Here are the hottest social media marketing trends, buzzing content ideas, and big AI news on January 20, 2026:
New Social Media Trends and Content Ideas
- The 2016 Trend is trending on social media – creators are posting images and videos of themselves back in 2016, featuring outdated outfits, early work setups, or casual moments.
To participate in this trend, post the clip with minimal editing and little to no explanation. Add a simple text overlay like “me in 2016,” so viewers immediately understand the context, then let the contrast do the work. - Throwback To When is a buzzing TikTok and Instagram trend. Post an old clip or photo and add a text overlay like “Throwback to when I fell asleep at work”.
The clarity of the moment is what makes people stop scrolling. Viewers immediately recognize the scenario and connect it to their own experience.
Choose a moment that doesn’t need explanation and post it with minimal editing. Add the overlay in large, readable text, and keep the video short so it loops.
This format is effective because it’s easy to replicate, feels authentic, and encourages engagement from people who have lived through the exact moment. - When My Competition Is… is a scroll-stopping social media trend built on contrast and humor. Post a video with a text overlay like “When my competition is a guy who sleeps in on the weekends,” then show yourself working, training, or staying disciplined.
The trend works best when the flaw is exaggerated but harmless, and the visuals clearly contradict it. Post with minimal editing, use large, readable text, and keep the clip short so it loops naturally.
This format performs well because it’s easy to replicate, feels confident without being aggressive, and taps into experiences most viewers recognize from their own lives. - In Under {X} Seconds is a viral social media trend built around delivering fast, time-bound value. Post a video with a text overlay like “Top 5 marketing tips for beginners in under 30 seconds,” immediately telling viewers what they’ll learn and how long it will take.
To use this trend effectively, decide how many tips you’ll share, match them to a realistic time limit, and present each tip in one short sentence with large on-screen text. Keep the pacing tight, cut out pauses, and end the video within the promised time. - Don’t Build {X}, Build {Y} Instead is a YouTube trend that uses contrast to deliver clearer direction. Title the video with a direct comparison, such as “Don’t build agents, build skills instead in 2026,” and frame the content around helping viewers decide where to focus their time and effort.
Explain why the first option is overemphasized, then clearly show what to focus on instead and how to start.
Break the video into two parts: what people get wrong about building XYZ, and what actions actually compound over the long term. Use examples, simple frameworks, and concrete steps so viewers leave knowing exactly what to prioritize next.
What’s Trending On Google + Amazon Bestsellers
- Crypto is trending on Google, with over 10,000 searches in just 23 hours, as investors search for crypto prices and the Fear and Greed Index.
- Regional Airlines is trending on Google, rising 300% in just 1 hour after the company announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- The Chicago Bears are going viral on Google, reaching over 2 million searches in less than a day after losing to the Rams 20-17 in overtime.
- Bestseller: How to Be a Rich Old Lady by Amanda Holden offers accessible investing, wealth-building systems, and financial confidence to build a secure future.
- Bestseller: Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth by Neal Schaffer teaches how to use LinkedIn strategically to build credibility, grow networks, and drive results.
Breaking Tech News and AI Developments
- IBM introduced Enterprise Advantage that enables companies to build, govern, and operate AI platforms for agentic applications across multiple clouds and models.
- OpenAI said its business scales with the value AI delivers, linking subscriptions, APIs, and compute investment to real-world usage and outcomes.
- Google said it filed an appeal of the DOJ search distribution ruling and asked the court to pause the remedies while the appeal is reviewed.
- Elon Musk is seeking up to $134 billion from OpenAI and Microsoft, arguing his early backing generated gains he is now entitled to recover.
- IBM said a new study found 79% of executives expect AI to drive revenue by 2030, with investment shifting from efficiency toward innovation.
- Nintendo: Devon Pritchard recently delivered her first video message as Nintendo of America president at the New York Game Awards.
Think with Team Vavoza 💡
In a feed flooded with AI-generated polish, “low fidelity” has ironically become the highest signal of trust.
The surge of trends like “The 2016 Trend” and “Throwback To When” proves that people are exhausted by perfection and are clearly responding to content that feels genuine and relatable.
Most of us may just be catching on to this trend, but did you know that photographers have known and capitalized on it for years? Ask any successful photographer, and they’ll tell you that people are obsessed with grainy, even blurry, film images.
Today, your unpolished memories and your camera roll just might be your competitive edge in the noisy marketplace.
Your imperfections and “bad” lighting are now your unique fingerprints. While your competitors use tools to sanitize their image, you can use your messy archives to build a bond that algorithms can’t replicate.
You may also want to check out some of our other marketing trends and tech news.
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