Emerging Channels in 2026: Where Growth Marketers Should Be Testing
Why Looking Ahead Matters More Than Ever
Growth marketing has always been about identifying what works today—but great growth marketers anticipate what will work tomorrow. In 2026, the winners won’t just be the ones optimizing current funnels; they’ll be the ones testing new frontiers before they go mainstream.
Technology cycles are accelerating. Platforms rise and fall. Customer behavior shifts with each innovation. So where should growth marketers be exploring today to win in the near future?
This post dives deep into seven emerging channels and platforms that are showing traction now and are likely to explode in the coming 12–24 months. We’ll break down how they work, who's using them, and how you can begin testing with real impact—even on a mid-market budget.
Interactive AI Content (A New Standard)
Why It’s Emerging:
The rise of generative AI has opened the door to personalized, real-time interactive experiences that go far beyond static lead magnets or chatbots. In 2026, AI-powered interactive content will move from novelty to necessity.
Use Cases:
AI quizzes and ROI calculators that adapt based on user inputs.
Interactive demos and simulations embedded into product pages.
Dynamic email content that responds to user behavior in real time.
Testing Tips:
Start with one interactive asset in a funnel and A/B test it against your best-performing static lead gen tool.
Voice Commerce 2.0 (Beyond Alexa)
Why It’s Emerging:
With the integration of voice into operating systems, cars, smart TVs, and wearables, voice search is no longer a passive tool—it’s a commerce engine. The new generation of smart assistants (powered by models like GPT-4 and successors) allow deeper interactions with products and services.
Growth Potential:
By 2026, voice transactions are projected to surpass $40 billion annually, according to Juniper Research.
B2B Implications:
Scheduling demos via voice
Reordering SaaS services
Executing account-based research through AI agents
Testing Tips:
Start by optimizing your content for conversational keywords and experiment with building a basic voice keyword library relevant to your niche.
Decentralized Content Networks (Web3 Distribution)
What They Are:
Decentralized networks like Lens Protocol, Mastodon, and Farcaster allow brands to build followings and distribute content without being tied to algorithmic walls.
Why It Matters:
Owning your audience is becoming harder. Web3 content networks provide portable audiences—where followers move with you across apps. Early adoption offers a visibility advantage similar to Facebook Pages in 2012 or LinkedIn in 2016.
Use Cases:
Build a verified thought leadership presence
Launch tokenized engagement (e.g., NFT rewards for webinar attendance)
Cross-pollinate community-based growth loops
Testing Tips:
Claim your brand identity on emerging decentralized platforms and start republishing content to test visibility and traction.
Vertical Video Search Engines
What’s Happening:
TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are now search-first discovery engines, not just social platforms. Users search “how to” or “best tool for X” and engage with short-form video as their first impression.
Growth Play:
This shift opens the door to video SEO—especially for mid-market brands that previously lacked large search visibility.
Examples to Try:
“How we solved [industry pain point]” vertical shorts
Tool comparisons in under 60 seconds
Customer mini-testimonials with captions
Testing Tips:
Repurpose long-form blog content into 15–30 sec videos. Use hashtags and keywords in both the caption and spoken content.
AI-Powered Microinfluencer Ecosystems
What’s Changing:
Platforms are using AI to match brands with microinfluencers based on not just demographics, but actual content style and audience behavior.
Why It’s Working:
Smaller creators have tighter, more trusting communities. Brands get higher ROI than from big influencers with diluted engagement.
Use Cases for Growth Marketers:
Launch product with micro-campaigns and track lift in MQLs
Use influencer UGC in retargeting ads
A/B test multiple micro-niche audiences
Testing Tips:
Run $500–$2,000 micro campaigns and measure downstream lift, not just likes.
Community-Led Growth via Private Channels
The Trend:
Slack and Discord are evolving from internal tools to public-facing community growth engines. Brands like Notion, Webflow, and HubSpot now operate robust product-driven user groups.
Why It’s Working:
High-signal conversations drive education and loyalty. Participation leads to product insights, content ideas, and user-generated testimonials.
B2B Growth Levers:
Invite high-value prospects into curated topic groups
Seed community conversations around pain points
Co-create content with members
Testing Tips:
Start a gated group (Slack or Circle) and run a 3-month sprint tied to onboarding, product launches, or retention.
Ambient Advertising via Smart Environments
What It Is:
We’re entering the era of contextual ads inside smart interfaces—fridges, cars, gym mirrors, even AR glasses. These are real-time, context-rich interactions powered by device data.
Why Growth Marketers Should Care:
The cost of customer attention is rising. Ambient channels offer moment-of-need messaging with precision.
Example Opportunities:
Ad placements in smart gym mirrors (B2C fitness SaaS)
Digital shelf ads on smart refrigerators (CPG brands)
AR onboarding inside B2B hardware tools
Testing Tips:
Work with programmatic partners offering IoT/AR placement pilots. Keep creative short, data-light, and responsive.
How to Prioritize Emerging Channels
Not every experimental channel will pan out—and that's okay. The goal is measured, low-cost testing, not full-blown commitment.
Use this testing matrix:
| Channel | Strategic Fit | Effort to Test | Potential ROI | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Interactive Content | High | Low | High | ✅ |
| Voice Commerce | Medium | Medium | Medium | ✅ |
| Web3 Networks | Low-Med | Medium | Long-Term | 🔄 |
| Vertical Video SEO | High | Low | High | ✅ |
| AI Influencer Tools | High | Medium | Medium | ✅ |
| Community-Led Growth | Medium | Medium | High | ✅ |
| Ambient Ads | Low | High | Experimental | ❌ |
Future-Proofing GrowtH
Testing is not a new concept in marketing. But, in 2026 growth marketing will thrive on experimentation with new technologies and processes, and your early engagement will compound into improved market share.
“Most brands will wait for case studies. The best growth teams will be the case study.”
Test small. Track everything. Fail fast. Reset. Go again. And remember—emerging channels don’t just unlock attention, they unlock insight.
Want help testing new growth channels for your brand? At Westward Marketing Lab, we build custom experimentation frameworks so you can discover where your next growth curve starts. Let’s build your edge.
Contact us to learn more.
