How to Enhance Your Software Brand’s Digital Strategy (with Trends Report)

Navigating the software market in 2026 requires more than just a functional product; it demands a strategy that cuts through the noise of a saturated landscape. At BANC, we’ve analysed a decade of Google Trends data and reviewed the performance of top UK software brands to understand how search demand is shifting and where marketing budgets are best spent. This guide outlines how you can move past generic tactics to build a digital presence that actually resonates with your target audience.

The Reality of the Software Market in 2026

The software industry is more crowded than ever, with countless providers competing for the same set of eyeballs – and the same set of purses. When products look similar on the surface, standing out becomes a challenge of visibility and trust. To hit your sales targets, you can’t rely on a “one-size-fits-all” approach; you need a strategy that targets specific sector pain points and compliance triggers that your competitors might be overlooking.

Reading the Room: Tracking Search Demand

Understanding when and why people are searching for your solution is the difference between a successful campaign and a wasted budget. Our research shows massive shifts in demand over the last decade:

• Contract Management Software has seen a staggering 771% increase in search interest since 2015.
• Supply Chain Software experienced a 302% spike in the same period.
• Accounting and Payroll tools have shown steadier, consistent growth.

By identifying these peak interest seasons, which will vary by software type, you can ramp up your marketing activity when demand is highest to maximise your ROI. On the other hand, most software types see their lowest demand in December, signalling that it could be time to reduce budgets.

Why Competitor Research Never Ends

In a market this competitive, your digital strategy has to be reactive. Proper competitor research shouldn’t be used to copy someone’s homework; it should act as a guide for what they’re not doing, so that you can deliver solutions to customers that they’re missing out on. Whether it’s a lack of educational content or a clunky mobile experience, these gaps are your biggest opportunities to capture high-intent users.

Get the Full 2026 Strategy Report

We’ve compiled our findings into a comprehensive report featuring actionable recommendations for content marketing, digital PR, UX design, and social media. Use the form below to download your copy and see exactly where the industry is heading.

5 Practical Ways to Level Up Your Strategy

While our full report delves into the nitty-gritty, here are five core areas where you can start making improvements today.

1. Focus on Specific User Needs

Generic messaging rarely converts in B2B software. Customers need to know that your software isn’t as generic as your marketing, so that it can make a meaningful impact. You need to map your content to industry-specific search intent. Take CRM, for example, instead of just “CRM,” target “CRM for real estate teams” to address the specific integrations and compliance issues those users face.

2. Prioritise Real Expertise (E-E-A-T)

Google and your potential customers both value authority. Move away from ghostwritten filler and start publishing expert-led content featuring insights from the people actually involved in developing your software, like product managers and engineers. Including detailed author bios and LinkedIn profiles compounds the credibility necessary to earn trust in a technical and competitive field.

3. Evolve Your Digital PR

Stop relying solely on basic press releases. To earn high-value backlinks and media coverage, you need to provide something unique, like an annual industry report or a compliance checker tool. Pitching data-driven stories based on your own software’s insights is a powerful way to get noticed by massive publications in the tech space.

4. Demonstrate Your Value Proposition Immediately

Your website has seconds to make an impression straight away. Place a clear, concise value proposition above the fold that explains exactly what you do and who you do it for. Back this up with social proof: real customer logos, security certifications, and unpolished screenshots of the actual UI, to show users exactly what they’re getting.

5. Humanise Your Social Presence

Sharing valuable insights across your social channels can be instrumental, such as industry-specific data or actionable expert advice for those using your software. Not only does this address your audience’s needs, but it can integrate clever promotional techniques in an engaging way.