Personal Branding Trends for 2026

What’s hot, what’s tired, and what’s coming next

The world of personal branding continues to grow … very fast. What used to be considered fresh and creative has now turned into a copy-paste circus of try-hard “authenticity” and recycled morning routines. You’ve seen it. You’ve probably done it. No shame. But 2025 has made one thing painfully clear: if you’re still following the formula, you won’t be turning heads anytime soon.

So, where’s it all heading? What’s working, what’s done, and what should you actually be paying attention to?

Let’s break it down.

Trend #1: The shift away from templated personal brands

We’ve hit saturation point with the “personal brand formula.” You know the one: perfectly curated headshots, the classic “I help X do Y through Z” bios and a bit of manufactured vulnerability added into the mix to make it all feel somehow relatable.

It’s everywhere – on websites, speaker bios, Instagram grids, podcast intros, email newsletters, even the way people introduce themselves at events.

The goal was to stand out. But now? Everyone looks and sounds the same.

What started out as personal branding has become performative branding. Recycled phrases. Vague missions. Over-polished content that says a lot, but means f*ck all. It won’t work because audiences are now switched on more than ever and know exactly when they’re being marketed to.

In 2025, we’re seeing a clear rejection of this rinse-and-repeat approach. People want substance, not surface-level. They want to see personal brands built on real values, lived experience, and actual opinions – not another “here’s what getting up at 5am taught me about success” story.

This shift means:

• Being clearer about what you stand for, not just what you do

• Being consistent across every touchpoint – online, offline, and everything in between

• Being recognisable because of your energy and ideas, not just your writing style

You want people to know it’s you when you're talking, whether that’s online or offline 👇.

🖤 Someone lands on your website – it sounds like you
🖤 They scroll through your content – the messaging is consistent
🖤 They hear you speak at an event – your delivery matches the brand they've seen online
🖤 They read something you’ve written – it carries your voice
🖤 They meet you in person – and nothing feels out of place

Don’t switch personalities just because the platform changes. Being polished isn’t the problem. Being a carbon copy of every other brand strategist / creative consultant / wellness coach / founder out there is where the real problem lies.

So by 2026, there will be no space for that kind of branding-by-numbers.

Trend #2: Purpose over personal brand

The smartest people in the game are building movements. They’re grounded in purpose. They’re obsessed with why they do what they do, not just what they can post about it.

Purpose means getting clear on what actually drives you. What pi*ses you off. What lights you up. What you’re fighting for, not just what you’re selling.

Take Steven Bartlett. His brand is rooted in deeper themes like discipline, identity, failure, mental health, and legacy. He’s not here to be a content machine. He’s here to start conversations that mean something to the right people. Whether it be through his podcast, his books, his investments, or his speaking gigs – it all connects. You know what he stands for. You know what drives him and that there is the power of purpose-led branding.

Purpose isn’t something you can fake by the way. People can feel the difference. It either runs through everything you do or it doesn’t. Brands anchored in genuine purpose perform better. In fact, consumers are 4‑6× more likely to buy from and trust brands with true purpose.

Trend #3: Smaller audience, deeper connection

Forget chasing big numbers and surface-level attention. In 2025, it’s about resonance, not reach. Quality over quantity.

We’re seeing a clear shift away from mass appeal towards building genuine connection. Less viral moments, more meaningful ones.

Your audience might shrink at first when you get honest. That’s fine. The people who stick around are the ones who really matter. They’re the ones who buy, refer, collaborate, and care.

Another thing we like to remind people is that just because someone’s going viral doesn’t mean they’re necessarily getting leads or the right attention. In fact, most of the time, they’re not. That’s the thing with viral moments – they blow up for a bit, then vanish. It’s attention, not connection. And there’s a big f*cking difference.

You can have all the views in the world, but if no one remembers you or even rates you as a person then what’s the point? A smaller audience that actually gives a sh*t will get you further every time.

Trend #4: Strategy still matters

Just because personal branding is getting more human, it doesn’t mean it’s time to ditch your personal branding strategy. Don’t do that.

👉 Clear messaging pillars – So you’re not just posting random sh*t that doesn’t build towards anything. You need to know what you are, own your sh*t, then lean into it. This is where you plant your flag and keep showing up with the same message over and over. That’s how recognition happens. You want people to hear a topic, a phrase, a perspective and instantly think of you. If your messaging flips every week based on what’s trending, you’ll blend in with the rest.

👉 Visual consistency – Looking like 12 different people depending on what day it is is confusing. Your visual identity – photos, colour palette, style, typography – should all feel cohesive and recognisable. Whether someone’s seeing you on stage, on socials, on your website or in an email signature, it should look and feel like the same person. That’s how trust builds through both visual and emotional means.

👉 Content with purpose – Every bit of content you put out should do something. Educate. Challenge. Invite. Entertain. Spark a reaction. Build authority. If you’re just showing up/posting for the sake of staying “active” (a lot of people do 🙄), you’ll waste time and dilute your message. Good content moves you forward. It speaks to your audience and supports your long-term goals. Work towards building momentum.

At the end of the day, personal branding is all about showing up with intention. That’s where proper strategy comes in. Not fluff. Not guesswork. Real thinking. Real structure. Built around who you are, what you care about, and where you want to take it. Anything less? Noise.

Trend #5: Content that reflects you

If your photos look stiff, your videos sound scripted, and your copy reads like it was written by anyone, something’s not right and it’s got to change … fast.

In 2026, your personal brand will need to look and feel like you. It should run through the bones of your content. Not just in what you say but also in how you say it, how you show up, and how it all ties together.

That’s why hiring a personal branding agency to do it all for you isn’t about outsourcing your identity – it’s about pulling it out, shaping it clearly, and making sure it shows up everywhere with intention and mega impact.

Custom Photography and Video

Your visuals need to tell a story. They should show people who you are, what you’re about, and why they should care. And no, that doesn’t mean overly-produced brand shoots or pretending to be someone you’re not.

A lot of people aren’t comfortable in front of a camera. That’s okay. But trust us when we say: you can still build a personal brand without faking confidence. That’s why working with the right agency matters. We know how to make it feel easy. Candid shots are better anyway – it’s real and that’s how we like it. You don’t need a full production crew or a cheesy backdrop. You just need visuals that feel like you and back up the rest of your brand.

No stiff poses. No fake grins. No trying to look “professional” in a way that kills all your personality. Just honest content that does what it’s meant to do – connect.

Tone of voice

This is more than how you string a sentence together. It’s what you say, what you don’t say and how you say it. Your tone carries your personality. It shows your confidence. It reveals your priorities. It’s your attitude, your rhythm, your filter. It’s how people get a feel for you before they’ve even met you.

And it shows up everywhere:

• Your website copy

• Your bios

• Your content captions

• Your presentations

• Your emails

• Even how you introduce yourself

Get it right, and people know exactly what you’re about from the first line. They hear your voice. They feel your intent. Get it wrong, and it’s just white noise.

It’s harder than you think. We’ve had clients think that their tone of voice is fine, but what they really have is copy that sounds just like everyone else. No edge. No opinion. No identity.

A proper tone of voice should carry across platforms and make people feel something when they hear from you.

Storytelling Journey

Content that shows the whole journey – not just your highlight reel. Not just the wins, the launches, the takeaways. People want to see the process. The f*ck-ups. The learning curves. The messy middle bits that few people talk about. That’s what actually makes you human and that’s what people connect with.

We’re not saying you need to trauma-dump for engagement. We’re just talking about honesty. Vulnerability. The stuff people can relate to. The conversations around burnout, boundaries, work-life chaos, creative blocks, self-doubt – whatever’s real for you. It’s not weakness. It’s truth. And in 2025, truth is rare enough to stand out.

The irony we’ve noticed is that what you think is “too small” or “too normal” to talk about is often the thing that resonates most with your audience. Because while everyone’s too busy pretending they’ve got it all figured out, you will actually give people a taste for what’s real and this naturally gives people a reason to trust you.

You don’t need to turn your life into content. But the stories that shaped you, the moments that changed how you think, and the lessons you’re still figuring out is the stuff that builds a brand people feel.

This is all about being genuine. And if you want to build a personal brand that lasts, you have to be willing to show the whole journey.

So… what’s next?

We’re moving from influencers to leaders with purpose. From people chasing visibility to people moving towards change. From generic “personal brands” to purpose-fuelled identities that stand for something. Influencers rarely show the reality, they show a highlight reel. But people are craving something deeper now. They want honesty, not perfection. The truth is, you can’t put your full trust in someone who’s only ever selling. If that whole scene isn’t you, the anti-influencer guide to personal branding is where to start.

This is why we’re seeing a shift. Audiences are turning to creators and voices they can actually relate to through things like user-generated content, peer recommendations, and personal stories that feel lived-in, not manufactured. Authenticity is what cuts through. And the strongest personal brands are built on exactly that.

If you’re trying to build a brand in 2026, here’s what to focus on:

• Start with why you care – Not what’s trending. Not what gets likes, but why it matters.
  
  

• Work with people who can see your blind spots – There’s a reason why most people struggle with building a personal brand. It’s because you’re too close to your own story to see what’s good. That’s where co&co come in.
  
  

• Build a FULL brand system – Strategy, messaging, visuals, content – it all needs to sync.
  
  

• Ditch the ego, keep the edge – You don’t need to perform. You need to show up, for real.

co&co: making personal branding sh*thot

We help people build personal brands with depth. That reflects who they are, what they believe in, and what they’re here to do. No filters. No faking it. No formulas.

There are endless benefits to having a strong personal brand, but most people don’t know how to tap into them properly. That’s where we come in. Let’s make sure yours hits different.

We do it through:

• Brand strategy rooted in purpose

• Messaging that sounds like you

• Visuals that make you stand out

• Content creation that connects

• Full management (so we’ve got your back if you want us to just run the whole thing 😉)

We genuinely know what it takes to cut through in a world full of noise.

The personal brand bubble has burst. 2026 will be all about meaning, not metrics. Clarity, not clout. Real voices, not rehearsed personas. One thing we are clear on is that you can’t build a strong personal brand on your own. It won’t have the same impact - trust us on that one.

If you’re ready to stop performing and start building something that reflects who you are – look no further, co&co’s ready when you are 👀 .

Let’s build something with purpose. And make it look f*cking good while we’re at it.