Stop Creating Content Nobody Watches: Here's What's Works in 2026

I grew an account from 6 to 23,000 followers in the past 6 weeks. Not by following the same recycled advice everyone posts. Most people are still running 2023 playbooks and wondering why nothing lands.

Here's what I've found:

1. Pick one platform and optimize for it.

The platforms are wildly different in what performs. I've seen creators pulling 100k average views per video on Instagram get literally 1,000 views on the same exact video on YouTube Shorts and TikTok. And vice versa. The content that wins on each platform is not the same.

You should still cross-post because it's basically no extra effort and you might get traction depending on your niche. But unless you have a multi-million dollar production team cranking out platform-specific content like the Hormozis and Gary Vees of the world, pick one platform and go all in on it.

The creators winning right now aren't "everywhere." They're dominant on one platform and letting the others collect scraps.

2. Skit formats are massively underused.

Depending on your niche, skits are one of the highest-performing formats right now. We made a video for a franchise client comparing Wingstop vs. Chick-fil-A, just a simple skit breaking down the upsides and downsides of each. Super simple editing, super simple setup. It hit 5 million views.

You don't need a production crew. You need a format that people actually want to watch.

3. Match your vibe to the platform.

This is where most people screw up. On Instagram, higher-end, more produced content tends to win. Better graphics, polished captions, tighter editing. On TikTok, that same content usually tanks. What works on TikTok is raw. It should feel like a FaceTime call or a video message you'd send a friend. Basic text hook, basic TikTok captions, no fancy production.

YouTube Shorts leans more toward produced content too, but it skews more mass-market consumer. Straight business content doesn't hit as hard there.

4. Use ai for certain parts of your content process (but the right way)

ChatGPT still isn't great at writing scripts on its own, but there are AI tools out there that are legitimately good at creating a solid first draft. I use AI to write 100% of the scripts for my clients.

We've had AI-written scripts hit millions of views. It's obviously not a silver bullet, you'll still have videos that flop and if the core idea sucks then no tool is saving that video lol, but the idea that AI "can't" write content that performs is just wrong. You need to find the right tools and know how to use them.

Nobody cares about your perfectly edited carousel posts anymore. They care about being entertained or having their problems solved.

This isn't theory. These are real results across real accounts. Happy to share more if anyone’s interested.

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