In 2026, people don’t click one ad, land on one page, and buy.

They research. They scroll. They validate. They watch. They wait.

And only then do they decide.

In this episode of the Digital Success for Business Podcast, Leanne Cohens, founder of Marketing Leap breaks down how the modern buyer journey now works, why it’s no longer a straight line, and what businesses must change if they want conversions without burning money on disconnected marketing.

You’ll learn why today’s buyer journey looks more like a loop, how trust is built across multiple platforms, and how consistency — not volume — is what drives decisions in 2026.

This episode is essential for service-based businesses, consultants, coaches, and founders who want clarity instead of chaos as AI, short-form video, and social validation reshape how people buy.

• Why the buyer journey is no longer linear — and what replaces the funnel
• The 7–11–4 Rule and how many touchpoints buyers actually need
• How AI, search, social and validation now work together
• Why showing up once no longer converts
• How trust is built before a sales conversation ever happens
• What your website, social content, reviews and DMs must reinforce
• How to align your marketing so conversion becomes a by-product of confidence

Conversion doesn’t happen at the click — it happens at the moment of trust.

AI has changed how people find you. It hasn’t changed why they trust you.

• 00:00 Introduction: The Evolving Buyer Journey
• 00:46 Welcome to the Digital Success for Business Podcast
• 01:05 Understanding the Modern Buyer Journey
• 01:27 The Loop: How Buyers Discover and Decide
• 03:51 The Importance of Consistency in Marketing
• 05:25 The Human Rhythm of Client Journeys
• 08:06 The Role of AI and Technology in Modern Marketing
• 10:37 Aligning Your Marketing Strategy for 2026
• 14:01 Recap and Next Steps
• 14:42 Conclusion and Upcoming Episode

If your marketing feels scattered, inconsistent, or disconnected from sales — that’s exactly what we fix at Marketing Leap.

We help business owners:

• map the real buyer journey
• align search, social, content, email and conversations
• remove friction and hesitation
• build systems that support confident decisions

➡️ Book a Strategy Session: https://marketingleap.net

If you enjoyed this please Subscribe & Take the Marketing Leap today... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarketingLeap LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketingleap/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/SubscribeMarketingLeap Twitter: https://twitter.com/marketingleap Instagram: https://instagram.com/marketingleap Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MarketingLeap/ My FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DigitalSuccessWithStyle

AI is moving faster than most business owners can keep up with and in 2026, it will radically change how marketing is executed. But despite the hype, AI won’t replace strategy, leadership, or trust.

In this episode of the Digital Success for Business Podcast, Leanne Cohens breaks down what AI will do brilliantly for marketing in 2026, where its limits are, and how to build a human-first marketing system that scales without losing authenticity. This is a practical, grounded conversation for business owners who want clarity not chaos as AI becomes embedded in every platform.

• What AI should automate in your marketing and what must stay human
• Why AI can execute brilliantly but can’t lead your strategy
• How hyper-personalisation and AI agents will reshape marketing in 2026
• The real risks of over-automating your message and brand voice
• Where businesses lose trust by handing over too much to AI
• How to use AI for efficiency without losing clarity or control

1. “AI can execute the work — but only humans can decide the direction.”

2. “Your competitive edge in 2026 isn’t using AI. It’s knowing where the human still matters.”

3. “AI should reinforce your brand, not replace your voice.”

• 00:00 Introduction: The Future of AI in Marketing
• 00:38 AI's Role in Marketing Execution
• 01:35 The Limits of AI in Marketing
• 02:10 Automation and Hyper-Personalization in 2026
• 03:18 AI in Content Generation and Supporting Intelligence
• 04:07 The Rise of AI Agents
• 04:45 Strategic Use of AI in Business
• 08:52 Practical Steps for 2026 Marketing Success
• 12:32 Final Thoughts and Next Steps

AI isn’t your replacement, it’s your reinforcement. But without strategy, leadership, and clear boundaries, it can dilute your message faster than it scales it.

If this episode has you realising your marketing needs clearer direction in 2026, that’s exactly what we help with at Marketing Leap. From Fractional CMO support to Done-For-You marketing systems and 90-Day Strategy Intensives, we help business owners stop guessing and start growing with clarity.

👉 Book your strategy session at https://marketingleap.net

P.S. In the next episode, we unpack the new buyer journey in 2026 — how people actually discover, validate, and decide to buy now. If you don’t understand this shift, you’ll miss both the moment and the revenue.

If you enjoyed this please Subscribe & Take the Marketing Leap today... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarketingLeap LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketingleap/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/SubscribeMarketingLeap Twitter: https://twitter.com/marketingleap Instagram: https://instagram.com/marketingleap Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MarketingLeap/ My FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DigitalSuccessWithStyle

Marketing is getting noisier. Audiences are getting smarter. Budgets are tighter. So in 2026, success isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what actually works.

In this episode of the Digital Success for Business Podcast, Leanne Cohens, Founder of Marketing Leap, walks you through how to build a clear, focused marketing game plan for 2026 by identifying what to keep, what to drop, and where to double down for real results.

Drawing on 12+ years running a digital agency and hands-on experience across finance, tech, health, manufacturing, tourism, and professional services, Leanne breaks down the patterns she sees repeatedly in businesses that grow — and those that stay stuck.

This is a strategic, no-hype episode designed to help business owners simplify their marketing, cut wasted effort, and enter 2026 with clarity instead of chaos.

• The core marketing foundations that still work — and why you should protect them
• The tactics draining your time, energy, and budget that need to be retired
• How SEO, AI, and search behaviour are evolving in 2026 (and what actually matters now)
• Where to double down for the highest ROI without corporate-sized budgets
• How to simplify your tech stack, content, and follow-up systems
• What winning businesses are doing differently as they head into 2026

• “2026 isn’t about doing more marketing — it’s about doing what actually works.”
• “The businesses that grow in 2026 won’t chase trends. They’ll double down on clarity.”
• “If your marketing feels overwhelming, the problem isn’t effort — it’s focus.”

00:00 Introduction: The Marketing Landscape in 2026 00:41 Welcome to the Digital Successful Business Podcast 01:25 Key Marketing Strategies for 2026 02:07 Foundations That Still Matter 02:48 The Importance of Brand Story and Customer Understanding 04:20 SEO and Search Evolution with AI 06:06 The Power of Follow-Up and Email Marketing 07:10 Paid Ads and Offline Integration 08:26 What to Drop in 2026 11:34 Doubling Down on Effective Strategies 15:50 Conclusion: Simplify and Amplify Your Marketing

Your 2026 marketing plan doesn’t need to be complicated — it needs to be clear.

If listening to this episode has you thinking “I need help implementing this”, that’s exactly what we do at Marketing Leap.

Whether you need:

• a Fractional CMO to lead strategy and execution
• a Done-For-You marketing team
• or a 90-Day Strategy Intensive to map your 2026 roadmap

We help businesses move from overwhelm to momentum.

👉 Learn more or book your strategy session at https://marketingleap.net

This episode is intentionally reflective, its a pause-and-plan listen you can come back to between Christmas and New Year as you shape your 2026 priorities.

If you enjoyed this please Subscribe & Take the Marketing Leap today... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarketingLeap LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketingleap/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/SubscribeMarketingLeap Twitter: https://twitter.com/marketingleap Instagram: https://instagram.com/marketingleap Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MarketingLeap/ My FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DigitalSuccessWithStyle