INSIGHTS

Over the past few months, we've had several conversations with professional services firms questioning whether it's worth updating their website this year. With most online searches now conducted through generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, and the rise of zero-click searches, it's a fair question. 

For professional services businesses, the challenge is rarely a lack of ideas; it is deciding which changes will genuinely make an impact and which can safely be ignored. So, at Cal Partners, we’ve done some research, put our heads together, and outlined our shortlist of key marketing predictions (although some are more ‘sure things’) for professional services marketing in 2026.

A year in marketing:  Deep dive into this year’s marketing innovations, highlights, and tips for the next chapter.

Social media, as we know it, has been around since the early 2000s and has become a cultural cornerstone for users and a marketing powerhouse for businesses. From influencers to professional services firms, social media platforms are a vital tool for engagement, fostering trust, and generating leads. 

Over our 10 years as a professional services marketing agency, we've seen one constant: a strategic and consistent social media presence is critical to success.

Cal Partners has successfully achieved Cyber Essentials certification, meeting the UK Government’s minimum baseline standard for cybersecurity across organisations of all sizes.

This autumn brings a new chapter at Cal Partners: after 30 years on the mainland, Account Manager Alison has returned home to Northern Ireland. She’ll still be supporting her longstanding clients - just now from across The Sheugh. While Cal Partners remains based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Alison will be working remotely from her new location in County Down. 

We’re thrilled to be celebrating our ten-year anniversary, a whole decade of Cal Partners!

It's hard to believe that what started as a bit of an idea, one of those "one day, maybe..." plans, turned into something real back in 2015 when Chris took the leap and launched Cal Partners.

This month (and, in fact, this year), we’ve been celebrating to reflect and to say a big ‘Thank You!’ to our fantastic clients, suppliers, referrers, advocates and of course team. 

Your firm’s expertise is invaluable only if people can find you. The uptake of AI is driving over 10% growth for queries that have used Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and appear in AI Overviews (AIO). Here is everything professional services businesses need to know.

Back in May, I returned to the world of professional services marketing after 10 months of maternity leave following the birth of my (in my opinion, and that of every older couple I meet on the street) GORGEOUS son. A large part of my reintegration to the working world has been catching up with the team and finding out exactly what IS cool in marketing this week – and in some cases, what's really not cool. 

The way professional services firms connect with clients, prospects and referrers is changing. While word of mouth, SEO rankings, and networking remain important in the industry, social media, particularly video, is quickly becoming the new shop front when it comes to marketing for accountants, lawyers, financial advisers and planners, and surveyors and property professionals.