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Archive

Month: January 2026

2026 Social Media Trends 

Posted on by administir
social media trends for 2026, graphic representation of engagement and where people meet

ICYMI, social media is no longer about broadcasting brand content. It’s about delivering value, relevance, and real connection. With more noise and AI-generated content than ever and declining organic reach, social is a competitive space for brands. Read on for this year’s key social media trends. 

Expect Short Form Video to Dominate

Short-form video remains the undisputed engine of engagement, with TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts continuing to shape how users discover brands, products, and ideas. Video is no longer optional; it’s the default format audiences expect. The rise of AI also raises the bar for authenticity. Audiences are quick to tune out anything that feels generic or automated, making human voice, transparency, and purpose-driven storytelling more important than ever.

Social Search is the Standard 

Social platforms are increasingly serving as search engines. Consumers use social media to research products, evaluate brands, and make decisions, blurring the line between content, discovery, and conversion. This shift prompts marketers to optimize social content not just for engagement, but also for clarity, credibility, and action.

Community vs. Engagement

Finally, community will outperform reach. Platforms are prioritizing meaningful interactions through comments, DMs, groups, and niche audiences rather than rewarding sheer follower counts. Organic reach has been on the decline for quite some time. Brands that invest in conversation, relationship-building, and community-led content will be better positioned to earn trust and loyalty in an increasingly crowded social landscape.

Partner With STIR 

Start the year strong and partner with STIR to future-proof your organic and paid social strategy for the best results. We help brands adapt, stand out, and perform in 2026 and beyond.  

2026 Public Relations Trends

Posted on by administir
2026 public relations trends, visiual representation of search party

Today, public relations is evolving in real time as AI accelerates the news cycle, reshapes media discovery, and redefines how brands build credibility and trust. From earned visibility in AI-powered platforms to data-driven storytelling and reputation management, the rules of PR are being expanded. Here are the key public relations trends shaping the year ahead.

PR Leads the Way in AI Search  

A new study of over one million links from AI responses finds that 94% of links cited by AI are non-paid media stories. There is no bigger story for 2026 than how important it will be for PR teams to rethink how they show up in these AI search platforms.  Strong earned media, clear messaging, and a consistent expert voice matter more than ever as AI models draw from the most credible and repeated sources they can find. If you’re not pushing out relevant content, your brand will be invisible.  

That means generating credible mentions across reputable outlets, ensuring executive voices are frequently quoted, and ensuring every story reinforces the same core messaging. AI rewards repetition and clarity; the more aligned your narrative is, the more confidently a model can summarize who you are. Focus on recency, keeping a steady drumbeat of fresh coverage as AI tools prioritize content sourced within the last year.

Conduct an AI audit for your brand, identifying weak spots and developing a strategy that yields more relevant thought leadership, quotable insights, and high-quality digital content. This includes elevating executives in article mentions, contributed articles, podcasts, and panels where they can articulate ideas in ways that AI models can easily pull from later.   

Start the New Year With STIR 

Partner with STIR to work with a team that has the latest insights. From evaluating how AI-platforms surface your brand to building an integrated strategy that drives stronger results, STIR will help future-proof your strategy for the best results in 2026.  

Posted in PR

2026 Paid Search Trends

Posted on by administir
paid search trends featured image, visual representation of a user seeking a way forward

2026 is shaping up to be one of those years where we are leaping into transformation rather than stepping into it. AI continues to evolve at breakneck speed, reshaping search, customer journeys, and how brands earn visibility. Here are the key paid search trends shaping the year ahead.

Google Shifts from Key Words to Conversations

Google is rapidly transforming how paid search works, moving beyond traditional keyword matching and toward AI systems that interpret full conversations. Instead of showing ads based on a single query, Google now reads context, intent, and follow-up questions to determine which ads appear and when. 

A key component of this shift is Google’s Performance Max campaigns, which run across all Google channels, including Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail, and Maps. Google determines when ads should appear by optimizing bidding, placements, and creative combinations in real-time. It evaluates audience behavior, search intent, and signals from your website to decide the best ad to show.

Marketers can no longer rely solely on keyword lists. Google’s AI relies on signals such as audience intent, browsing behavior, and particularly the quality of a brand’s first-party data. Clean data (think accurate, complete and consistent information) within Google Business Profiles, consistent reviews, fast-loading pages, clear copy, and a structured site help Google understand what your business offers and who you serve. 

Here’s What Marketers Need to do Now

Strengthen every data signal Google uses to understand your business: 

  • Clarify your messaging and website content so Google can understand what you offer. 
  • Keep reviews fresh and positive to help with credibility. 
  • Improve site speed, structure, and user experience to help visitors and Google’s AI. 
  • Make sure your Google Business Profile and landing pages accurately describe your services and are up to date. 

Google’s AI can only match your ads to the right audience when it clearly understands your brand. The more authoritative and clear your digital footprint, the better your ads will perform in this new conversation-driven search environment. 

Paid Search Powered by STIR

Choose a partner that understands AI-driven platforms and how today’s search engines surface brands. From auditing your current paid search performance to building an integrated, data-driven strategy that maximizes ROI, STIR can help future-proof your paid media approach and position your brand for stronger results in 2026 and beyond. 

STIR Announces Leadership Transition

Posted on by administir
rick stoner, new president and owner, sitting at his desk

STIR is excited to announce that marketing agency veteran and entrepreneur Rick Stoner has been named President and the new owner of the agency, effective January 5. He succeeds current President Brian Bennett, who founded the agency in 2000. Brian will continue with the agency as a strategic planner and advisor during a transition period.

In his role, Rick will lead STIR’s team and guide the agency’s next phase of growth, shaping its long-term vision while strengthening its fully integrated B2B and consumer marketing capabilities. In addition to a commitment to serving long-standing client relationships, he looks forward to growing the agency’s approach to new business development. He will also create innovative partnerships to expand the company’s service capabilities, industry reach and presence within the Milwaukee community’s culture.

Rick brings over 20 years of B2B and consumer marketing experience with executive leadership and practitioner roles at full-service, digital and experiential marketing agencies in Milwaukee and Chicago, including eight-year tenures at Bader Rutter and Derse, Inc. He brings a breadth of entrepreneurial leadership experience, business management expertise, and a broad range of marketing skills, including strategic and brand development, public relations, as well as digital, social media, and event marketing. He is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a seven-year member of the alumni board Communication Arts Partners (CAPS).

“I’ve always admired STIR’s ability to put together custom, integrated marketing solutions that achieve challenging client objectives with a nimble team of experts who excel at their craft,” says the new President and Owner. “My goals are to stabilize what got us this far, grow by innovating our approach to revenue through organic, new and acquired new business development, and ensure STIR remains a trusted, integrated marketing agency for years to come.”

“I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done at STIR and excited for the future of the company, our staff and clients,” Brian added.

Rick, as founder of the acquisition investment partnership Glancey Holdings, has acquired the agency, which will continue to operate under the STIR name. Joining Rick in acquiring the agency are six minority investors, who were each approached with the opportunity based on the value of their business and marketing acumen in growing STIR.

The minority investors are Kelly Kahl, television and film executive and former President of CBS Entertainment, Kyle Nakatusji, CEO & Co-Founder of insurtech company Clearcover, Dr. Moira Kyweluk, PhD, MPH and Founder of Third Space Research, a research firm serving the healthcare and life sciences industries, Dru Korab, Principal of Best Efforts Inc, a multi-media production company and Rebecca Cenni-Leventhal, Founder & CEO and Bernie Caputo, President, both of Atrium Global, a global workforce solutions provider with deep experience serving marketing agencies.

2026 Social Media Image Size Guide

Posted on by administir

Every social media pro knows compelling visuals stop the scroll, and sizing to the right specs matters. With attention spans shorter than ever, platform-optimized visuals are crucial for maintaining credibility and boosting reach and engagement. 

To help your content break through the noise in 2026, we’ve compiled our go-to social media size guide featuring the latest specs for today’s top platforms.

Read on or download the full guide for the latest sizing standards for today’s top social media channels.

Happy New Year and happy designing!

Social Media Image Sizes by Network

LinkedIn

2026 social media size guide linkedin specs

Profile Picture

  • Personal page: 400 x 400 pixels 
  • Company page: 400 x 400 pixels 

Cover Photo

  • Personal page: 1584 x 396 pixels 
  • Company page: 4200 x 700 pixels 

Shared Image or Link

  • 1200 x 627 pixels 

Facebook

2026 social media size guide facebook specs

Profile Picture

  • 320 x 320 pixels 

Cover Photo

  • 851 x 315 pixels 
    • For best results, the picture must be at least 400 pixels wide and 150 pixels tall 
  • Group cover image size: 1640 x 856 pixels 

Shared Image

  • Square photo: 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Vertical photo: 1080 x 1350 pixels 

Shared Link Preview

  • 1200 x 630 pixels 

Facebook Story

  • 1080 x 1920 pixels

Video

  • Ratio: 16:9 to 9:16
  • Maximum video length on Feed: 240 minutes 
  • Facebook Reels recommended ratio: 9:16 and recommended resolution of 1080 pixels

Instagram

2026 social media size guide instagram specs

Profile Photo

  • Minimum 320 x 320 pixels 
    • Note: We recommend at least 600 x 600 pixels to ensure quality. 

Photos

  • Instagram photo sizes: 
    • 1080 x 1080 pixels (square) 
    • 1080 x 566 pixels (landscape) 
    • 1080 x 1350 pixels (portrait) 

Stories & Reels 

  • Stories and Reels size: 1080 x 1920 pixels 
    • The aspect ratio is 9:16  
    • The video might get cropped to fit the ratio if you don’t stick to the ratio 
    • Minimum resolution: 150 x 150

Pinterest

2026 social media size guide pinterest specs

Profile Picture

  • Minimum 165 x 165 pixels 

Profile Cover Photo

  • Minimum 800 x 450 pixels

Pin Image Size

  • Optimal pin: 1000 x 1500 pixels 
  • Expanded pin: 600 x any height pixels 

Board Thumbnail 

  • 600 x 600 pixels 

TikTok

2026 social media size guide tiktok specs

Profile Image

  • 200 x 200 pixels 

Video Uploads

  • 1080 x 1920 pixels
  • Aspect ratio of 9:16

X, formerly known as Twitter 

2026 social media size guide pinterest specs

Profile Photo

  • Recommended image size: 400 by 400 pixels
    • The aspect ratio is 1:1

Cover Photo

  • 1500 x 500 pixels
    • Note: When designing a header photo, be sure to account for the profile photo and the invisible area that is cropped out of uploaded images. 

Timeline/Feed Photo

  • 1600 x 900 pixels (16:9 ratio) 
    • Minimum size: 600 by 335 pixels
    • Supported formats: GIF, JPG, and PNG
    • The maximum file size is 5 MB for images and GIFs on mobile and 15 MB on the web

Timeline Video

  • 720 x 720 pixels (square), 1280 x 720 pixels (landscape), 720 x 1280 pixels (portrait) 
  • Maximum video length: 140 seconds (Premium subscribers can post videos up to three hours long) 

YouTube

2026 social media size guide youtube specs

Profile Picture 

  • 800 x 800 pixels

Channel Cover Photo

  • 2560 x 1440 pixels 
    • Aspect ratio is 16:9 
    • Remember that your cover image will be displayed differently on devices and may be cropped, so make sure to have the most important information in the middle of the image 

Video Uploads

  • Minimum HD: 1280 x 720 pixels
  • Aspect ratio of 16:9

Video Title and Descriptions

  • Video title is 100 characters.
  • Video description is 5,000 characters.

Bluesky

2026 social media size guide bluesky specs

Cover Image

  • 1500 x 500 pixels

Profile Image

  • 400 x 400 pixels

In-Stream Photo

  • 1200 x 627 pixels
  • 1.91:1 ratio

Videos

  • 16:9
  • 1:1
  • 9:16

Threads

2026 social media size guide threads specs

Profile Image 

  • 320 x 320 pixels 

Post Image

  • 1080 x 1920 pixels 
  • Max Size 8MB

Carousel Photos

  • 1080 x 1920 pixels

Reddit

2026 social media size guide reddit specs

Profile

  • 256 x 256 pixels

Thumbnail

  • 280 x 280 pixels

Image

  • 1920 x 384 pixels (Banner)
  • 1920 x 1080 pixels (Post)

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