TL;DR
Marketing in 2026 rewards intention over intensity. Focus on helping (not selling), building real community (not just audience), activating your team as creators, and using video to drive action. The brands that win are the ones focused on trust and relationships—not chasing every trend.
If 2026 is your year of growth, you’re probably thinking about doing more marketing. But you might be thinking: What’s actually working right now?
If you’re launching a brand, looking to grow your community, or trying to get more people at your events—you need real solutions, not just trends.
Here are the questions you might be asking yourself, and honest answers based on what I’m seeing work (and what’s not).
Q: How do I sell more?
A: Wrong question. Start with “How do I help?”
Here’s why: Focus on genuinely answering questions in your space, sharing lessons you’ve learned, and helping people solve problems. Occasionally mention what you’ve built when it’s relevant. That’s not marketing—that’s just being part of a community.
Remember: The best marketing doesn’t sound like marketing.
What this means for growing brands:
- Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content is about serving 20% of your content can be promotional
- Solve problems in public: spend time answering questions and sharing genuine advice in subreddits, LinkedIn or Instagram
- Engage in communities that are most active in your niche
- Be human first (a good one, that listens!)
What this means for events:
- Share why your community is valuable (not just what the event includes)
- Curate speakers that will help your attendees win (not just deliver a sales pitch that no one wants to hear)
- Don’t sell a ticket—sell a transformative experience
Q: Should I focus on growing my audience or building a community?
A: Community. Every time.
Here’s why: 10,000 followers don’t matter if none of them show up. A small, engaged community beats a huge, passive audience.
You can count on your community for:
- Real conversations and honest feedback
- Better retention forecasting
- Intentional engagement strategies
What this means for growing brands:
- Be intentional and consistent
- Choose platforms you actually enjoy and that align with your audience
- Build relationships that earn trust
- Remember: 100 engaged people > 10,000 passive followers
What this means for event teams:
- Focus on retention and winning back lapsed attendees
- Build year-round engagement, not just pre-event hype
- Turn attendees into ambassadors who bring others
- Identify the super connectors in your community and get them to love you
How to start:
- Create spaces for conversation (not just content broadcasts)
- Ask for feedback and actually use it
- Give your community exclusive access to a Newsletter or build an inner circle of private access
Q: Do I need to work with influencers?
A: It depends on your budget and goals—but consider a new alternative: your team members.
In 2025, UGC (user-generated content) and creator content reached new heights. That will continue in 2026. But now companies are activating their own employees as creators.
Companies like Autodesk (Dara Treseder) and Pinterest (Bill Ready) have their senior leaders producing content. Why? Because people trust people, not brands.
What this means for growing brands:
- This reduces influencer costs and improves message quality
- Your team’s product knowledge becomes a marketing asset
- You can build a culture of true thought leaders who understand your audience
What this means for events:
- Give the mic to more members of your team
- Your team members can act as hosts and ambassadors at your events
- Retention and relationship building skyrocket when people buy from humans, not brands
How to start:
- Identify the people who light up on camera (the chatty ones!)
- Get the right equipment to make them look (and sound) great
- Work with your marketing team on a content plan they can sustain and get excited about
Q: Do I really need to use video?
A: Yes—but it doesn’t have to be polished, and AI tools can help.
Here’s why: Video isn’t just for views anymore. It’s for driving action: registrations, sign-ups, conversions.
In 2025, generative video models like Sora changed the game. In 2026, these tools will get even better and easier to use. Big brands will continue experimenting with AI-generated ads and you can too!
But here’s the truth: The advantage isn’t the AI tools. It’s the storytelling, narrative, taste and creativity (you know…the stuff that makes us human!).
What this means for growing brands:
- You don’t need a studio—just authenticity
- Show your face, tell your story
- Answer one question per video and be helpful
What this means for events:
- Video showing what attendees will experience converts better, every time
- Behind-the-scenes content builds trust
- Get your speakers get involved and encourage video as part of their announcement plans
- Testimonials from past attendees are your best marketing
How to start:
- Set aside a budget for AI editing tools that make it easy to create clips for social (like CapCut or Descript)
- Record a simple “here’s my biggest tip” video on your phone
- Film customer testimonials (even informal ones work)
- Post short clips answering questions people actually ask
Q: So what’s the real trend for 2026?
A: Intention over intensity.
Here’s why: The brands and events that thrive aren’t the ones chasing every trend. They’re the ones that:
- Build real communities
- Create experiences people remember
- Use the right AI tools to work smarter, not replace thinking
- Focus on trust and long-term relationships
Whether you’re growing your community, or getting your marketing foundation right—slow, intentional growth beats frantic hustle every time.
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Your friend,
Sabina ❤️