{"id":23986,"date":"2026-04-22T13:05:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaforta.com\/blog\/?p=23986"},"modified":"2026-04-22T13:05:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:05:47","slug":"welcome-to-the-year-of-trusted-data-and-intelligent-discovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaforta.com\/blog\/en\/content-strategy\/welcome-to-the-year-of-trusted-data-and-intelligent-discovery\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to the year of trusted data and intelligent discovery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As part of our whitepaper \u2018The vision of 27 marketers and content creators for 2026\u2019<\/a>, we asked Business Development Strategist Rien van den Bosch for his vision for 2026 and two practical tips he would give to readers. You can read his response below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Who is Rien van den Bosch?<\/strong>
Rien is a Business Development Strategist at GS1, where he drives innovation and shapes the organisation\u2019s strategic roadmap for the future of commerce. He plays a leading role in transitioning from traditional barcodes to QR codes with Digital Link and spearheads the implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) across multiple industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we move deeper into the digital transformation of product information, 2026 marks a pivotal year for marketers, retailers, and manufacturers. The QR code with GS1 Digital Link continues its rise, but new EU legislation, especially the rollout of the Digital Product Passport (DPP), is reshaping how businesses manage and communicate product data. Combined with the evolution of AI-driven search and machine-readable content, these trends are redefining the rules of engagement in digital commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From (dynamic) QR codes to digital trust<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The QR code powered by GS1 is no longer just a marketing tool, it\u2019s becoming the backbone of product transparency and regulatory compliance. With the EU\u2019s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) now in force, sectors such as textiles, electronics, construction and detergents are preparing for mandatory DPPs. These digital passports will contain structured, verifiable data about a product\u2019s origin, composition, environmental impact, and disposal options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For marketers, this means QR codes must do more than link to promotional content, they must deliver trusted, standardized data that satisfies both consumers and regulators. The GS1 Digital Link standard enables this by embedding identifiers like GTINs, batch numbers, model numbers and expiry dates directly into scannable URLs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E-commerce meets regulation<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

E-commerce platforms are at the forefront of this transformation. As DPPs become mandatory, online retailers must ensure their product listings are not only accurate but also machine-readable. This shift is driving the adoption of structured web vocabularies (e.g., schema.org) and semantic markup to meet compliance and improve discoverability in AI-powered search environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result? Product content is evolving from static descriptions to dynamic, structured data ecosystems. Brands that embrace this change will benefit from improved visibility, reduced compliance risks and enhanced consumer trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI-driven search and the rise of machine-readable content<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Search behavior is changing rapidly. In 2026, discovery is no longer confined to traditional search engines. AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google\u2019s AI overviews are becoming the default entry points for product research. These systems prioritize structured, authoritative data\u2014making machine-readable content essential for visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marketers must now optimize not just for SEO, but for AI. This means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n