We review our 2025 predictions & map the playbook for 2026

Predictions are easy; accountability is hard. We pulled the tapes from last year, graded every call, and distilled what genuinely moved the needle in 2025: short‑form video that actually says something, AI that quietly powers scale instead of writing your brand’s voice, and a search landscape where trust often matters more than rank.

We dig into LinkedIn’s vertical video surge and why lo‑fi, native creative outperformed glossy spots when it carried a clear point of view. We unpack AI’s pivot from headline feature to back‑office multiplier, the risks of "AI‑flavoured sameness", and how to set guardrails so your team ships faster without losing credibility. On the search front, we tackle zero‑click reality, Google’s improving AI answers, and the rise of "search everywhere"—from ChatGPT and YouTube to Reddit and social feeds—plus what it means to optimise for citation, not just blue links.

The platform map got messy, too. Threads found momentum under Meta’s umbrella, X consolidated into narrower communities, and Reddit emerged as a powerful, high‑intent channel for B2B discovery and ads. Through it all, the constant was strategy: clear objectives, honest metrics, and the discipline to show up with a consistent voice. We close with sharp 2026 bets from the team—more social search, thought leader ads outperforming brand pages, and a market that rewards human‑led marketing over AI autopilot.

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