Two days full of insights, intensive exchange and a clear message: the world of search and digital marketing is not just on the brink of change – we are right in the middle of it. Our team was on site at this year’s OMT Summit in Düsseldorf to soak up the latest trends in SEO, social media and artificial intelligence.

Here are our most important key takeaways for a strategy that will still be in place in 2026:

1. from SEO to GEO: The new visibility

The classic “click” on a search result is becoming rarer. Forecasts show that in future only around 30-35% of search queries will lead to a website visit (zero-click content). What does this mean for brands?

• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): Anyone who is not cited by LLMs (Large Language Models) as a source in AI Overviews is simply no longer included in the user discovery process.
• AI loves structure: To be relevant to AI agents, technical product catalogs, clear facts, tables and concise summaries are becoming required reading for marketers.
• Recommendation Trust: Surprisingly, AI advice now enjoys higher trust in the purchasing process than influencers or editorial articles – directly after personal in-store advice.

2 “Search Everywhere” & Social Trends

The search habits of GenZ are shifting massively to social media. This requires brands to rethink their approach:

• Agility beats perfection: trends must be addressed immediately. If you get stuck in brand guidelines for too long, you will miss the boat.
• New platform dynamics: While Threads is growing massively as an ad placement platform, platforms like Pinterest are struggling with “AI slop”. Exciting: Vine’s announced comeback is deliberately positioning itself as a completely AI-free zone.
• AI features in action: Meta is fully committed to integration – from licensing mid-journey images to impressive AI video dubbing that dissolves language barriers at the touch of a button.

3. data sovereignty as a survival strategy

In a world without classic tracking and with declining interest in cookie discussions, first-party data is once again taking center stage.

• Own data (e-mails, loyalty programs) is the currency of the future. A clean database enables personalization that can increase sales by up to 25 %.
• Efficiency and a radical customer focus are the end of the “gold rush”: it is no longer about indiscriminate growth, but about precisely answering real user questions.