Here are the hottest content marketing trends (and how to do them), creative content ideas to engage your followers and grow your audience, and the most significant tech news on January 16, 2026:
New Social Media Trends and Content Ideas
- 2026 Mood is a popular social media trend in which you share the vibe you’re bringing into the new year. Post a video with the text overlay “2026 Mood” and pair it with a hype, funny, or aesthetic song.
The entire goal is to communicate your energy through movement, dancing, walking toward the camera, lip-syncing, outfit transitions, gym clips, or just vibing in place.
To do it right, pick one song that matches how you want to feel in 2026, add the “2026 Mood” overlay, and film 2–3 short clips of yourself moving with confidence.
If you’re in business, use late-night work, gym, or office b-roll. If you’re lifestyle, use dancing, travel, or outfit shots. The video should feel like a statement: “This is how I’m entering 2026.” - I’m Bored, Tell Me… is a high-engagement, comment-driven trend that prompts your audience to tell their own stories. Post a video with a text overlay like “I’m bored, tell me…” followed by a niche-specific question like “the worst sales experience you’ve ever had” or “the hardest workout you’ve quit.
Choose one clear, story-based prompt, add it in large text on screen, and film a neutral clip of yourself waiting, scrolling, or staring at the camera. Don’t talk. Don’t explain. Post it and immediately reply to early comments. - Waiting For The Box To Hit Me is a high-retention hook where you create suspense by interrupting a moment that’s about to happen. Start the video sitting at your desk or working as if everything is normal, then someone off-camera throws a box toward you.
To execute it properly, cut the video right before the box makes contact; never show the impact. The closer you cut to the moment of collision, the stronger the hook. Use a large, slow-moving box so the motion is easy to see, and keep your expression neutral so the scene feels natural. - It Took Me {X} Years To Learn This is a viral social media trend where you share one key insight that took years to figure out. Add a text overlay like “It took me 15 years to learn this one marketing hack” and then reveal a single, practical takeaway.
To use this content idea, pick one strategy that actually moves the needle in your niche, add the text overlay on screen, and explain the lesson in one or two clear points. Keep it focused on one idea. - Never Ever Do {Action} Unless You Do These 3 Things is a high-performing hook that grabs attention. Add a text overlay like “Never ever become an entrepreneur unless you know these 3 things”, immediately signaling that the viewer is about to hear something important.
To use this trend, pick one action your audience cares about, put the full hook on screen, and list three clear, specific points that someone must understand before taking that step. Keep each point short and readable, and make sure the first one is the strongest so people stay through all three.
What’s Trending On Google + Amazon Bestsellers
- NASA is trending on Google, with over 20,000 searches in just 19 hours, after it was reported that crew-11 is back on Earth after a medical evacuation from space.
- StubHub is trending, rising 50% in less than a day after it was reported that the company owes Wisconsin $17.1 million.
- Goldbeck Recruiting is buzzing on the internet, rising 200% in just a few hours after it was announced that Talent Harbor Group acquired them.
- Bestseller: The Power of Guest Podcasting by Brandon Leibowitz teaches how to leverage podcast appearances to build authority, backlinks, and long-term business growth.
- Bestseller: The Joy Dividend by Hamutal Tula Schieber teaches how brands can reduce customer stress and create emotional connections that drive loyalty.
Breaking Tech News and AI Developments
- Google launched Gemini Personal Intelligence in beta, allowing U.S. subscribers to connect Gmail, Photos, and other apps to get personalized AI responses.
- OpenAI said it joined Merge Labs’ seed round to support research into brain-computer interfaces that link human intent with artificial intelligence.
- Perplexity marked Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary by giving 2,500 Perplexity Enterprise licenses to Wikipedia editors to support research and verification work.
- Microsoft Advertising announced new customer acquisition options for the Performance Max campaign on January 15, 2026.
- Salesforce said Agentforce Commerce would support Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol, enabling product discovery and checkout through Gemini and Search.
Think with Team Vavoza 💡
If there’s one clear signal from today’s trends, it’s that “vibes” and vulnerability are officially outpacing polished perfection.
We are seeing a massive shift where audiences care less about your cinematic highlight reel and more about the raw energy and reality behind the screen.
The explosion of the “2026 Mood” and “It Took Me X Years” formats proves that people crave context, not just content. Your audience wants to feel the years of effort or the specific emotion you’re channeling, rather than just scrolling past another static win.
Here is a quick tip to capitalize on this:
Stop stripping the struggle out of your stories. Instead of just sharing a sterile hack (for whatever your topic is), frame it with the years of failure it took to uncover it – because that friction is exactly where the trust is built.
You may also want to check out some of our other marketing trends and tech news.
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