The study showed that the agency market operates under constant pressure from clients, shrinking budgets, and a talent shortage.
Nearly a quarter of study participants (24%) reported a decline in business performance over the past year. At the same time, 53% of respondents named reduced client budgets as the main obstacle to business growth.
Pressure is also increasing from clients. 47% of participants noted that clients have become more demanding over the past year, and 73% regularly face requests to expand the scope of work without an increase in budget — or even with a reduction.
Against this backdrop, agency priorities are changing. For 51% of study participants, retaining current clients has become the primary goal. Another 27% are focused on finding new niches, and 22% on increasing project profitability.
Systemic challenges persist within teams as well. 73% of participants admitted they have difficulty finding strong specialists, and 68% noted that their teams face professional burnout.
Among the main causes of burnout, respondents most often cited multitasking, high workloads, and constant client communication.
High pressure and instability directly affect entrepreneurial sentiment. 48% of study participants stated that they would most likely not start an agency again if they were making that decision today.
Methodology
The survey involved 108 heads and entrepreneurs of communication agencies. The study was conducted in May 2026 in the form of an anonymous online questionnaire. All responses were processed manually, followed by grouping similar answers and calculating frequencies.

HINT is an international digital company that helps clients achieve business goals — from profit growth to marketing and sales automation.

SMALL Agencies Hub is an intimate hub of independent, growing, and specialized agencies from various communication fields. SMALL Agencies Hub brings together members specializing in PR, Digital, Event, Creative, Production, GR, and HR.
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