Is digital marketing still worth it in 2026?

Customers haven't gone anywhere. Ofcom's Online Nation report, published in December 2025, found that UK adults spend an average of four and a half hours a day online, and that Google Search is used by 82% of online adults and remains by far the most-used search service. For a trade, that means most new customers still start by searching, checking reviews and looking at a website or profile.

How people search is shifting, though. Ofcom found that around 30% of searches now show an AI overview, and a Pew Research Center study of US users in 2025 found people clicked a traditional result on 8% of visits when an AI summary appeared, against 15% when one didn't. Fewer clicks reach general information pages, so blogging about broad topics brings in less than it used to.

What still works well for local businesses is being the obvious choice when someone is ready to hire. The map results, review stars, an accurate Business Profile and a clear page for each service and area sit close to the moment of decision, and they are also what AI answers tend to draw on. Paid search can work alongside them when you need enquiries quickly and can track what each one costs.

Where it stops being worth it is spending without measurement. Social posts with no plan, ads with no conversion tracking and monthly reports that never mention enquiries are how small businesses decide digital marketing doesn't work. The fix is to measure calls, form fills and booked jobs by source, then cut what doesn't pay.

If your diary is already full from word of mouth, the case is weaker, and looking after your reviews and profile may be all you need. If you want more work, a better mix of jobs or less reliance on a single source of leads, it is still one of the few channels a small business can grow steadily and measure.