391: 2026 Content Strategy for Influencers

[00:00:00] I don't know about you, but I love to start the new year out feeling fresh. My assistant, and I love to talk about this because for her, September is when the new year feels like it starts for her, and it is true. I mean, I live up in Minnesota and it is frigid. It is. So cold and a bit dreary and seems like kind of an odd time of the year to have everything reset and restart in January.

[00:00:32] Be that as it may, I have been thinking about this, and I think why I love the reset is my world is just upside down, sideways, backwards. It is just chaos. From November 1st until the new year. Between holidays, our anniversary is in November. Family visiting different gatherings, events. There is so much going on these past two months that by the time January gets here, I am like I am ready for a full fresh start.

[00:01:10] So what we're gonna talk about today is what does 2026 look like? What is our content strategy going to be going into this new year? And if you didn't do your CEO report yet for 2025, my friend, I will link that in the description for you. Please pause this episode and go and do that right now. Hey there, I'm content.

[00:01:39] Reader, coach and your host of the Thrive Podcast, and I'm here to help you build a brand you're proud of with clear strategy and real support. Let's dive in.

[00:01:54] So I wanna talk to you guys about what I think is going to be. Key in 2026. For those that find success, because in talking about our content strategy, we need to really look at a few different things, and one of them is, you know, what is working well in this landscape? As content creators, as influencers, we have to always be adapting.

[00:02:17] Sometimes that can be fun, sometimes it can be a little bit stressful, but that is the name of the game. So I want to first share what I think is going to be key. In 2026, for those that are finding success and whether that is growing from where you are at now or if you are just getting started, the first thing is video content dominance.

[00:02:40] We are already saying this. We already know this. We. If you are a blogger, what I wanna challenge you to do is to think about how you can start to incorporate video into your content. We're gonna get into a little bit of talking about different platforms and platforms that you're going to be on, and that's, I think, gonna be a little bit key for whether you're a blogger or whether you've been on social media full time.

[00:03:05] But really. Video is where it's at. If you've been on social media and that's where a majority of your time is going, you already know this. But if you're not, I really do think you need to start. Strategizing how you are going to incorporate video into what you are already doing, and we're gonna be talking a lot about that in the next few episodes, just about how to make that easier and how to create content without feeling like it's just taking over your life, especially video content.

[00:03:41] I feel like anything that we have to do on the computer can be. Not that it's necessarily easier, but it's something where I can show up in my pajamas, messy bun and just show up one of my favorite content creators and I, I cannot remember the. The name of her account right now, that's so bad. But she posts those videos where she's just like whispering into the microphone and like walking around her house talking about different things.

[00:04:12] It can be silly things like Taylor Swift or it can be political things. It can be kind of whatever, but her content always. Captivates me and she posted a story the other day and it was just her on her couch, editing on her laptop with her dog in the background. And she's like, this is why you don't see me on stories, because this is just all, it would be all day long.

[00:04:33] Um, and so that's how I kind of feel like it can be when you're working on your. But when you are on video, it does take a little bit more planning. So we're gonna dive into that in an upcoming episode. But I just want you to really start brainstorming that and just start looking at, even if you're already doing video, how you are doing video in 2026.

[00:04:55] What did you do in the past? What would work better for you in the future? Do you need to upgrade anything? Do you need to revise? How you are doing something? Is there a strategy that you need to update or a filming process that you need to change? Those are things that I want you to start to think about.

[00:05:11] The other thing that I think is going to be key in 2026 is storytelling. There are so many different ways to go about this, but telling stories, it doesn't have to be like, talk to the camera. Tell me a story. Brie, read me a story, mama, as my daughter would say, but it needs to be through. Video and also through writing, how you are telling stories and how you are leading people through your content, how you want them to experience your content.

[00:05:44] This is why we saw such an uptick in series over the past year because people were craving bingeable stories. They wanted more. They wanted to see more than just a quick one-off reel. Tell me more. Bring me in deeper. So start to think about how you can incorporate that a bit more. I love a good series, but that is not the only way that you can do it.

[00:06:10] You can still do storytelling through a one-off post or video. You can even share more visuals if you are doing some more forward facing talk to camera style. But even if not, think of what are the different types of angles that I can film? What is some B roll that I could film? While I am doing maybe a voiceover or if I'm not doing a voiceover, how do I visually tell a story?

[00:06:38] If I'm showing somebody how to make a Bri mac and cheese, let me show them how I am cutting the cheese. Let me show them going to the store and purchasing the cheese and deliberating over which kind to get right. Bring us along on the journey. I think this is going to continue to be. The top thing when it comes to content is bringing people into the story and making them feel like they are a part of your life and a part of your journey.

[00:07:07] The third thing that I think is going to be key is SEO. Specifically in social media apps, we are starting to see TikTok and Instagram really change their functionality in how search works Almost. In a little bit of a frustrating way, and maybe that's my millennial ness coming out in me. Um, when I go to Instagram and I'm trying to find somebody and it's giving me a million different options, I'm like, no, I just, I want the original search feature.

[00:07:39] Everything is adapting. Everything is changing. And so with that. In order to see success, we need to adapt with it. TikTok search functionality has evolved so much, and it's increasingly used as a search engine by Gen Z. Instagram as a result is following and they are adapting how they are changing their search functionality.

[00:08:01] We're going to see this trend come across every single app that we are using. It is already a thing on YouTube. I think it's going to be changing even more over there, but just across the board, any social media tool that you are using, maybe it's Facebook, maybe it's threads. We have to start thinking in terms of what is our ideal audience searching for?

[00:08:25] Now, I'm not saying you need to jam pack a caption with. SEO keywords, absolutely not. It still needs to be intuitive and user-friendly and easy to absorb by your ideal audience. However, starting to think of what might they be searching for that I can incorporate into my content. Into the caption, into the video itself, starting to think, yes, I want you to be creative and do things that inspire you.

[00:08:56] However, in terms of strategy, which is what we're talking about today. How are you making sure that your content can be found, your content can be seen, so that way it will help you grow in the long run rather than, you know, we, we wonder why did this reel take off, or why didn't it this one perform? Why, why is nobody reading this?

[00:09:19] It has to do yes, sometimes with the algorithm gods. However, it also is having more and more to do with that. SEO and I I say more and more because it's always been a thing on the backend. SEO has always been something that is performing behind the scenes. It has always had an effect on the algorithm, however.

[00:09:44] I think what has happened is we're starting to see it more in our face, right? With that search functionality. We're starting to see that more and more, and so that just shows me that we have to start paying attention to this even more than we have in the past and really start to think of what are things that I can plug into my videos, or even when you are planning your content.

[00:10:08] Don't take any fun out of it. Have fun with creating your content, but really start to put on that strategic hat of thinking in terms of what is my audience searching for and how can I be the piece of content? How can I be the content creator that they find? For the answer. Okay. The fourth thing that I think is going to be key in 2026 is community connection, especially over cranking out content.

[00:10:35] The creators that are going to stand out are going to be ones that are creating intimate spaces for their community, and ultimately this is going to help. You grow. If this is something that you focus on, if you focus on cultivating community connection with your audience, it is going to help you grow steadily.

[00:11:01] When you think about how you are using social media, the internet in general, you can often think of comments and how we are so quick now to jump to the comment section and to see what other people are saying about this. In a good way and in a bad way, we can use other people's opinions on reels or on, um, decorations, on an, on anything, right?

[00:11:29] It can be as serious as something political to as silly and as fun as a cute DIY that we're making. To see and validate, Hey, I think this is kind of cute. Does do other people think this is cute? Right? And hop into the comments and see what other people are saying. It is that, I don't know, popular girl. I know there are more scientific terms to this, but there are things that we are drawn to because the masses say, we like this thing.

[00:11:59] So with that, and what I am saying is yes, of course creating space inside of our content for our audience to have those comments and those interactions with each other, right? That's a little bit of a kind of. Easy thing for us to just automatically have. We all do unless you turn off your comments.

[00:12:19] However, facilitating conversation and creating things that are going to make sure that people are actually leaving comments and are engaging with others. That is something that you as a content creator and as let's say, the host of your space, that is something that you do. That is something that you bring to the table by your openness and how you speak about things in your reels.

[00:12:45] So it's something to consider as you are creating your content is. Am I saying things in a way, whether it is talking to camera, voiceover, whatever it may be, or whether it is in written form? Am I saying things to my audience that is, that is going to make them want to engage, that is going to make them want to have a conversation not only with me, but also with others within this community?

[00:13:14] So outside of the comment section, what are some other places that you can start conversation and start creating a space for your community? Email list is huge. You guys know I am a huge, huge advocate for growing an email list. Other things you could do is a Facebook group or a Slack channel, or even Discord.

[00:13:36] It's kind of just like choosing like what feels best to me. Broadcast channels on Instagram are another one that you can jump into. The other platform that I'm a little bit interested in. Also, it's a little, I don't know if it's like the wild, wild west over there or what, but threads, Instagram threads, meta threads.

[00:13:56] What are we calling that? Where does that fit into this? Ecosystem. I know that it is gaining more and more traction and it's doing that because it's creating community and I think there is something to learn there and something to study. There is, it is almost feeling maybe like the OG Twitter days where you're able to post things and get responses from somebody.

[00:14:18] That right there is something to just like open your eyes to and, and see like, I'm able to post there and if I craft this post. In a open way that will generate responses, I'm most likely going to get somebody engaging with it or commenting on it to start a conversation. And that is what we are craving.

[00:14:41] That piece is what we are craving. So I want you to take that concept and take that idea and infuse it into your own brand. How am I going to do this in 2026? Looking at some of these other channels that maybe you wouldn't have considered before, like Discord or Slack, or maybe even just dismissed and we're like, no, I just don't want to do that.

[00:15:02] And really start to think, no, this is a crucial part of my brand growth, is creating a space where my community can come and have a conversation together, a place where they feel like they belong. And a place where conversation is always happening, that is what is going to be, I think so, so crucial in 2026 and is really going to help content creators stand out.

[00:15:32] Okay, the fifth thing that I think is gonna be key in 2026 is going deeper with our audience. I love social media. Instagram is my favorite platform. I spend way too much time on it. There is only so far that we are able to go with short form video or even if you're doing carousels and written content.

[00:15:55] There's only so far that we can go, and I really think we're seeing. A little bit of a resurgence in people wanting more. So whether that is in the form of a YouTube video or a longer written blog post, emails substack. Why is Substack having this rise? It's not just because it's a great, easy, intuitive platform that maybe they pumped a bunch of marketing dollars into and got it in front of everybody.

[00:16:26] That is not the reason. It is finding success. It's finding success because it's created something that people are craving. People are craving something a little bit deeper, a little bit more, and substack is something that is, is so fun because I can find things that are. Fully written out, blog post style, and maybe like a research type of article, but I can also find a food blogger over there who is sharing her recipes behind a little bit of maybe a paywall or even just a block where I give them my email address.

[00:17:01] And so there's a reason Substack has taken off in the last year. It's because people are wanting us to go a little bit deeper, to provide a little bit more. So if creating long form content is something that you have put on the back burner, again, add this to your strategize session. I think after this, um, listening to this podcast, everybody needs to put a strategy session on the calendar for themselves.

[00:17:28] And if you're inside bold, fluent, we're going to have this happening in January, so definitely join us for that. Put it into your planner to strategize, how am I going to go deeper with my audience? How am I going to create a little bit more long form content for them? Because it's not just like something where I'm like, oh, you know, I've talked on this podcast multiple times about why it's important to, you know, have either a blog or an email list.

[00:17:58] At a minimum, have another space off of social media for your audience. And what I love about Substack is that it has reinforced what I have been saying all along. Substack has shown that our audience is craving it, our audience wants it, and they are actually consuming that content. The proof is there, so if it's something you've been putting off.

[00:18:27] Look into this. It's not something you have to start in January, but how in 2026 you have 12 months? How are you going to create more long form content? The last key thing, and then I've got a couple more things that we'll dive into because I am long-winded today, but I'm having so much fun going through all of this.

[00:18:46] This is probably, I, I just love this time of the year and like diving into, um, kind of these strategies. Anytime I get to talk strategy with you guys, I have so much fun. The next thing with. Key differentiators and key things for success in 2026 is how we are using AI in 2026. My word, did AI have a field day with 2025 or what?

[00:19:12] Like I feel like even to the extreme, like it just needs to pump the brakes a little bit, right? Like sometimes it's just gone a little too far and I need it to just come on back a little bit. So. AI is not going anywhere, right? It is just a strange, strange matter of life. Now, it is very bizarre to think about what AI is going to look like when my daughter is in middle school, high school.

[00:19:43] I mean, gosh, it, it's going. I mean, we just saw how fast it grew in 2025, so who knows what it's going to look like this year, but. I will say, and why I think this is key and why I wanted to bring it up and for 2026 is that there are going to be right ways to use this for content creators and there are going to be wrong ways to use it.

[00:20:04] My suggestion is that you use it for admin, use it to help you be more efficient for getting tasks done, for research, for ideation. Use it. It is a tool that is going to help you save time, work smarter and faster. However, you need to limit it for content creation, limit it for writing emails or blog posts or anywhere where it would take the place of your voice.

[00:20:33] AI cannot be used as a crutch and any time AI is used for that. It is not going to perform as well. For a few reasons. One, your audience is going to know whether you want to admit that or not, and whether you adjusted a million times or not, they're going to know. The second thing is that all of the algorithms and the bots and the behind the scenes things, they also know.

[00:21:04] Did you know that if you copy and paste something over from chat GBT into your blog, there is hidden code there that stays. Yes. Even if you just copy one word over, it stays in there. That is something I learned recently and was not very excited to hear about and so, you know, because if you even like create an outline and you paste it in.

[00:21:32] There is code that is sticking in there, so you need to really pay attention to how you are using it and how it can be harmful for the content that you are creating. We want to create authenticity and, and that's what we're all craving. I mean, you go back to what I'm talking about and it's like some of those OG blogger days, you know, and you know, think back to 2015 even where authenticity and.

[00:22:05] Getting to see who people truly are. You know, you look at some content creators, I follow a couple that, you know, have recently just kind of taken what they're doing and changed it up completely from leaning into this perfection of, oh, I have to have hair extensions and I have to have a spray tan, and I have to have all of these things be perfect and my clothes have to be from here and all of this.

[00:22:30] If you love to do that, if you are a beauty girly. Go for it. I am not knocking it. However, if that is not you, what I have seen from these influencers is them scaling back. I have been applauding and loving seeing it is them getting back to their true essence and who they truly are and what is authentic to them.

[00:22:53] Authenticity and community connection is what is going to help you be successful. AI can help you be productive, but AI can quickly take away that authenticity if you do not pay attention to it. I am a Gilmore Girls Stan. Okay. Like hugest fan, rewatch it every single year. If you are a fan, then you're going to catch this reference.

[00:23:24] So there is an episode where Suki is getting married and she's so excited, but Lorelei's mother, Emily comes in and finds out that Suki is getting married and Emily throws herself in and Lole warns Suki. Hey, just be careful. Because you're not even gonna realize it, and all of a sudden you're going to be in Emily world and you're gonna get sucked in and SU's like, oh, it'll be totally fine.

[00:23:52] I'm not gonna get sucked in. Next thing you know she is. And she is flying things in from Paris for her wedding and wanting to move the town gazebo and planning these extravagant place settings that they can't afford. And Laura, I talks to her and she's like, you know, sharing like, here's what's happening.

[00:24:13] This is what you're doing. And the veil starts to come off and Suki iss like. Oh my God. Didn't even realize because it was so easy. Just like one little thing. One little thing, right? So how easy is it for us to do one little thing with ai? One little thing here. Oh, like I really need a caption for this.

[00:24:32] Let me just one little thing. Oh, that sounds good. Let me just, let ai, let me, you know, have chat. GPT do this. I'm saying all of this. Freely admitting that this is something I have done, 2025 fully burnt Brie out you guys and. It has been within the last, I would say, six months, three to six months, that I'm like, Nope.

[00:24:53] Like we're just not going to create as much content if this is what's happening because I got sucked in. And so just be careful with how you are using it because yes, you may be cranking out the content, but you are not having that authenticity. You are going to be like, I'm cranking out all this content.

[00:25:14] Why is none of it performing? Why am I not seeing better results? There may be a million different reasons. One of them may be ai. So with that, AI obviously can help us with. Showing up more. So what does consistency look like in 2026? I am going to do an upcoming episode on how to make consistency easier for yourself in 2026.

[00:25:41] I think there's a lot of different things that we can put in place to help with that. The thing that I wanna say with this is just a couple of things here to note, so that way you have it starting now. Before I get to that full episode. Consistency is going to be important as always, but it is going to be how you set it.

[00:26:07] So if you decide that consistency looks like X, Y, and Z, then that is consistency for you. We don't want our audience to forget about us, and there's a lot of content out there. So it is showing up and being present for your audience in order to be successful as a content creator in 2026, but it is going to come a lot easier to you if you set yourself up for success.

[00:26:40] One of those things is have easy to access. Storage for all of your gear. So if that is Chargers, tripods, cameras, mics, whatever it may be. Business expense, a cute little storage box or cubby or whatever it may be. Get something cute and fun where you can just keep everything in one place. That way you're not scrambling.

[00:27:07] You're not like, oh, like just remove any barrier to you creating content. That is what we wanna do. If you have cameras, make sure the batteries are fully charged. Have extra batteries. Whatever you need. If you are doing anything with like food, photography, keep everything clean and simple and in one spot, so that way it's always easy to use.

[00:27:32] The next thing that you can do to make consistency easier for yourself is repurposing a piece of content every single week. Your audience is not going to be upset about this. I have one client who does DIY and home projects. What she'll do is she'll post a reel about the project or whatever, and then she'll take all of the footage and turn it into a fun A SMR video where she just like speeds it up a little bit and you just hear her working on this project.

[00:28:02] Sometimes those ones perform even better than the highly edited reels that she creates, so it is completely fine and necessary to repurpose your content. And then the third tip that I have just for consistency is get in the habit of filming yourself all the time. Generate a consistent B-roll library.

[00:28:25] In fact, as you are listening to this right now, where's your phone? You're listening. You're listening on your phone. Turn on your camera while you're listening. Film some B roll. While you're finishing listening to this podcast, you have to get in the habit of doing it consistently. I'm like grabbing my phone right now and turning it on video.

[00:28:45] Hit record. Film yourself consistently. Now, where are we showing up in 2026? You need to pick your top social media platform, even if you are a blogger, and that is the place where you show up consistently. You still need to pick at least one social media platform that you are going to show up for your audience.

[00:29:11] Then I want you to look at the next place that you're going to show up. So if you're a blogger already done, you've got your blog and you have your social media platform. If not you pick your to top social media platform. Then I want you to pick your next thing. One source says that these three places outside of social media are where people are showing up more and more and going to be showing up consistently in 2026.

[00:29:35] The top one is newsletters. Email newsletters. The second one is podcasts, and the third is blogs. All three of those are going to be highly effective and important in 2026 for that long-term growth. Like we were talking about, that long form content, going deeper with our audience and really creating brand longevity.

[00:29:56] Now inside Bold Fluence, we can help you with creating a strong growth plan for that top social media platform, and then give you those easy, actionable steps to grow. The second place that you're going to show up. So we're gonna give you all of the strategy you need for that. We're gonna give you community forums where you can quickly ask other content creators questions, live calls to get questions answered by coaches, and make sure you're.

[00:30:20] Formed on all the latest trends, strategies, and things that will move the needle forward. You're gonna get all of this for just $49 a month. Okay? No commitment. This is canceled at any time. But if you want one tool to add to your arsenal for 2026, bold fluence is where it's going to be. No matter which platform you are choosing, we have created the strategies for every single one because every single influencer content creator, your journey is different from the person next to you.

[00:30:52] And so you need your own individualized strategy without paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a month. And that's what we've created in Bold Flus for You. So that's at Thrive Together blog slash bold fluence, or click the link below. Now what metrics are going to matter in 2026? Now, there's a few more things I wanna talk about in this episode, metrics accessibility, and we're gonna kind of wrap it up with a little pep talk from me real fast.

[00:31:19] So metrics that are going to matter in 2026. Yes, follower count is great, however. Engagement saves shares. An actual community interaction is what will make a difference in your growth. If you are just focusing on the number, I gotta get my follower count up, I gotta get my follower count up, and that's all you're focusing on.

[00:31:45] You're doing yourself a disservice and you're also causing yourself a lot of stress. Instead, when you focus on. Your engagement rate, you focus on how many saves your content is getting, how many shares it's getting. Your content is going to perform differently based on your intention for that episode, for that piece of content.

[00:32:05] So let's say, all right, on this one, I really wanna get as many people to comment this code, to get a MiniChat automation. You are gonna do everything you can when you're creating that reel to get that result. Now if you're like, okay, I really want to reach a new audience, you're going to focus on shares.

[00:32:27] You want to create a piece of content that, alright, I wanna make something that this girl is going to send to three of her best friends, I. You're going to craft your content based on that, and it is going to look quite different than if you were getting people to just comment a keyword, right? Same thing for saves, same thing for comments and interactions, right?

[00:32:47] We create differently based on the result that we're wanting. What happens often is we don't fully think about what is the end result that I want for this one piece of content. We just create the content, right? Well, this is the type of content my audience likes. This is what I'm enjoying making, this is why I'm going to put it out great.

[00:33:08] But if you want to be strategic and intentional, you need to think about what is the end result that I want from this piece of content? Now, accessibility in 2026. Captions, alt text, inclusive design. These are not just nice to haves anymore. They're going to expand your reach and also demonstrate that you care for your community.

[00:33:34] I don't quite know why we are still creating video content without captions. If that is you, I strongly urge you to reconsider. You need to assume. That people for some reason or another are not listening to your reel. There's a a million different reasons why they may not, but you need to have captions on your video.

[00:34:04] If you are creating long form content and you have photos, make sure there's alt text. Make sure there's a description there. These are all simple things to add in that don't take a lot of time, but are highly important, and I do believe the algorithm recognizes whether you have these things or not. Also just think of the audience potentially that you are missing out on because you don't have these things, so why not do everything you can to make sure that that piece of content is going to perform?

[00:34:46] Alright, so to wrap all this up, content creation in 2026 for long-term success, you're gonna need one long form platform and one short form platform, and you're going to need to stop consuming and start creating. I know that is a cliche term, but it is very true. You need to set app limits on your phone.

[00:35:09] Be intentional, get a brick. Like, not like a literal brick, but actually a literal brick. It's that brand where I, I really need to buy one of these. You like scan it and it'll like. Mute all of your apps or lock all of your apps until you scan your phone with a brick again. I think it is so cool. So if you're really having a hard time setting limits on your phone, get a brick and put an appointment in your calendar for content creation.

[00:35:35] If you're really having a hard time focusing when it comes to creating content, make it a date with yourself every single week. Make a point of doing certain tasks as if they are a meeting or an appointment that you can't miss out on. I'm really excited for 2026. I, I'm kind of, you know, shaking things up over here.

[00:35:58] Going to be doing things a bit differently this year and I'm really excited for it and can't wait to share the journey with you guys as we go. I'll see you back here next week. Next week we're continuing our blog series and we're gonna be talking about how to get traffic. You know, this is one you guys are gonna be really excited for.

[00:36:16] So I'll see you then.

[00:36:24] If this episode helped you, help us grow, leave a review, share it with a friend, and tag us on social media. We can't wait to cheer you on.