State of European Business 2026 Report warns rising competition, advertising costs and changing algorithms are creating new barriers to visibility for European businesses, who remain unprepared for the pace of AI-driven change.
-
Nearly one in three UK businesses says reaching customers online is getting harder
-
37% of small UK businesses feel unprepared for AI-driven change
UK and European businesses are finding it harder than ever to reach customers online and are grappling with a lack of clarity about what drives growth, according to the first annual State of European Business Report, from digital ecosystem provider team.blue.
Only 5.5% of European businesses feel completely in control of how customers discover them online.
The study, which was carried out among more than 10,000 businesses across 32 countries, warns of an emerging “Visibility Gap” for European businesses – a growing disconnect between their online presence and their ability to understand, influence and measure how customers discover them.
The way customers discover brands is changing faster than most businesses are adapting, with nearly one in three UK businesses (35.1%) reporting that reaching customers online has become harder over the past two years. This is nearly 5% less than the Pan-EU average of 30.6%, which reflects the UK’s highly competitive digital market where paid search costs are among the highest in Europe and organic visibility is increasingly difficult to achieve. The discovery landscape is both richer and more fragmented than it has ever been – a dynamic team.blue has termed the “Visibility Economy.”
Read More: SalesTechStar Interview with Ilyas Kurklu, Co-founder and CEO of Replenit
Businesses are losing confidence in how customers find them
When asked about the biggest challenges affecting their ability to reach customers online, UK businesses cited changing algorithms (37.1%), rising advertising costs (32.5%) and increasing competition (28.9%) as the top barriers. Together, these challenges make reaching customers online less predictable, leaving many businesses experiencing an ‘AI Fog’ – uncertainty about which channels and activities will drive growth.
The AI readiness gap is growing – and small businesses are falling behind
The challenge for businesses is not only navigating today’s competitive online environment but preparing for how AI could reshape the way customers find products, services and brands in coming years. More than half (58.9%) of UK businesses agree that AI will change how customers discover businesses online. However, just one in five (22%) consider themselves prepared for these changes.
The UK has the highest rate of complete unpreparedness (46.9%) of any priority market. Small UK businesses are most exposed: 35.2% of ≤50-employee UK businesses say reaching customers has become harder, and 37.3% of small UK businesses are completely unprepared for AI-driven discovery.
Read More: You Have Cloned Your Voice. Now Your AI Is Making Cold Calls
“We’re experiencing a period of significant change in how businesses are discovered online. Customers are finding companies through more channels than ever before, while AI is reshaping the way information is surfaced and recommended. Many businesses recognise this shift is happening, but our research shows they don’t always feel prepared for what comes next,” explains Claudio Corbetta, CEO of team.blue “The challenge is not simply keeping up with change, but building the confidence and visibility needed to grow in a more complex digital environment.”
“As AI becomes a bigger part of how customers discover businesses, it is becoming harder to understand what drives visibility and growth. Businesses need a clear digital foundation they can control and build on. The opportunity isn’t to chase every new AI tool or platform; it’s to ensure the information customers and AI systems rely on is accurate, trusted and easy to find. That’s why a strong website remains one of the most important assets a business can have,” says Bilal Ahmed, Chief AI & Data Officer at team.blue
Visibility starts with owned channels
As businesses navigate changing digital channels, many are underutilising one of the few digital assets they directly control: their website.
While 81.3% of UK businesses have a website compared to 86.5% Pan-EU businesses, only 12.4% in the UK accurately track how website visitors become leads or customers. Almost half (45%) do not track this at all. This presents a significant opportunity for businesses to improve visibility into the channels driving growth and better understand how customers move from discovery to purchase.
