Here are the hottest digital marketing trends, creative content ideas to grow your social media following, and breaking AI news on January 21, 2026:
New Social Media Trends and Content Ideas
- How 2026 {XYZ} Is Going To Feel is a hot social media trend in which you describe the expected feeling for a specific moment in 2026. Common text overlays include “How 2026 summer is going to feel” or “How 2026 work life is going to feel.”
The visuals usually show calm, everyday scenes such as walking outside, working quietly, traveling, spending time with friends, or moments of routine.
To join the trend, choose one clear theme and write the overlay exactly as the hook. Keep the wording simple and readable in the first few seconds. Film or select b-roll that supports the feeling you’re describing rather than explaining it.
Use slower cuts, natural lighting, and minimal effects so the mood comes through without distraction. The most effective videos maintain a consistent visual tone and avoid mixing unrelated scenes. - Plans For 2026 are viral on social media. This content trend centers on creators publicly outlining what they intend to focus on this year and how they expect to follow through.
Videos typically open with a clear statement such as “Plans for 2026” or “My 2026 plans,” followed by short explanations of goals tied to work, money, health, or personal direction. The format is direct and informational, often using simple text overlays, talking-head clips, or light b-roll to support the points.
Focus on clarity and structure, keep the pacing steady, and avoid piling too many ideas into a single clip.
Choose a small set of priorities and explain the process behind them, not just the outcome. Viewers respond more to videos that show planning logic, such as timelines, habits, or constraints, instead of vague ambition. - New Year, New Me is a trending video idea in 2026. Post a video with the text overlay “New Year, New Me”.
Focus on contrast and timing. The text overlay should appear in the opening second, followed by visuals that either support or subtly challenge the statement.
Keep the execution simple and avoid spelling out the joke or message. Viewers engage more when the meaning is implied through relatable scenes rather than explained, which helps the video feel natural and shareable. - The “The First Thing I Do” trend is a short-form video format built around a single, specific action framed as the first step in a routine.
Introduce the video with a text overlay such as “The first thing I do when I come into the office,” then immediately show the action itself. The content is typically understated, observational, and either lightly satirical or matter-of-fact.
The setup must be instantly understandable, and the payoff must arrive without delay. Specificity matters more than performance, as viewers respond to actions that feel familiar rather than exaggerated.
Videos that keep the framing simple and rely on one clear visual beat tend to retain attention longer, because the viewer understands the premise and outcome within the first second. - How To {XYZ} In 2026 is a trending topic on YouTube. Creators publish videos that frame guidance explicitly for 2026, using titles like “How To Grow on YouTube in 2026” or “How To Start Freelancing in 2026.”
The defining feature is the time reference, which signals that the advice reflects current tools, platform behavior, and audience expectations.
The trend is most common in education, business, tech, and creator-focused niches, where outdated information quickly loses relevance.
Anchor the video to present-day events and conditions. Start by identifying what has changed since previous years, then explain how those changes affect the {XYZ} process step by step.
Videos that clearly separate “what still works” from “what has changed” tend to perform better because they reduce uncertainty and align with how viewers search for up-to-date answers.
What’s Trending On Google + Amazon Bestsellers
- Usha Vance is going viral on Google, reaching over 200,000 searches in just 4 hours, after it was reported that Vice President JD Vance and Usha are expecting their fourth child.
- Jimmy Butler is trending, with over 200,000 searches in less than a day after he tore his ACL in his game against the Miami Heat.
- Netflix is a trending Google search query, rising 200% in just 15 hours after it was reported that the company revised its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash deal.
- Bestseller: Theatre of the Mind by Melanie Borden teaches how leaders can align mindset, visibility, and personal branding with authenticity and credibility.
- Bestseller: No B.S. Guide to Making Them Believe by Dan S. Kennedy teaches how authority, clarity, and belief drive effective marketing and persuasion.
Breaking Tech News and AI Developments
- X said it open-sourced its recommendation algorithm, releasing code built on the same transformer architecture used by xAI’s Grok model.
- ServiceNow and OpenAI announced a multi-year strategic collaboration to integrate OpenAI frontier models into ServiceNow’s enterprise platform.
- Anthropic appointed Mariano-Florentino “Tino” Cuéllar to its Long-Term Benefit Trust, an independent body overseeing the company’s public benefit mission.
- OpenAI is rolling out age prediction in ChatGPT to identify users under 18 and automatically apply additional safety protections.
- Nvidia invested $150 million in AI inference startup Baseten as part of a $300 million round, underscoring its push into large-scale AI deployment.
Think with Team Vavoza 💡
The tech world in January 2026 feels different – we are finally moving past the “wild west” phase into something that actually works for business.
With heavy hitters like Nvidia and ServiceNow doubling down on infrastructure, AI isn’t just a shiny new toy anymore; it is becoming the reliable engine behind our daily work.
We are also seeing a massive shift toward transparency. X’s open-sourcing of its recommendation algorithm is a game-changer because it means we are moving away from guessing games and toward actually understanding why content performs the way it does.
Here is a quick thought:
Stop chasing every new tool that drops this week and look closer at what you are already using. With platforms like ChatGPT getting serious about safety protocols, use that new data to audit your current stack and ensure it is actually serving your audience.
2026 will be about trust, not just raw power. The brands that win won’t necessarily be the ones with the flashiest tech stack, but the ones that use reliable, ethical systems to build real connections.
You may also want to check out some of our other marketing trends and tech news.
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