Why original content in 2026 matters more than ever – and how smart brands are winning

by Natalie Khoo

When I attended the WTSFest Melbourne 2025, one thing everyone couldn’t stop talking about was the “sea of sameness” brands are getting stuck in because of AI. 

It got me thinking: why did people stop producing original content?

In this post, I’m sharing what I learned at the fest, and adding my two cents along the way.

When I say original content, I don’t just mean publishing yet another blog post. I mean offering something real to people: 

• lived experience

• human stories

• content that earns trust. 

  
  

With search engines and generative‑AI tools increasingly thirsty for authenticity over keyword stuffing, brands that lean into honesty, emotion and community win.

Many companies are making original content their bread and butter to achieve faster visibility, differentiation, and long-term credibility.

Key takeaways

• Search engines and AI tools prioritise content with real context, human voice, and emotional resonance over keyword-heavy SEO templates.

• In 2026, content will stand out not just by being unique, but by being unrepeatable – grounded in lived experience, case studies, and user stories.

• User-generated content (UGC) builds trust. Reviews, testimonials, and customer feedback are now more persuasive and rankable than polished brand statements.

• Structured narratives that show challenges, journeys, and outcomes connect more deeply with audiences and establish credibility.

• Consistency matters, but so does heart. Regular content updates are important, but infusing them with genuine human voices ensures long-term trust and brand differentiation.

What original content actually means in 2026

The definition of original content has evolved. In 2018, it meant content that wasn't plagiarised. In 2026, it means content that can’t be replicated.

Flooding your site with generic SEO blogs might have worked once. Today, though, AI and search favour three key elements:

• depth

• nuance 

• authenticity.

  
  

This clears the runway to real human context. Original content now needs to carry traces of real lives, decisions, and problems – it’s gone way past the product specs and marketing fluff. Ultimately, authentic equals trustworthy. 

Users and the new generation of AI systems alike want signals they can trust: 

• a well-crafted case study

• a genuine review

• a heartfelt customer story communicates more than pages of generic blog posts.

  
  

Why this shift matters for SEO, AI search and thought leadership

When AI tools or search engines index your content, what stands out isn’t the number of words. It’s the signal of authenticity: 

• context

• sentiment

• human voice. 

  
  

This matters for three critical areas:

1. The SEO renaissance: E-E-A-T and beyond

Search engine guidance, especially Google's framework, continues to emphasise E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). Experience and trustworthiness are directly tied to content that reflects real-world interaction, not just academic knowledge.

Nearly half (47%) of US B2B marketers specifically name building trust and credibility among their top content marketing goals.

2. The rise of AI-driven search

The days of only clicking through lists of ten blue links are fading. AI search engines are shifting focus from simply matching keywords to understanding context, intent, and semantics. 

AI-powered search pulls from diverse sources – affiliates, forums, and most importantly, user-generated content (UGC). The AI trusts real people talking about a brand more than the brand talking about itself.

To accurately synthesise and recommend answers, AI needs content with:

• clarity

• relevance

• human truth. 

  
  

3. The trust premium: The new differentiator

Authenticity isn’t a marketing tactic; it’s the currency of modern brand loyalty. A 2019 Edelman trust report showed that 81% of people consider trust to be a deciding factor in their brand buying decision. So when a brand builds trust, consumers reward it.

Real-life examples of brands and voices nailing original content 

Apple – “A Critter Carol”

Apple’s 2025 holiday ad eschewed slick generative‑AI visuals and instead leaned hard into tactile, handcrafted puppetry – showing that this trend started last year.

The video stars nine woodland creatures, hand‑operated by puppeteers. It tells a tale of friendship, shot wholly on the new iPhone 17 Pro.

The result feels human, warm and real – a standout in a sea of digitally polished but emotionally flat ads. That kind of authenticity resonates harder than studio‑perfect CGI or AI-generated videos ever could. And reinforces Apple as a brand for the creatives.

Zoe Scaman – loud, honest, unapologetic perspective

In her Substack blog piece, “The Strategist's Shame”, Zoe Scaman calls out performative marketing and 'strategic theatre', urging readers and industry insiders alike to stop playing it safe and start telling the truth.

Her raw honesty, even if divisive, reflects a brand of content that doesn’t hide behind gloss or gates.

That kind of candid, sometimes uncomfortable insight stands out in a landscape full of templated “best practice” content.

Jeremy Ettinghausen for The Guardian – thought leadership rooted in personal observation

In his Guardian article “18 months. 12,000 questions. A whole lot of anxiety. What I learned from reading students’ ChatGPT logs,” journalist Jeremy Ettinghausen shared insights from reviewing students’ interactions with AI tools.

His honest reflection – part research, part anecdote – lets readers “eavesdrop” on real student behaviour and emotions. The result is an authentic, first-person take on the evolving role of generative AI in education.

This kind of grounded, transparent storytelling is a powerful form of thought leadership: it positions the author as credible, reflective, and deeply human.

Avion’s approach: real people, real stories, real impact

At Avion, we believe deeply in human‑centric content. That means:

• Prioritising lived experience and user stories – case studies, customer interviews, testimonials, and real feedback.

• Treating content as relational, not transactional – building trust over time rather than chasing short-term clicks.

• Leaning on user‑generated content (UGC) and reviews – letting customers speak for you feels more authentic (and more persuasive) than marketing copy.

• Designing content to move people, not just algorithms – connection and relatability matter as much as keywords.

  
  

We build content that humans recognise, and that AI respects.

5 steps to create original content that stands out

If you’re bold enough to say something real and truly connect with audiences, and not just design for the algorithm, we’ve got you covered. Here are the five pillars to create authentic content:

Prioritise substance over volume

Better to publish one honest, layered case study than five superficial how-tos. Start by auditing your current content stack to identify thin articles or repetitive SEO blogs.

Harvest real voices (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC) is the simplest way to inject genuine human context into your brand. Hand the mic to real people and actively seek out:

• customer interviews

• testimonials

• feedback emails

• user reviews.

  
  

Give this content a prominent home on your channels. After all, you can’t ignore that 42% of consumers trust reviews as a personal recommendation.

Use storytelling to create authentic content

Generic content sells a product; original storytelling sells a belief. Want to sell your product or service authentically? Move from talking about “what you do” to “how you do it”. 

Think beyond feature lists: lean into the three-act structure of human experience:

1. The problem or challenge: Establish the authentic, difficult context your customer faced.

2. The journey or solution: Detail the actual process (warts and all) of how your unique perspective or product helped create change. This is where you craft narratives: what problem existed, how did you help, what changed. Let the story do the convincing.

3. The resolution or vision: Offer a clear, forward-looking outcome.

   
   

Showcase authenticity through visuals and voice

Use media that feels human to show these. Think less polished stock video and more raw, in-the-field footage, or even unexpected choices like Apple’s use of puppetry in their Christmas ad. 

These intentional imperfections convey sincerity and vulnerability, creating an emotional connection that AI-generated perfection can’t replicate.

Be consistent, but don’t lose humanity

Maintain regular updates and a steady presence, but always infuse that schedule with heart: evolving stories, new voices, and fresh perspectives from within your organisation and your customer community. 

This consistency builds the kind of deep, long-term trust that powers true thought leadership.

Why I’m betting on authenticity (and you should, too)

Because the world is overflowing with content and people (and AI) are tuning out sameness. Humans respond better to humanity, specificity, and truth.

The infiniteness of generic blogs is becoming all but background noise. But to read about a real story, a lived experience or a community voice? That’s a signal. And signals get attention, build trust. So if you can send a signal, you can stand out from the crowd.

Stop relying on templated SEO content – now's the time to pause and reflect. The brands that will win in 2026 are those bold enough to say something real and connect with people genuinely.

Image credits: Illustration by pch.vector on Freepik. Custom GIFs by Oscars, Pose FX, and Kochstrasse on Giphy.