How to be a content marketer in 2026

Marketing (specifically content marketing) is making a comeback in 2026. I wasn’t sure how it would fare, especially with all the hype around AI over the last few years. But ICYMI, storytelling is in, which means content will become more important than ever for brands to stand out in 2026.

Content marketing in 2026 is more than just creating more SEO content and whitepapers (those tactics are so 2016). Instead, content marketing needs to take a multi-pronged, multichannel, multimedia approach to align with how people are consuming content.

So without further ado, here’s what to focus on as a content marketer in 2026: 

(From someone who’s been doing it for 10 years)

Keywords are a tactic, not a strategy. Instead, figure out where you can own the conversation. These are topics that you can speak to that your competitors aren’t, allowing you to gain a unique advantage. Build your content strategy around these, and choose the keywords you want to focus on in each conversation so you can own them both from a thought-leadership and performance perspective.

ICYMI, storytelling matters now, and companies are looking for folks who can think like a journalist to read between the lines and find the story others aren’t seeing. While the narrative used to be product-focused, it’s now story-focused, encouraging brands to create narratives around ideas bigger than the products they sell. Where your competitors can catch up in features and benefits, only you can be known for your story. The better the narrative, the more you can stand out. But it only works if you have belief and conviction in the story you’re telling.

The age of 100% AI-generated content is over. The next use case? Using it as a strategic thought partner to enhance human-generated ideas, not replace them. The emphasis on storytelling is to get away from the AI slop, but using AI as a tool to improve your output, whether it be templates, information, or structure? Sign me up.

You need three types of content in your mix: brand awareness (thought leadership), lead gen (GTM), and performance (SEO/AEO). A well-balanced content strategy uses all three. 

Thought leadership is no longer a nice-to-have, but a non-negotiable. If you’re a small company, this means founder-led social. If you’re larger, this means activating your executive team, other key stakeholders, and employees. The way to do it is to adopt a media-first model, doubling down on modern content formats like newsletters, podcasts, and short-form content to share your take on relevant topics with your audience. The goal? To create a media property that positions your brand in the market. 

In 2016, the name of the game is narrative, not noise. Publishers publish intentionally, focusing on content quality rather than quantity. The key is having discernment and judgment to know what will create more meaning, not just more content. And for brands competing not only with their competitors but also with other forms of media for attention, a publisher mindset is the only way to strategically break through the noise (while preventing creative burnout).

The traditional marketing funnel doesn’t work anymore, especially as people discover your brand across multiple touchpoints. To combat this, build a content-driven brand ecosystem that offers a cohesive experience no matter where your audience finds you, whether it be through a newsletter, on a podcast, or on social media. The idea is to use your content to build a brand world that people are eager to explore, that offers a transformational outcome, not just a transaction. 

There are massive assumptions made in B2B content about who exactly your audience is. We assume that just because they hold a particular title, they are a specific age and consuming specific types of content without asking them. You don’t just have one audience; you have three: the decision-makers, the users, and your fans. And you need to be appealing to all three: 

Appealing to your buyers, audience, and users involves different tactics and approaches. Think beyond demographics and look at psychographics and socialgraphics to understand how people are consuming and what they are consuming.

Static content doesn’t cut it anymore in 2026. While this model has worked in B2B for the last 20 years, it's antiquated in how audiences connect with information to learn and make buying decisions. Smart brands are moving beyond creating whitepapers and ebooks to creating short-form video series, interactive transmedia pieces, brand activations, and more to communicate the same information. 

In 2026, brands use content to create cultural moments. Think Duolingo, the Grinch, and Ramp. The best content creates dialogue and is referential, so consider measuring these metrics when evaluating content success. Some ways I’d measure this are: 

Success isn’t solely about numbers-based content performance, but rather whether the content is received by audiences, moves conversations forward, and shapes how others are thinking over time. 

Content marketing in 2026 is about equal parts storyteller, marketer, and creator. It’s about finding and deciding which stories are worth telling, distributing them most effectively, and creating compelling content. You can’t only know how to create, but also know what’s worth creating and how to best get it in front of an audience.

That’s what will define the role in 2026 and beyond.