Key stat: Paid search ad clicks in the jobs and education industry fell 13.1% YoY in Q1 2026, a stark reversal from the same category's 254% growth in Q1 2025, according to an April report from Skai.

Beyond the chart:

• AI is reshaping hiring at the source, with 91% of US senior agency leaders expecting AI to reduce headcounts and 57% slowing or pausing entry-level hiring, according to Sunup's AI's Effect on the Marketing Industry report.
• Meanwhile, AI is siphoning traffic away from paid search itself. Traffic from genAI sources to US retail sites surged 393% YoY in Q1 2026, with AI-driven visits converting 42% better than paid search and email, according to Adobe.

Use this chart: Drop this in B2B and recruitment marketing reviews to recalibrate 2026 paid search expectations. Show this to clients in staffing, edtech, or workforce development. The click reversal signals tighter ROI windows and the need to diversify into programmatic, social, or organic channels.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• US Search Advertising Forecast 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• US Ad Spending 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the quarterly Skai "Digital Marketing Quarterly Trends Report." Data is based on advertiser campaign data managed through the Skai (formerly Kenshoo) platform on Google, Microsoft, Verizon Media, Yahoo Japan, Baidu, Yandex, Pinterest, Walmart, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Instacart, Criteo, and Amazon. The data is sampled from a universe containing over 1 trillion impressions, 12 billion clicks, and nearly $7 billion in advertiser spending. For charts showing spending and impressions/clicks, volume metrics have been normalized to a factor of one based on the initial volume for the first quarter of data shown. Data points from subsequent quarters are based on a multiplier from the first quarter. Except where noted, advertisers must have 15 consecutive months above a minimum spending threshold in the channel to be included in the analysis. Outlier data has been excluded. Skai is a software company that engineers cloud-based digital marketing solutions and predictive media optimization technology.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.