11/09/2026
If your marketing hasn’t evolved in the last five years, there’s a good chance your business hasn’t either.
In 2026, I have changed the way I market my own business.
Not completely.
But I have evolved.
I’m staying current with AI. I’m using AI to help me produce core content. I’m integrating it into my workflow, my research, my processes and the way I serve clients.
And as a marketer who helps organisations build their presence online, I cannot afford to stand still.
Think about video.
Years ago, video marketing was a trend. If you were one of the businesses doing video consistently, you could differentiate yourself.
Today?
91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.
And 92% of marketers say they plan to spend the same or more on video in 2026.
So if, five years later, you are still saying, “I don't do video”, you aren't resisting a trend anymore.
You may simply be resisting change.
And that is the problem.
Marketing moves.
We went from television advertising being largely a one-way communication channel, to websites, email, social media, short-form video, creators, communities, search, AI and now what Gary Vaynerchuk calls “interest media”, content driven by what people are actually interested in.
And the pace is accelerating.
As of April 2026, 6.12 billion people globally were using the internet, while 5.79 billion social media user identities were recorded worldwide. Even more strikingly, DataReportal estimates 2.42 billion active users of generative AI tools, more than double the figure from the previous year.
That doesn't mean you need to jump on every shiny new platform or every new AI tool.
It means you need to pay attention.
Test.
Experiment.
Measure.
Adapt.
Because trends often start at the edges before they become commonplace.
And by the time everyone is doing it, the opportunity to differentiate may already have disappeared.
This is especially important if you are trying to build a global brand.
You cannot assume that what worked five years ago — or even what worked last year, will work in a completely different market today.
You have to test your messaging.
Test your content.
Test your platforms.
Test your offers.
Test the way people discover you.
And then double down on what works.
That's how I approach marketing.
I'm not interested in chasing every trend.
But I am interested in evolving.
Because the job of a marketer isn't simply to create content.
It's to understand where people's attention is moving, and make sure the brand is there when they arrive.
