Six Ways To Use The Fresh Start Effect To Your Advantage This New Year

We have officially entered a new year and with that comes an opportunity to refresh and rethink your social media marketing strategy. 

I’m not suggesting you rewrite the script, but there is something potent about the month of January as a catalyst for change, for doing those things you know you ought to, but never quite get around to. 

In fact, it’s scientifically proven that January is the best month of the year to enact change (something psychologists call the fresh start effect), so here are my recommendations for what to action while your brain is most amenable to doing so: 

1. Get ahead of trends

You don’t want to make it to June before you realise you should be applying real-time marketing tactics to your current content. Keep on top of trends now, reading up on what’s likely to be important in 2026, both in the marketing world and within your own industry.  

This will help you stay visible on newsfeeds and remain ahead of the competition, as well as ensuring you don’t waste valuable time on tactics that are soooo 2025. 

2. Check out platform updates 

Did you know that Instagram introduced competitor data in November last year? No? Now is your chance to dive into the detail and see how you can leverage such insights to your advantage. Often platforms will add new features and tools rather quietly, making it all too easy to miss out on useful tools.  

Take the time to do some digging into the social channels you’re using and make the most of all they have to offer to guide your strategy. And of course, you can rely on your agency to keep you posted on the many comings and goings of channel updates and should talk to them about leveraging this. 

3. Run a health check on your accounts 

Have you looked at your social media bios in the last six months? I’m guessing probably not, but much could have changed that needs addressing: 

• The basics: Are all facts and figures still accurate? It could be as simple as an update in company headcount, how long the company has been active, or even a phone number, but an incorrect detail not only comes across poorly, it could cost you a customer  

• The branding: Sense check the branding: does the language you’re using reflect your positioning and tone of voice as it currently stands? Your brand social pages act as a shop window to the world but are often overlooked 

• The big stuff: Ensure key messages are accurate and relevant. You wouldn’t be alone in being among those businesses that haven’t changed the bio since they set up the account, but times and priorities may well have changed since then. If you made a shift towards, for example, customer experience or sustainability last year but didn’t reflect this in your bios, now is the time to correct this 

4. Review your current strategy

You may be focusing your ad spend on Facebook because you always have, but what about that emerging audience you’ve been noticing on TikTok? If it’s relevant to your customers, it’s relevant to you, so it’s important to reexamine where you’re prioritising your time, energy and budget. 

And don’t fall into the trap of running a great campaign and moving on. Look again at what was a hit and what was a miss in the last year and see what lessons you can implement in your 2026 thinking.

5. Leverage 2025 data

Data is an absolute treasure trove in guiding said strategy. There’s nothing like the numbers to tell you how your audience is responding to your brand, so make use of them via any and all analytics available to you. 

I’d recommend this is something you explore regularly, but if it’s been a while, there’s no better time than the start of 2026 to examine 2025 data and assess what’s working, what’s not, and what you can do about it. 

6. Reengage your people

Anyone who has seen me deliver a social media training session on the topic will know that I’ve long been a proponent of the power of employee engagement for brands. 

Time and time again we see campaigns fly particularly high when they’re supported by the people in the business, but it’s all too easy for that energy to wane. 

Take the time to remind your team of the important role they play, and reap the rewards of the enhanced visibility and engagement your reminder will generate.  

Now that you’ve taken the time to read this piece (the fresh start effect at play, no doubt!), I’d recommend you use this motivation to carry out at least one of the above, and start your year as you mean to go on: with momentum, energy and a commitment to forward thinking.  

If you’d like to learn more about social media strategy, feel free to reach out to Alex Dixon, senior social media strategy director.