2026 outlook for marketing agencies

Short 12-Month Contracts Are the New Agency Normal

Here’s how top agencies still grow profit.

Client retainers are shrinking.

KPIs & ROI are under client scrutiny faster.

You have less time to prove your value to your clients.

The agencies that win in 2026 aren’t doing more; they’re proving results sooner.

👈 Download their plans.

Short 12-Month Contracts = The New Agency Normal. Here’s How To Still Profit.

The 2026 Marketing Outlook for Agencies is based on insights from 100 agency leaders navigating increased competition, rising budgets, and faster client churn.

Inside, you’ll learn:

✔ How To Prove Value Early & Increase Retainers

• Why retention has overtaken acquisition as the primary growth driver
• Where agencies are actually investing increased marketing budgets
• How digital-first client acquisition is changing expectations

✔ Strategies to secure stronger, longer-lasting client relationships

• Why agencies with the shortest lifespans are the least likely to report performance
• The specific reporting and communication practices tied to better retention
• How to prove value before renewal conversations begin

✔ How agencies use reporting and automation to prove ROI faster

• Where AI is helping and how to implement it smartly
• How leading agencies connect calls, forms, and conversations to revenue
• The measurement gap that’s quietly driving churn

If your contracts are getting shorter, your proof of value has to get stronger.

This report shows exactly how top agencies are adapting, and how you can do the same before renewal pressure hits.

Download the 2026 Marketing Outlook for Agencies.