Here is a summary of the shifts I discussed during the session and how I recommend you prepare your Property business for 2026.

Organic Search: The "Answer Engine" Era

Search is evolving beyond traditional Google results into an AI-driven "Answer Engine". The Negotiator reports that 40% of property searches now begin on AI platforms. To maintain visibility, brands must pivot from optimising for keywords to optimising for conversational queries, a fundamental shift detailed on the Google Keyword Blog.

Paid Channels: Intent, Authenticity and AI Ads

In Paid Search, the strategy is shifting from bidding on words to bidding on outcomes. This space is moving faster than ever. In fact, right on the heels of our discussion yesterday, OpenAI has just officially announced the introduction of ads within ChatGPT. This is a monumental shift for search advertising, and you can read our full breakdown of what marketers need to know about ChatGPT ads here. As these new AI channels emerge, feeding platforms high-quality conversion data ensures the technology will find your buyers at the right price.

On Social, authenticity is the new currency. According to Rightmove, 65% of UK buyers now use social media to "discover" properties. We are entering the "Anti-Ad" era where casual User-Generated Content (UGC) achieves up to a 4x higher CTR than polished commercials.

My Advice for 2026

• Break the silo: Ensure your strategy connects across all touch-points.

• Update your SEO: Prepare your technical foundations for Large Language Models.

• Invest in content: Prioritise human-led, authentic content for the highest returns or scale up with AI.

Up next…

We'd would love to see you at our next event, getting hands-on with AI creative on Wednesday, 25th February at 9:00. This one is almost already sold out and we haven't started promoting it yet so get your tickets now.