We're halfway through 2026. Gas prices jumped 76%, inflation hit its highest rate since May 2023, and consumer spending is splitting in half — with lower and middle-income households pulling back while the top 40% keeps spending.

In this mid-year check-in, Shannon and Krystal walk through what's actually happened in the first six months and what it means for your marketing strategy. They cover the economy, what's shifting in key industries like auto and credit unions, where digital advertising is still growing, and what business owners need to plan for in the second half of the year.

They also address a critical point: what to do with your budget when everything feels uncertain, why cutting might be the wrong move, and how retention becomes your leverage when new business gets harder.

If you've been waiting to see how the year plays out, this conversation gives you the data to make decisions for the rest of 2026.

Read Federated Digital Solutions' blog

Federated Digital Solutions on Facebook

Federated Digital Solutions on LinkedIn

We're halfway through 2026. Gas prices jumped 76%, inflation hit its highest rate since May 2023, and consumer spending is splitting in half &mdash; with lower and middle-income households pulling back while the top 40% keeps spending.
In this mid-year check-in, Shannon and Krystal walk through what's actually happened in the first six months and what it means for your marketing strategy. They cover the economy, what's shifting in key industries like auto and credit unions, where digital advertising is still growing, and what business owners need to plan for in the second half of the year.
They also address a critical point: what to do with your budget when everything feels uncertain, why cutting might be the wrong move, and how retention becomes your leverage when new business gets harder.
If you've been waiting to see how the year plays out, this conversation gives you the data to make decisions for the rest of 2026.
<a href="https://www.federateddigitalsolutions.com/federated-digital-solutions-blog/">Read Federated Digital Solutions' blog</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/federated.digital.solutions">Federated Digital Solutions on Facebook</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/federateddigitalsolutions/">Federated Digital Solutions on LinkedIn</a>

As a business owner, you likely have two main questions every time someone starts talking about marketing: why should I care about this, and will this drive revenue?

Digital Marketing ROWhy? is the podcast for you. Your host Shannon Allen is here to answer all your burning questions about digital marketing, breaking down every topic to get to the heart of “why is this important to me and why should I care?” She’ll also connect digital marketing tactics to your bottom line.

With more than 25 years of marketing experience, Shannon is passionate about educating her clients and other business owners about all things digital marketing so they can make the most money for their business through marketing. She understands that if it doesn’t come back to ROI, then it’s not important.

Each month, Shannon and another marketing expert or business owner will have a conversation about the hottest digital marketing topics that everyone is talking about and hear case studies about how business owners and marketers drove ROI with their marketing. We’ll also share weekly quick tips and insights so you’re always up to date on the latest in this crazy digital marketing world.

As a business owner, you likely have two main questions every time someone starts talking about marketing: why should I care about this, and will this drive revenue?
Digital Marketing ROWhy? is the podcast for you. Your host Shannon Allen is here to answer all your burning questions about digital marketing, breaking down every topic to get to the heart of “why is this important to me and why should I care?” She’ll also connect digital marketing tactics to your bottom line.
With more than 25 years of marketing experience, Shannon is passionate about educating her clients and other business owners about all things digital marketing so they can make the most money for their business through marketing. She understands that if it doesn’t come back to ROI, then it’s not important.
Each month, Shannon and another marketing expert or business owner will have a conversation about the hottest digital marketing topics that everyone is talking about and hear case studies about how business owners and marketers drove ROI with their marketing. We’ll also share weekly quick tips and insights so you’re always up to date on the latest in this crazy digital marketing world.