Report: Social, digital video remain key to UK media plans

Digital video, social platforms, and mobile will sit at the centre of UK media strategies next year, according to Integral Ad Science’s 2026 Industry Pulse Report. The research paints a picture of an increasingly complex landscape, driven by creator-led formats and a surge in AI-generated content. It also highlights a dual imperative for marketers: innovate across high-growth environments while maintaining rigorous standards for brand protection, sustainability, and performance.

Across the UK market, organisations are building on the momentum of digital video and social, while recognising that the media ecosystem is changing quickly. Influencer and AI-driven content are creating new opportunities, but also introducing uncertainty. Media quality and transparency remain central priorities. Notably, 40% of UK publishers cite monitoring carbon emissions from programmatic advertising as their top issue for 2026, signalling the growing importance of sustainability.

— Csaba Szabo, MD EMEA, IAS

AI’s rapid rise brings both opportunity and risk

AI expanded swiftly across the media landscape in 2025, and UK stakeholders are weighing fresh capabilities against clear quality concerns.

• 56% say adjacency to AI-generated content will be a major challenge in 2026.
• 40% view unsuitable AI content as one of the most serious threats to media quality.
• 81% expect third-party verification to be important for identifying and classifying AI-generated content in social feeds.
• 78% believe external verification will be central in digital video to help avoid deceptive AI formats, such as deepfakes.
• Content types most likely to be avoided: AI with inaccurate information or hallucinations (68%), and material that creates a spam-like or cluttered user experience (63%).

Social and digital video remain the backbone

Investment continues to favour video-rich and mobile-first environments, with robust momentum expected into 2026.

• Digital video is a top priority for 87% of media professionals, ahead of display (81%) and audio (55%).
• Social platforms are a priority for 82% of respondents.
• Mobile remains the most important channel overall for 79%.

As these channels mature, suitability and creator-led content strategies are moving to the forefront. Expectations for measurement on social are rising in tandem, with 85% rating both attention and viewability as important performance indicators.

Media quality anchors performance

Brand safety, suitability, and measurement discipline remain non-negotiables for buyers and sellers.

• Ad adjacency is the leading concern for 78% of respondents.
• Ad fraud and made-for-advertising (MFA) content are cited by 50%.
• 40% point to ongoing challenges around measurement and outcomes.
• Within adjacency risks, AI-generated content stands out, with 56% saying these formats will demand the most attention.

Publisher priorities include sustainability and viewability

Publishers face their own operational and commercial pressures. Sustainability has moved into the spotlight, with 40% highlighting the need to monitor carbon emissions from programmatic activity. Meanwhile, 35% say poor viewability remains a persistent challenge, underscoring the need for cleaner, higher-quality inventory and better on-page experiences.

Retail media and CTV seek stronger quality signals

Quality-driven indicators are gaining prominence beyond open web and social environments, extending into retail media networks and connected TV (CTV). Respondents emphasise the importance of interoperable tools and smarter controls to maintain suitability as these channels scale.

• 83% say cross-platform targeting and tracking will be critical for CTV campaigns in 2026.
• 79% believe machine learning will help ensure ads appear in suitable environments.

Outlook

The UK media market is doubling down on digital video, social, and mobile, while sharpening its focus on verification, measurement, and sustainability. As AI-driven and creator-led content proliferates, the competitive edge will belong to brands and publishers that pair innovation with rigorous media quality standards and transparent reporting. In a crowded, fast-moving ecosystem, that balance is set to define both protection and performance in 2026.