Instagram marketing in 2026: what is actually working for brands
Instagram has navigated its own evolution more successfully than many predicted. Facing competition from TikTok on short-form video, pressure from YouTube on long-form content, and the perpetual challenge of maintaining relevance across an increasingly fragmented social media landscape, the platform has adapted its product, its algorithm, and its creator ecosystem in ways that have sustained its commercial value for brands. Understanding what is actually working on Instagram in 2026, as opposed to what worked two or three years ago, is essential for marketers allocating social media investment with any degree of rigour.
Personal branding for executives: building influence that opens doors
Personal branding has acquired an unfortunate reputation in some professional circles, associated with self-promotion, manufactured authenticity, and the performance of expertise rather than its genuine demonstration. That reputation is undeserved and, for executives who dismiss the discipline on that basis, commercially costly. A well-constructed executive personal brand is not a vanity exercise. It is a strategic asset that shapes how a leader is perceived by clients, partners, investors, and talent, and that creates commercial opportunities that would not otherwise exist. This piece examines what effective executive personal branding actually requires.
TikTok for business: why brands can no longer afford to wait
TikTok has moved from cultural curiosity to commercial imperative faster than almost any platform before it. Brands that dismissed it as a channel for teenagers are now watching competitors build significant audience and commercial advantage through content strategies that would have seemed implausible five years ago. The platform’s algorithm, its creator ecosystem, and its rapidly maturing social commerce infrastructure have combined to produce something that no serious marketing strategy can responsibly ignore. This piece examines what that means for brands at different stages of their TikTok journey.