Who is Franky Willekens?
Franky is a marketing strategist with a broad experience in digital, content, and brand communication. Over the years, he has worked with leading agencies such as BBDO, Ogilvy and Boondoggle, helping brands like Procter & Gamble, Lexus and Payconiq by Bancontact build stronger connections with their audiences.
Today, Franky works as a senior strategist at SQLI Belgium and as a freelance marketing consultant. He develops tailored strategies that combine creativity with measurable impact, focusing on how brands can grow through smarter digital and content marketing.

In 2026, content will be everywhere: faster, smarter and easier to make than ever before. AI tools will fill our feeds with a constant stream of videos, posts and ads. With so much noise, the real challenge for brands is simple: getting and keeping people’s attention.

1. The attention economy: scarcity becomes the new currency

Thanks to AI, creating content has never been easier. Anyone can produce professional-looking videos, graphics and text in seconds. That means there will be more content competing for the same limited audience attention.

People now scroll faster, skip sooner and remember less. Platforms fight for every second of your time and brands must do the same.

Attention is scarce, and that makes it valuable. It is no longer about how often you appear in someone’s feed but whether you can earn real focus. Only the brands that deserve attention will stay in people’s minds.

The brands that succeed in the next few years will not necessarily make more content but better content. They will find ways to stop the scroll, create emotion and capture a moment of genuine attention. In a world full of sameness, meaning makes the difference.

2. Measuring attention: reach does not equal impact

For a long time, marketers have measured success through reach, impressions, and clicks. But these numbers do not tell us much about real impact. Being visible is not the same as being noticed.

That is why attention metrics are becoming more important. Instead of only counting how many people saw your ad, start measuring the quality of that exposure.

• Viewability: Was the ad actually on screen?
• Dwell time: How long did someone stop or watch?
• Completion rate: Did they stay until the end?

Because reach does not equal impact.

Research by Teads and Lumen (2024) shows that just 3 seconds of attentive viewing can already lift brand awareness and favourability, while 8 to 9 seconds improves consideration and purchase intent. A few extra seconds of real focus can make the difference between being seen and being remembered.

For marketers, this means focusing less on cheap reach and more on meaningful exposure. In practice, fewer impressions can create stronger results if they capture real attention.

3. Creativity: the lever for attention

Once you accept that attention is limited, creativity becomes the most effective way to earn it.

Creativity drives attention. It is not only what you say but how fast and recognizably you say it. On social platforms, people decide within 2 seconds whether to keep watching or move on. That first frame, sound or line often decides everything.

Show your brand early. Use movement, colour or emotion to catch the eye. Combine short-form content like Reels, Shorts, or TikToks for quick bursts of attention with longer formats such as YouTube videos or podcasts to build deeper engagement.

In 2026, success on social will come from earning focus, not adding more noise.

In short: Attention is the real challenge. Do not just aim to be seen. Earn attention, measure it, and design for it. The brands that do this well will stay in people’s minds long after the scroll has ended.

TIP 1: Start measuring attention, not just reach

If your reports still focus only on reach, impressions, and clicks, it is time to look deeper. Add attention-based metrics to your dashboard: viewability, average watch time, scroll speed, and completion rate. These numbers tell you whether people actually paid attention, not just whether they saw your ad.

Compare campaigns with high and low attention. You will often see that smaller audiences who truly engage deliver stronger brand results than large audiences who only glance. Many platforms offer the possibility to create your own custom attention metrics. Start creating and using these custom metrics to evaluate campaigns.

In short, stop measuring visibility and start measuring value. That shift will help you make smarter choices.

TIP 2: Design for the first 3 seconds

When you create content, assume you only have 3 seconds to earn someone’s attention. Start your video or post with something that hooks people right away: a bold visual, a face, or an emotion. Show your brand early, but naturally within the story.

Avoid slow openings or long build-ups. Capture curiosity fast and keep it alive with rhythm and relevance. Small creative changes in the opening moments can greatly increase watch time and engagement.

Designing for attention is not about shouting louder. It is about connecting faster and smarter. That is what makes creative work effective.

Would you like to discover the other 26 marketers’ and content creators’ visions for 2026? Download the whitepaper here.