If your content has been feeling a little flat lately, this episode is your refresh. Jodie breaks down the content types that are driving real results in 2026, pulled straight from what she's seeing across her content marketing agency and her own education brand. The good news? You don't have to create every single format. Pick a few, make them your own, and get strategic about how you're showing up.

Here's a quick overview of what's covered:

Photo dump style carousels: Think candid, behind-the-scenes camera roll content shared with your audience. The key is treating your second slide like a second hook since Instagram will often show that slide to people who didn't engage with the first. Add enough text to give context without cluttering the slide, and try pointing to a specific slide in your caption to build curiosity and drive swipe-throughs.

Storytelling carousels: These work best when you use an open loop structure, meaning you don't fully close the thought on each slide so the viewer has to keep swiping to get the payoff. Skip the backstory and drop straight into the middle of a scene. The goal is to open a loop, get them to the next slide, and then open another one.

FaceTime style face to camera content: Low production, high authenticity. Think of it like you're FaceTiming your best friend and telling them something worth hearing. You can film this on your couch or sitting in a parked car. Just make sure your lighting and audio are solid, because while the production value is intentionally casual, quality still matters. A text hook on screen helps anchor the viewer if you're jumping in mid-thought.

Cinematic face to camera content: The more polished counterpart to FaceTime style. This version uses zooms, overlays, sound effects, and dynamic captions to make the content more visually engaging. You don't need a videographer to pull this off. A tripod and the cinematic setting on your iPhone go a long way. Jodie says she regularly gets comments on her video quality and it really comes down to good lighting and that cinematic mode combo. The amount of editing is entirely up to your brand style.

Voiceover content: Your voice laid over B-roll footage, either in a vlog style or as a straight up narrative. The visual storytelling needs to carry its weight here since the days of a voiceover sitting on one static clip are pretty much over. Make sure your footage keeps moving and supports whatever story you're telling out loud.

Short hook reels: A punchy, specific statement placed over B-roll. These still work well when the message is timely and actually says something. If it's generic or vague, it won't land. But if you've got a strong take, this format can get solid reach without a lot of production.

Bonus, quote or statement dump carousels: If you've built up a library of quote or statement graphics, bundle them into a single carousel post with a "take what you need" vibe. It's a simple way to repurpose content you've already created.

One important note Jodie makes throughout: none of these formats will do the heavy lifting if your messaging strategy isn't solid. These are ways to present your message, not a replacement for having one. For more on that, there's plenty of content on this podcast that goes deep on messaging.

You can find more information at www.aligncreativeco.com and send Jodie a DM on Instagram at @itsjodiebrown if you're interested in done-for-you content support.