM to see which conversions actually start in the search engine.
• Establish interpretation rules for direct traffic and learn to read this data – e.g., an increase in direct traffic + an increase in brand queries = an SEO effect.

SEO is not ending, but the era of clicking is. Users are still looking for information, and that’s not changing, except that it’s not necessarily happening on Google. Now users are talking to ChatGPT, checking out products on Gemini, and reading answers on Perplexity. If you want to appear in these suggestions across channels, classic SEO is no longer enough. You will need AISO, or AI Search Optimization – a new way of building brand visibility, focused on AI-based tools. 

In 2026, SEO agencies will no longer be judged on Google keyword rankings or clicks from organic traffic. Participation in conversations, i.e., recommendations that AI generates for users, will gain in importance. Marketers need to understand that search no longer ends with a click or the user physically visiting the site. Now, the final point of obtaining information is often participation in AI recommendations.

What does it look like today?

• AI Overviews already appear in over 25% of Google searches (source: amsive.com).
• The most frequently cited brands are those that combine expert content with a strong image and ePR. ePR sounds interesting? Contact us to know more!
• In industries such as automotive, global brands dominate (Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes) – not only through SEO but also through coordinated branding and partner publications.
• In the beauty sector, AI more often cites stores with honest reviews and product schematics.

The conclusion? AI prefers brands that are credible and active across multiple online channels, rather than those that prioritize content optimization. With 2026 in mind, don’t just optimize your website for algorithms; optimize it for how people search. Keep in mind the growing share of AI Search and try to respond to these changes with your offering.

Now it’s not about strategy and ROI, but about people. It’s not technology that accelerates business – it’s people who can adapt quickly who set the real pace of development.

In my opinion, in 2026, the highest ROI will not be achieved by companies with the most significant budgets, but by those that can change direction without losing speed.

What does this mean? Teams that can efficiently test hypotheses rather than implement a six-month plan that may turn out to be wrong will gain an advantage. Cooperation between SEO, SEM, UX, Dev, and AI departments will be key to making decisions based on data rather than hierarchy within the company structure. Teams based on trust will work faster and better than those under control.

• In 2026, don’t make decisions based on raw numbers – dig deeper, investigate, and interpret the data. Only then will you see the real ROI of your actions and identify areas for improvement.
• When analyzing data, keep in mind that direct traffic in GA4 may hide the real impact of SEO.
• AI Search is becoming a new channel for gaining visibility and, at the same time, a new field of. competition.
• An adaptive team that is trusted and allowed to test is an advantage greater than budget

With the turn of the calendar year, no spectacular change will occur. We are already seeing a new direction – in data, in how users search, and in the need to change how teams operate. How you understand data and the world of earch today will determine whether you will enjoy a return on investment next year or pay the price for delaying action. Your strategy for 2026 starts now, based on the decisions you make today. Prepare in advance and start taking action!