Hey friends! It’s time for my Karen’s Corner thoughts on socials and marketing.
Not only that… we here at A Touch of Mystery & More Entertainment Group wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!🥳
Let’s jump in…
Navigating Creativity & Connection in 2026
Why Showing Up Online Is Finally Getting Easier for Creatives
As the year winds down, many creatives and performers are asking a simple but important question:
How can showing up online feel easier next year?
The answer emerging for 2026 isn’t about chasing trends, posting more often, or forcing yourself into rigid marketing strategies. Instead, social media is shifting toward something far more sustainable. That is, human connection, storytelling, and alignment.
After years of hyper-curated feeds and aesthetic-first content, audiences are craving something different. The era of perfectly polished, personality-free posting is fading. In its place is what many are calling polished human content. I ntentional, real, and recognizably human.
And for creatives? This shift is a relief.
Direction Over Speed
Rather than pushing for constant growth or viral success, 2026 is about navigation… choosing direction over speed.
Creatives no longer need to niche themselves into tiny boxes or reduce their identity to a single label. Audiences don’t follow categories; they follow people.
What resonates now is the through-line: your process, your curiosity, your work, and the way you move through the world. Whether you’re a performer, writer, artist, or creative business owner, people connect to how you tell your story — not how neatly you package it.
Connection Beats Virality
Follower count and viral posts matter less than they once did. A spike in views doesn’t automatically create trust. What does? Consistency, clarity, and genuine connection.
People don’t buy from content alone, they buy from connection.
Social platforms are increasingly functioning as search engines and discovery tools. Users are intentionally choosing what they consume, spending more time with long-form storytelling, and tuning out content that feels loud, forced, or purely promotional.
For creatives, this means less pressure to perform and more freedom to communicate honestly.
What This Means for Creatives in 2026
This shift allows creators to stop doing things that drain them, like chasing trends they hate, posting constantly just to stay visible, or pretending to be someone they’re not.
Instead, creators can:
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Answer real questions
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Share real stories
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Build trust over time
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Sell through service, not pressure
Social selling now looks more like:
“Here’s something that helped me, maybe it will help you too.”
What Showing Up Actually Looks Like
Practically speaking, showing up in 2026 is simpler and more human. It looks like:
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Talking to the camera the way you’d talk to a friend
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Sharing your thinking while you’re still figuring things out
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Creating a few recognizable formats instead of constant reinvention
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Repurposing existing content instead of starting from scratch every week
Selling becomes an extension of service — offering a guide, experience, or next step that people are already asking for.
Social Media as Navigation, Not Performance
Social media no longer needs to feel like a test you’re failing. In 2026, it works best as a tool for navigation. A compass, if you will, that helps you connect, share, and build something meaningful over time.
The creators who will thrive won’t be the loudest or most optimized. They’ll be the ones who show up with clarity, consistency, and heart.
Your story isn’t separate from your strategy.
It is the strategy.
🎭 A Note for A Touch of Mystery Audiences
At A Touch of Mystery & More Entertainment Group, storytelling, connection, and immersive experiences are at the heart of everything we do, on stage and off. The same principles that make great interactive theatre also make meaningful online presence possible: authenticity, curiosity, and inviting people into the experience.
👉 To read the full, in-depth post, including creative strategy, platform insights, and what this means for 2026, head on over to my Substack:
If you want more encouragement, creative strategy, and behind-the-scenes insights, you can find me on Substack at The Social Butterfly Buzz, I’d love to have you there. 
The Social Butterfly Buzz
Follow my podcast new episode coming in January with your creative GPS!
