In 2025, 16,000 videos were uploaded to TikTok every minute. That’s 23 MILLION videos created every day. With an unprecedented amount of content flooding our feed and vying for our attention, we have to ask the question: Are we at peak content?
The short answer, probably not and most of it won’t even be created by humans. According to experts, 90% of video content may be AI generated by the end of 2026. Perhaps that’s why much of what we’re seeing in our feed feels kind of…empty. But there’s a shift on the horizon. In 2026, people aren’t looking for more content. They’re looking for something that feels worth their time, real, honest, and something they might actually care about.
While some brands are still chasing clicks and “viral moments” by pumping out more content, others are pulling back and thinking more about the community they’re serving. Here’s what we’re predicting as we turn the page on another calendar year.
- People don’t want to be talked at. They want to be part of the conversation.
The idea of a “passive audience” is done. People want to feel like they have a voice. If your brand still acts like a megaphone, you’re already behind. Want their attention? Let them be part of what you’re doing.
- You don’t need more posts. You need more meaningful messages.
Posting five times a day doesn’t build trust. Sharing something that actually connects with people does. Less “What’s trending today?” More “What do we have to say that’s interesting and meaningful?”
- People stick with brands that treat them like people.
Loyalty today comes from feeling involved. Feeling heard. Feeling like this brand gets me. If people help build it, they’ll stick around for it.
- Attention isn’t free anymore.
People are getting pickier about what they scroll through. Content needs to do something — be helpful, entertaining, honest, or at least not waste their time. Just showing up isn’t enough. You’ve got to earn their attention and more importantly, keep it.
- Aspirational influencers are boring.
We’ve all seen the filtered, aspirational, “look at my perfect life” content. Yawn. Opening a giant box of free clothes, shoes, or handbags feels kind of tone deaf when the viewer may be wondering how they’re going to pay the rent. People connect with creators who feel like them: real, relatable, and even a little messy.
- Stop throwing money away. Smaller creators are having a bigger impact.
Micro-influencers in niche communities are winning. Not because they’re famous, but because people trust them. It’s not about follower count. It’s about connection and community.
- Stop just showing products. Start telling stories.
Nobody needs another tutorial unless it matters to them. The best content shows how your brand fits into someone’s real life, not just how it works. Help people see themselves in the story.
- Being real is better than being perfect.
The most interesting stuff in 2026? It’s the behind-the-scenes. The unpolished. The honest, weird, funny stuff that feels like a real human is behind it. People remember what feels real, not what feels “approved.”
If your brand wants to matter in 2026, it needs to do more than just show up.
It needs to:
- Invite people in
- Be honest
- Share the stage
- Say something real
- Explain why it matters
If 2026 has a theme, it’s this: people want less noise and more meaning. They want to be part of the brands they follow, not just watch from the sidelines. So, if your strategy still revolves around shouting into the void, it’s time to rethink it. Start building content and relationships that truly matter. Need help getting there? Let’s talk.
