Personal brand is here in a big way.
If you haven’t heard, it’s the big new thing in marketing — company brands are over and personal brands are in.
Like a lot of marketing trends, it’s hyperbolic AF but there is some merit to it.
People are trusting people and consumers are becoming more and more suspicious of corporate messaging that is overly polished.
Gone are the days of immaculately designed Instagram grid layouts and flat lays. Quick and dirty, gritty, and scrappy content is blending into algorithms and it’s people who are cutting through the noise.
At the beginning of 2026, every marketer and their cavoodle said something to the effect of this, “With the rise of AI, 2026 will be the year that consumers want to connect with people.”
And that was met with a lot of, “Well, yeah, duh.”
Obviousness aside, it’s true. We’re at a stage where you can create a perfect blog post, social post, page, etc. with AI.
But AI can’t rough up a chaotic reel and it can’t replace a video of you talking directly to the camera about your personal experience and your actual expertise.
The difference now isn’t just authenticity — it’s proof of experience. People don’t just want to hear what works. They want to see who’s actually done it.
Relatability is huge, too. Marketing is so often about connection. Stories and real people are way easier to relate to and connect with.
And then there’s transparency. People are loving a peek behind the curtain. How the sausage is made, if you will. It’s this content that’s being favoured by both people and the algorithms.
On social algorithms, they’re also prioritising people over those branded or company pages.
Think actual people posting on LinkedIn, founders posting on TikTok, and DITL content from employees.
The rise of founder-led content
Founders in and of themselves are becoming central marketing channels. This content is resonating online and it’s outperforming brand content.
What founder content typically includes
This is the sort of content founders are posting that connects online:
- Business lessons and insights
- Personal experiences building the company
- Commentary on industry trends
- Storytelling about wins, failures and growth
It’s working particularly well for new businesses. When founders document their business start up process, it builds this level of buy-in that really connects online.
Why it works
It’s a low stakes way to demonstrate how much you know in a way that actually sticks with your audience. It shifts the dynamic from that corporate, webinar-style, “I’m going to drop some knowledge” and becomes a more casual drip feed of your expertise.
It humanises you, adds personality to your brand, and creates really strong authority without feeling forced.
That’s why founder content works so well. It doesn’t feel like marketing, but it still does the job:
- Creates emotional connection
- Demonstrates expertise
- Builds authority for the business
- Humanises the brand
Founder & team visibility builds brand authority
There was a time in marketing where websites were inherently un-trustworthy and to get conversions online, trust was essential.
Over the years, those trust pieces have become a standard part of web design that we all kind of intuitively know we need to include.
Founder visibility and recognition is becoming the next iteration of that. It’s not just founders though. It’s the people in your business and your audience’s ability to recognise and name them, that is building authority.
When you and your team become visible, your business benefits from:
- increased trust
- faster brand recognition
- stronger media opportunities
- improved recruitment appeal
Businesses are realising their team is one of their strongest marketing assets.
Like I said, it’s not just founders. It’s people in general.
Your team sharing stories and anecdotes on social media is going to connect in a much stronger way than a classic graphic or designed post.
Those posts aren’t redundant but together, they can create a really well-rounded strategy.
And by incorporating your team into your content, you can elevate them as subject matter experts, share your culture, and expand your visibility online.
So, why is personal brand huge all of a sudden?
We have all the information in the world at our fingertips and it means that traditional marketing is easily seen through. Everyone knows how it works so we need to find new, creative ways to cut through.
Advertising is relentless.
- You start a podcast — there’s an ad.
- You drive to work — billboards.
- You open your phone — ads in every app.
At a certain point, people just switch off.
And what cuts through isn’t louder ads — it’s content that actually feels worth paying attention to.
Content you can relate to, stories that are compelling, or content that you genuinely just find interesting.
And that kind of content most often comes from people.
What it means for your business
Look, we’re definitely seeing a shift in the kind of content and marketing that’s working on social media and in paid advertising.
But I’m not saying drop your current strategy and become an influencer.
Founder-led content isn’t for everyone. Even at Excite, our founders are very rarely in our content and our marketing hasn’t suffered for it.
But if you’re not using people in your content, then there is opportunity left on the table and it’s worth exploring.
Anonymous marketing is becoming dated.
- If it suits your business, then consider getting your founder(s) to do some storytelling.
- Encourage your team members to contribute, whether it’s thought leadership, fun behind-the-scenes content, or commentary on your industry.
- Build a culture that encourages being visible, sharing thought leadership, and celebrate your team.
The future of marketing is people
Need a hand with your content or social media strategy? We’d love to chat 👋
