We asked the design and marketing experts at Bubble Design for their predictions for the biggest design and marketing trends for 2026 – and they weren’t allowed to say AI! Here’s what we think’s on the rise over the next 12 months…
“Real, authentic stories” - Jess, Head of Content
With researchers suggesting that there’s more AI generated content appearing on the web than real, human content (some studies suggest it accounts for as much as 70% of the content we see!), the best way to stand out is to go against the curve and start telling genuine stories again.
And it’s not only Jess who thinks this. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri recently wrote that so-called ‘AI slop’ is going to be so prevalent in 2026 that it’ll be easier to identify and keep track of human-generated content instead.
“Search everywhere optimisation” - Chris, Digital Director
Continuing on from the early adopters in 2025, in 2026 we predict that more and more people will be using alternative ways to search online compared to traditional search engines.
From LLM models to social media, ranking number 1 on Google is no longer the be all and end all. In fact, appearing across more platforms has been shown to increase brand awareness, drive traffic and ultimately convert more customers – with traffic from LLMs converting at nearly 9x higher rates than traditional search.
“Product-led design” - Matt, Web Designer
Product-led design, or product-led growth (PLG), is the practice of designing your product so it essentially markets itself, rather than relying on traditional sales and marketing tactics. Think of tools like Slack, Figma and Canva.
At its core, product-led design is all about the user experience above all else, with every feature demonstrating value quickly. In 2026, successful products and platforms will focus more on intuitive functionality than over-engineered designs.
“Interactive 3D visual environments” - Abbi, Accounts Assistant
3D visualisation is emerging as a game-changing trend for designers, allowing us to prototype, test and present products in real-time so stakeholders can engage with the design from multiple angles.
Abbi predicts that these 3D environments will allow for more experiential marketing, allowing audiences to interact with products and explore virtual showrooms like never before.
“Less fancy website designs, more functionality” - Rob, Head of Web Development
Fast, mobile-responsive web design has never been more important, with research suggesting 47% of consumers expect a website to load in 2 seconds or less, and 40% would abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load.
We’re all less patient than we used to be, and in response designers are stripping back unnecessary elements so sites are more scannable. Micro-interactions, smart defaults and responsive layouts are taking the place of cluttered, confusing interfaces for high converting design that just works.
“Accessible websites” - Cruz, Web Development Coordinator
In 2025, we saw regulation around accessibility tightened, with the latest version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) being released. While this is essential for charities and public sector organisations, something we can all agree on is that websites that are clear and easy-to-use are better for everyone, not just those living with disabilities.
Plus, AI search rewards clarity and structure, making accessibility a major consideration when it comes to modern SEO best practices.
“Function over form” - Helen, Web Designer
Echoing Rob’s sentiment, Helen believes we’ll see a lot more of this principle beyond web design and into growth marketing strategies too.
From clear call to actions to one-click purchases, we can expect to see slicker user experience across social media and content marketing, making for better conversion rates, increased engagement and resource optimisation.
“We’ll be looking for more human interactions” - Rhys, Head of Web Design
How frustrating is it when you want to talk to a customer service advisor and instead you’re greeted with a very basic AI chatbot that can’t understand the complexities of your issue? With AI automating a lot of functions in businesses, Rhys predicts that customers will seek out human interactions.
Real conversations and responses on social media, a human at the other end of the phone, video content featuring your team or testimonials from customers – all of this will build trust and positively impact your brand’s perception.
“People will think of AI as untrustworthy” - Hariss, Business Development Apprentice
As AI-generated content and machine-made experiences become the norm, audiences are starting to question what’s real and what they can trust.
Let’s face it, AI is big news. But trust, empathy and human-centred thinking are equally as important.
The brands that will win in 2026 are the ones using emerging technology to support real storytelling, human interactions, accessible design and genuinely helpful customer experiences.
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