4 Marketing Trends Already Dominating 2026

We're barely a month into 2026 and the marketing landscape has already shifted. If you're still running campaigns the way you did last year, it's time to catch up.

At The Haven Agency, we're in the trenches with our clients every day. We see what's working, what's flopping, and what's emerging as the new standard. Four trends in particular have grabbed our attention: and they should grab yours too.

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Let's break them down.

Trend #1: Casual Explainer Videos (Educational, Low-Friction Content)

Forget the polished, over-produced brand videos. The content winning right now is casual, educational, and genuinely helpful.

We call them explainer videos: short clips designed to inform your audience about a topic they care about. No hard sell. No fancy graphics. Just clear, useful information delivered by a real person.

Why This Works

People are tired of being sold to. They want to learn. They want quick answers. And they want them from someone who seems like they actually know what they're talking about.

Explainer videos build trust before the sales conversation even starts. When someone watches you break down a complex topic in simple terms, they start seeing you as the expert. That's powerful positioning.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Here are a few examples of explainer videos that perform well:

• A mortgage lender filming a 60-second video explaining what happens between pre-approval and closing day

• A marketing agency walking through how to read a Facebook Ads report

• A photographer showing the difference between natural light and studio light for headshots

• A financial advisor answering "What's the difference between a Roth IRA and a traditional IRA?"

The key is simplicity. Grab your phone, hit record, and explain something your ideal client has asked you about before. That's it.

Action Step

Make a list of the 10 questions your clients ask most often. Turn each one into a 30–90 second video. Post them on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and your website. Done.

Now the obvious question: who should be the face of these videos? That’s where trend #2 comes in.

Trend #2: Team Members as the New Influencers

If you're stuck chasing influencer deals, you're not alone. It’s a common move when you need reach fast.

But in 2026, the more reliable play is closer than you think: your team.

Your employees are more accessible than paid influencers, and often more impactful for brand building. Why? They’re real people with real proximity to the work. When prospects can see the humans behind the service, the brand becomes easier to trust.

Why This Works

Making your team the personality of the brand builds trust faster than polished brand copy ever will:

• Credibility: The people doing the work can explain it clearly and confidently.

• Consistency: You’re not renting attention for a month. You’re building an owned audience over time.

• Relatability: Team content feels human, not sponsored.

• Reach: Employee posts routinely outperform brand accounts because they start as 1:1 conversations.

What This Looks Like in Practice

You don’t need everyone to become a “creator.” Start with a few repeatable formats:

• A project manager sharing a “what to expect” checklist before kickoff

• A customer success rep answering common questions after go-live

• A subject-matter expert breaking down a common misconception in 60 seconds

• A leadership team member explaining what your company does in plain language

Keep it simple. One person. One idea. One takeaway.

Action Step

Pick 2–3 people who are comfortable on camera (or in writing). Give them a short list of prompts and a weekly cadence. Stop the guesswork and build a team-led content engine you actually control.

Next up: once that content exists, you need a clean way to distribute it. That’s trend #3.

Trend #3: Simplified Ad Campaigns

Remember when every ad campaign had three stages? Awareness, consideration, conversion: each with its own set of creatives and targeting?

That model is fading fast.

In 2026, we're seeing much simpler, more consolidated ad structures outperform the complicated funnels of the past. The new approach? Two buckets.

Bucket 1: Awareness Ads

The goal here is simple: get eyeballs on your content.

These ads are optimized for landing page views. You're not asking anyone to buy or even opt in. You're just getting them to your site so they can see what you're about.

Example: A local home builder runs an ad showcasing a recent project with a headline like "See Inside Our Latest Custom Build in Franklin, TN." The ad links to a project gallery page. No form. No pressure. Just exposure.

Bucket 2: Retargeting Ads

Once someone has visited your site, they go into your retargeting audience. Now it's time to ask for something.

These ads are designed to get people to submit a form or download a lead gen resource (like a PDF guide, checklist, or case study).

Example: That same home builder now retargets site visitors with an ad offering a free guide: "5 Questions to Ask Before Building a Custom Home." The ad drives to a simple landing page with a form. Name, email, download.

Why This Works

Simpler campaigns mean:

• Easier setup and management

• Clearer data on what's working

• Lower costs (fewer ad sets = less budget spread thin)

• Faster optimization

You don't need a 12-step funnel. You need visibility and a clear next step. That's it.

Action Step

Audit your current ad campaigns. Are you overcomplicating things? Consolidate into two buckets: awareness and retargeting. Test it for 30 days and compare results.

If you need help setting this up, our marketing services team can build this structure for you.

Trend #4: AI-Ready Keywords, Everywhere

Here's the shift that's catching a lot of businesses off guard: AI is now scanning your content the same way search engines do: but faster and more frequently.

People aren't just Googling anymore. They're asking ChatGPT. They're using AI assistants to find recommendations. And those AI tools are pulling information from your website, your blog, and yes: your social media posts.

If your content doesn't clearly and repeatedly state who you are and what you do, AI won't know to recommend you.

The Social Media Implication

Your most recent 9 posts on Instagram (or any platform) need to clearly describe:

• Who you serve

• What you offer

• Where you're located (if relevant)

You can't assume the algorithm has you figured out. Someone scrolling through "homes in Nashville" content isn't going to stumble onto your post about "the pre-approval process for first-time homebuyers" unless you've also used location-based, general keywords.

Example of what NOT to do:

A real estate agent posts 9 times about mortgage tips, staging advice, and market predictions: but never mentions "Nashville," "homes for sale," or "real estate agent."

Example of what TO do:

That same agent includes phrases like "Nashville real estate," "homes in Nashville," and "your Nashville real estate agent" in captions, hashtags, and on-screen text. Now the AI (and the algorithm) can connect the dots.

The Website Implication

The same principle applies to your website. AI tools scan your site to understand what you do and who you help.

Go back through your recent blog posts and articles. Ask yourself:

• Are my primary keywords showing up consistently?

• Would an AI scanning this content understand exactly what I offer?

• Am I using the terms my audience actually searches for: or am I using industry jargon they'd never type?

Example: A credit union wants to rank for "auto loans." But their blog only talks about "vehicle financing solutions" and "mobility lending options." AI doesn't make that connection easily. The fix? Use the words your audience uses.

Action Step

1. Review your last 9 social media posts. Do they clearly state who you are and what you do? If not, plan your next 9 posts with keyword repetition in mind.

2. Audit your website's recent blogs. Make sure your core SEO keywords appear naturally and consistently.

3. Think like your audience: not like a marketer. Use the simple, obvious terms people actually search for.

Need help aligning your content with how AI discovers businesses?

The Bottom Line

2026 is rewarding marketers who simplify. The trends aren’t random—they stack into a clean strategy:

• Casual explainer videos create educational, low-friction content your audience actually wants.

• Team-led content gives that content a face people can trust.

• Simplified ad campaigns get it in front of the right people without a complicated funnel.

• AI-ready keyword repetition makes sure search engines and AI tools can categorize and recommend you.

These aren't predictions. They're patterns we're already seeing work for our clients right now.

If your marketing strategy still looks like it did in 2024, it's time to make some changes. Start with one of these four trends this week: and build from there.

Ready to update your strategy for 2026? Let's talk.