Siege Media

Gen Z is nearly 3x more likely than Baby Boomers to trust Reddit results in Google. Our recent survey shows that while traditional search engines remain the most trusted source of online information, younger generations are increasingly turning to community platforms and AI tools. Among U.S. adults familiar with Reddit, 58% of Gen Z say they trust Reddit results they see in search, compared to just 22% of Baby Boomers. At the same time, trust is fragmenting across search engines, social media, and AI tools as users seek both authoritative and human-driven answers. For brands, the implication is clear: ranking in search alone is no longer enough. The most effective strategies prioritize visibility across search engines, community platforms, and AI-driven discovery. Our study explores how trust in online sources is shifting and what it means for content strategy in 2026.

Some industries generate nearly 10x more organic links than others. In our recent analysis of 100 industry-leading websites across 10 diverse categories, we studied which sectors actually earn links relative to their traffic. We measured this using organic links generated per 10,000 visits. The results show a clear divide. Real estate sites generate links far more efficiently than most other industries because they publish data, tools, and proprietary insights that journalists and creators naturally cite. For industries that are not natural link magnets, the lesson is not to publish more content but to focus on creating cite-worthy content such as proprietary data and niche expertise.

AI may not be shrinking content budgets after all. According to our latest Content Marketing Trends Report, the number of teams spending less than $5,000 per month on content has nearly halved since 2023, dropping from 48% to just 25%. At the same time, we’re seeing a steady rise in companies investing $45,000 or more each month. Why the shift? The widespread use of AI has not led to budget cuts. It has raised the baseline for quality. Keyword-stuffed blog posts are no longer enough to passively generate clicks. Between LLM search results and the growing importance of off-page SEO, brands are realizing they need bigger budgets and top-tier talent to break through the noise.

How much of your content marketing will be outsourced in 2026? Over 20% of content marketers now outsource nearly all their content (76–100%), up from just 5% last year. This shows a clear pivot toward external partnerships. With search visibility becoming more complex thanks to AI-powered search results and LLMs, marketers are bringing in specialized talent to scale output while maintaining quality.

Where are content marketers investing in 2026? Video and multimedia content lead the way, with 52% of marketers planning to spend more here this year. Short-form content and thought leadership are also top priorities, with 42% and 41% planning to spend more, respectively. Content marketing is evolving, and the winners in 2026 will be the teams who invest strategically in formats that engage audiences and drive results.

Trust in AI tools is shifting faster than most teams realize. Our latest Content Marketing Trends report shows that while ChatGPT still leads the pack, the competitive gap is closing quickly. Claude nearly doubled in perceived trust year over year, and Gemini and Perplexity are steadily gaining ground as marketers diversify their AI workflows. AI adoption is no longer about picking a single platform. It is about building the right mix of tools for your process. Teams are experimenting and building real workflows around these tools. The brands that pull ahead in 2026 will be the ones that treat AI as part of the stack, not the whole strategy.

Almost everyone uses AI, but nearly no one lets it run unsupervised. 97% of marketers now incorporate AI into their content marketing efforts. Most use it moderately, leaning on it for ideation, editing, research, and design brainstorming rather than full drafting. The narrative that AI will replace content teams completely misses the point. AI should be a force multiplier instead of a substitute for human work. We’ll let you in on a secret: AI is best in the hands of those who know where not to use it. Our 2026 Content Marketing Trends Report shows how teams are actually using AI and where it is driving real impact while keeping human judgment at the center of the process.

Are you measuring LLM visibility yet? If not, you’re already behind. As AI search grows, 70% of marketers are now investing up to $500 per month on LLM performance tools to track brand mentions in AI responses. Nowadays, ranking #1 on Google is only part of the ever-expanding equation, and AI visibility is becoming its own KPI. The smartest teams are prioritizing GEO now rather than waiting for traffic declines to force the shift. Our 2026 Content Marketing Trends Report explores how AI is reshaping strategy and what it takes to thrive in today’s organic search landscape.

No one agrees on what to call SEO for AI. When asked how they describe optimizing content for large language models, marketers were nearly split: 44% prefer “SEO for AI,” 43% say “GEO,” and others use “AEO” or “LLM Optimization.” There’s no set terminology because the discipline is new. But one thing is clear: Optimizing for AI answer engines is no longer an ad-hoc strategy. It is critical to how marketing teams work, and those who lean into this shift now will help define the standards later. These findings come from our 2026 Content Marketing Trends Report, which explores how AI is reshaping organic strategy and what it means for teams defining the next era of search.

New research: ChatGPT's engagement rate is declining. We studied 304 websites from Jan 2024–July 2025 and found something surprising: Early on, ChatGPT traffic had engagement rates far above organic search. Over time, that advantage narrowed, and today ChatGPT and Google are nearly identical in engagement. This signals an important shift: AI referrals are stabilizing into search-like behavior. Less hype, more reality. See the full data + additional engagement benchmarks here: https://lnkd.in/gVipYfff