Trends and Web Planning - Monthly Ticket - January 2026

MAGAZINE W+M PRESENTATION

Hello,

Happy New Year to all marketers and digital tools professionals. May 2026 bring growth, clarity, and success to entrepreneurs, SMEs, startups, as well as freelancers and independent professionals.

This January issue marks the first edition of W+M’s third year. It also introduces the evolved design for Year 3, developed to enhance the reading experience and strengthen editorial consistency between the web platform and the magazine format.

From now on, a partial web version serves as an entry point to the full 32-page magazine, available in PDF format and offered for purchase on the website. This hybrid approach reflects the natural evolution of W+M: an editorial ecosystem where content, analysis, and creation reinforce one another.

The new year therefore begins on solid ground. Since last fall, several structuring trends have already emerged across the industry. This first issue of 2026 provides a clear overview of the key movements to watch in order to optimize our websites, sales tools, and digital strategies in the months ahead.

Enjoy the read.

Following What Truly Matters

Every new year brings its share of trends, predictions, and analyses. But in 2026, the challenge for Canadian businesses is no longer to simply “follow the movement,” but to understand what is actually relevant to their own reality.

Digital marketing evolves fast, sometimes too fast, and it can be tempting to chase every new trend that makes noise.

Yet the strongest strategies are not built on imitation, but on clarity: knowing what truly serves your business, your clients, and your positioning… and knowing what is better left aside.

5 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch in 2026

That’s the purpose of our W+M analysis of the 5 trends shaping 2026. Not to create a list of fashionable tactics, but to offer a clear and useful reading of the real movements transforming the Canadian market: the rise of micro-communities, the shift toward local visibility, the simplification of the web, the growing importance of internal marketing, and the emerging strength of kind leadership.

These trends aren’t obligations. They’re signals. Guides that help you orient decisions, better understand client expectations, adjust how you communicate, and build a digital presence that reflects who you are and what truly sets you apart.

Staying informed is essential. Choosing wisely is strategic. Discover the 5 trends that could reshape the way you communicate in 2026.

I wish you a wonderful Monthly Edition.

Jeff Maheux

Digital Marketing Trends for 2026

Understanding trends doesn’t mean following them blindly. It means identifying the ones that truly align with your brand’s DNA.

In 2026, winning strategies will be built on simplicity, coherence, and proximity—not on replicating what everyone else is doing.

This article helps you identify what is genuinely useful for your organization, make informed decisions, and build a strong, relevant digital presence in a market undergoing rapid transformation.

It is now up to merchants, retailers, and digital professionals to fully seize these opportunities by building high-quality, reliable, and secure websites, designed to serve users effectively and responsibly, for the benefit of everyone.

Top 10 of the Year! The Popular Articles and Reports of 2025

The top publications from W+M = Web plus Marketing

This ranking is based on performance data, including page views, engagement, shares, time spent, and returning visits. It reflects the real concerns of entrepreneurs, SMEs, and creators in Québec when it comes to web presence, marketing strategy, and digital organization.

Beyond a simple countdown, this Top 10 serves three strategic objectives for local businesses and their digital tools.

Beyond a simple countdown, this Top 10 serves three strategic objectives for local businesses and their digital tools. In the sections below, W+M highlights:

• The most-read articles of 2025

• The common trends emerging from these publications

• What these results signal for the 2026 editorial direction

The chronicle of different and low-cost marketing for startups, businesses and entrepreneurs. It’s a marketing story is told every month in the Monthly Ticket Magazine. 

Column #itSAMarketingThing 25: Building a Clear and Effective Annual Marketing Strategy.

Planning to Succeed

Success in digital marketing rarely comes by chance. In 2026, more than ever, the companies that perform best are the ones that plan, methodically and consistently, with a clear vision.

Planning is not just an administrative step. It’s the backbone of your communication strategy, the compass that guides your marketing efforts, your resources, and your results.

In this column, let’s explore why planning remains essential, how to structure it effectively, and which mistakes to avoid as you start the new year.

Why You Should Plan Your Marketing Strategy

To plan is to anticipate. It’s making sure every action — a publication, an ad, a campaign, or a partnership — fits into a coherent whole. Good planning helps you manage your time better, avoid duplication, and maintain brand consistency across your platforms.

Planning is also a sign of credibility. A well-organized digital presence inspires trust and demonstrates professionalism. Your clients can feel that your business is structured, proactive, and knows where it’s heading.

The Pillars of an Effective Marketing Plan

1. Set clear and measurable goals

Before taking any action, define what success looks like — visibility, engagement, conversions, loyalty. Clear objectives help you prioritize your efforts and measure what really works.

2. Build a realistic editorial calendar

A good calendar isn’t about quantity — it’s about rhythm. It should reflect your business cycles, marketing priorities, and actual capacity to produce content. Consistency always beats frequency.

3. Centralize your production tools

Gather your planning resources in one place (Asana, Google Sheets, Trello, etc.) to keep a clear overview of your campaigns. A centralized workflow creates alignment across your website, blog, socials, and newsletters.

4. Keep your branding consistent

Every publication represents your brand. Define your key visual and editorial elements — tone, colors, typography, writing style. Consistency builds recognition and credibility.

5. Review and adjust monthly

Planning isn’t static. A monthly check-in based on your analytics (website, socials, campaigns) helps you fine-tune your actions and stay aligned with your goals.

Best Practices for Smart Planning

• Start small, stay consistent. A simple plan that you update regularly beats a complex one that you abandon.

• Mix strategy and creativity. Leave space for spontaneous ideas within a structured framework.

• Repurpose your content. Every blog article can feed your newsletter, socials, or product pages.

• Rely on your data. Your 2025 performance is the best guide for your 2026 strategy.

• Stay flexible. A timely topic or new trend can become a powerful opportunity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Planning without purpose. Filling a calendar for the sake of it doesn’t create impact — every action must serve a goal.

• Neglecting performance tracking. Without metrics, planning becomes guesswork.

• Lack of cross-platform coordination. If your messages don’t align, your brand identity weakens.

• Delaying updates. A plan that’s never reviewed loses its value — discipline is what turns ideas into results.

Conclusion

Planning gives meaning to your actions and direction to your brand. It reduces stress, improves consistency, and transforms your digital presence into a strategic advantage.

In 2026, let planning be your greatest marketing asset. Let’s organize, adjust, repeat, and let the structure tell it’s story.

Have a Great Year, Marketers!

Visit all the Marketing Columns!

Short Links in 2026: Transparency or Mistrust?

2026 analysis of how users perceive short links: Bitly, TinyURL, branded short domains, transparency, trust and the best digital practices. Discover how readers evaluate URLs and how Google interprets them.

Web Investigation for Marketers – January 2026

The new year begins with a topic we all encounter without really thinking about it: short links.

In 2026, Bitly, TinyURL and branded short domains remain present in our posts, newsletters and QR codes. Yet their perception has changed dramatically.

Between transparency, credibility and new user expectations, how can we tell when a shortener helps… and when it hurts?

In this investigation, we examine emerging trends, the risks associated with “opaque” URLs, Google’s position, and the best practices for building clear and effective links.

A must-read report to kick off your 2026 digital strategy.

The past few years have deeply changed the way users evaluate the links we present to them.

The era of “shorten everything” is behind us. Today, a link becomes a message in itself — a signal of clarity, professionalism and trust.

By adopting branded short links and improving the readability of your URLs, you strengthen your brand image while boosting your digital performance. A small detail… with a big impact for 2026.

This first issue of 2026 sets the tone for a year focused on clarity, coherence, and discernment. Across the trends, analyses, columns, and reports presented in this Monthly edition, one central idea emerges: sustainable digital performance is built on thoughtful decisions aligned with each organization’s reality and objectives.

In a constantly evolving digital environment, success no longer comes from doing everything or following every trend, but from doing the right things, with intention. Structuring strategy, understanding tools, strengthening credibility, and prioritizing quality over quantity remain the true drivers of long-term growth.

Throughout the year, The Monthly by W+M will continue this mission: delivering useful, accessible, and reality-driven content to support business owners, creators, and digital professionals in making informed, strategic choices.

Thank you for being part of the W+M community. We look forward to connecting again next month on the blog and in upcoming editions of The Monthly.

Best wishes for 2026.

Jeff Maheux
Editor and Publisher, W+M.

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