Looking Ahead to 2026: Q1 Best Practices
As 2025 comes to a close, marketers must begin planning ahead. The start of a new year is a great time to make changes to your content that you’ve been wanting to enact, try new things, and alter your strategy.
The team at Lyv Marketing wants to help you with tips on what to implement into your strategies at the start of 2026. The future is familiar to marketers, as we often plan things months in advance. Because of this, the new year is even more of an important time to take a look back at what worked this year and what didn’t.
Enhance your short-form video content
Short-form video content was huge in 2025 and marketing professionals don’t think it’s going anywhere in the new year. Short-form video content allows your customers to receive important information quickly and in their preferred content style.
Short-form content works best when it includes compelling headlines and opening sentences that capture attention along with a storytelling technique that evokes emotions and creates a memorable impact. In 2026, make sure that all of your visuals and graphics are clear and interesting. Take the time to invest in quality equipment and take your time when editing.
Up-Level your Client Service & Relationships
The new year gives you ample opportunities to engage more with your clients and strengthen those relationships. Your clients want to know the people behind the agency and they need to be able to trust that you will deliver results for them. Some ways to build out these relationships and foster their trust are…
Have more ‘fun’ meetings or lunches that don’t just revolve around business, but getting to know each other as people.
Don’t be afraid of hard conversations. Facing potential problems head on shows that you are looking ahead and that you are equipped to make changes when necessary.
Create quality content and results. While this may sound obvious, delivering your clients a return on their investment builds their trust and keeps them coming back.
Don’t Try to be Everywhere All at Once
Marketers often have to wear a lot of hats. Client liaison, social media manager, copywriter, blogger, and the list goes on. But, it is important not to let all of these tasks distract you from your workflow. When you try to be in too many places at once, it is easy to lose focus and get distracted from your goals.
By remaining focused on the task at hand and not allowing yourself to be spread too thin, you will be more reliable and do more quality work.
Challenge Yourself to Try One New Thing
Trying new things is intimidating. That is why it is a great idea to try to implement them at the beginning of the year. This way, if it doesn’t work, you can easily remove it from your strategy for the rest of the year. On the other hand, if it does work, you can keep it in your plans for the rest of the year and get a true scope of its ROI.
Social Responsibility Never Goes Out of Style
Delivering your customers a quality product is a strategy that marketers should take into every new year. Incorporating a positive action into the structure of both your agency and your client’s business is one of the biggest yearly goals you should have.
While it can be tough to know what the impact of your work will be while you are creating it, try to place yourself in the eyes of the viewer and look at your work that way. Ask yourself some questions about what you are creating…
What does this do for the general public?
What does this do for the business as a whole?
What does this do for the state of the industry?
Takeaway: Take Some New Things Into 2026, but Don’t Ignore Your Evergreen Strategies
New strategies and business ventures are exciting! They are fun to plan and give you a clean slate on creativity. But, it is important to continue doing what works. If something is performing well for you consistently, it is wise to carry that strategy into the new year,
Here at Lyv Marketing, we want to help you find those reliable strategies! You can count on us to guide you are you create your perfect marketing plan.
