Channels to Watch in 2026: How They Shape Brand Trust

In 2026, trust in brands will be shaped in more places and much earlier in the audience journey than ever before. Creator feeds, Substack newsletters, Reddit threads and AI answer engines are now where many people go first to learn, compare choices and decide what to believe. Traditional news and owned channels remain important. They often provide authoritative facts and context that other sources draw on. But first impressions are increasingly formed in the places people already spend their time. 

For communicators, that means paying closer attention to the channels that interpret your story, not only where you publish it. At Proof Strategies, we asked colleagues across our teams to share the channels they’ll be watching most closely in 2026. Together, their perspectives point to a clear shift where a multichannel approach strengthens audience connection. 

Influencers: Discovery that feels like a friend’s recommendation 

Influencers are now a first stop for many people when they want to figure something out. 

“Influencers have become a primary discovery channel for younger audiences, who turn to creators to learn and decide.  When brands empower creators to address questions and produce content that truly resonates, they position themselves to build trust and credibility where attention already lives.” – Holly Thornton, Senior Account Director 

First impressions from influencers often send people looking for deeper context to expert voices on platforms like Substack. 

Substack: Independent expertise with loyal readers

As newsrooms shrink, journalists and experts are building their own platforms. Substack has become a home for in-depth, expert analysis and niche communities. 

“Substack is a strategic channel for influential voices to reach engaged audiences. It blends the accessibility of a blog with the personal connection of a newsletter and creates a direct line between writers and the audiences who trust them.” – Chelsea Moore, Consultant 

Trusted Substack writers often shape how stakeholders understand an issue before it reaches broader public and political conversations. 

Advocacy and stakeholder engagement: The backroom enters the spotlight

In politics and public affairs, many audiences want to see how decisions are made, not just the final talking points. 

“For many, a peek behind the curtain of politics has allure. Channels that share personal stories from staffers, strategists and policy experts, from newsletters to short-form video, are drawing real attention. Virtual town squares in online platforms are powerful places to test messages and watch opinion form in real time.” – Megan Stanley, Senior Director, Public Affairs & Government Relations 

Reactions in these corners often set the tone for what gains traction in wider community discussions. 

Reddit: The public focus group that never closes

Reddit has become a key channel where people compare experiences, discuss niche topics and challenge brand narratives.  

“Reddit is massively popular among consumers, but also a powerful trust-building channel for brands. When brands listen first, answer questions honestly and work with community members on Reddit to offer useful resources, they earn more credibility than they would using polished messaging on owned or traditional channels alone.” – Connor Scallon, Head of Digital 

Reddit conversations are spreading and increasingly appearing in AI answers to questions about categories and companies. 

AI answer engines: Audience, influencer and channel

Tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google’s AI Overviews are now a common first stop for people seeking quick answers. 

“AI now reads and rewrites the internet for our audiences. It scans websites, press releases, social posts and news coverage, and then neatly delivers a few lines that increasingly shape first impressions. That makes AI an audience, an influencer and a channel all at once.” – Ally MacLellan, Head of AI Innovation & Technology 

If your content is hard to find, hard to understand or out of date, AI may ignore it or misrepresent it, affecting how people encounter you in AI answers. 

Podcasts: Trusted voices in people’s routines

Many people turn to podcasts when they have time to hear a trusted voice unpack complex or evolving topics. 

“Podcasts have become a go-to resource for making sense of big issues. Listeners become engaged with the hosts and their guests and rely on them as a trusted source of information. A thoughtful episode or interview can reach a new and highly receptive audience, which can shape public perception.” – Juliet Camus, Senior Consultant  

Conversations on podcasts often build on strong reporting and lived experience, which is where earned stories can have a long afterlife. 

Earned media: Rethinking what “earned” means

While there are some generational differences, overall, news on traditional channels (radio, newspaper, TV), closely followed by news websites, are the sources Canadians trust most to provide reliable information. These outlets are trusted because the news they report is typically gathered and assessed by a professional, objective party (journalists), and because money hasn’t changed hands for the exposure. Instead, it’s earned because it’s topical, it matters and it’s accurate. This is why it is often called “earned media”.

However, information from friends or family is nearly as trusted, for younger Canadians, even more so. Why? Because it, too, is “earned” —those sharing it have a vested stake in its accuracy to protect their reputation, and no money has changed hands. So, while it’s critical to earn stories in news outlets that your audiences consume and trust, finding ways to earn inclusion in conversations between friends, family and other authorities is also vital. With so much in flux, expect Canadians to rely more heavily on sources they have trusted consistently over the years to inform them and empower them to make decisions about the world around them.

“Media relations is a critical tool for earning attention and building trust, but it’s far from the only one. Consider the many other timely, relevant ways to earn your audience’s attention and connect with them. Whatever source you use, be consistent in your message! Clarity and consistency across all channels are critical for keeping trust.” – Andrea Lee, Vice President, Earned Media & Editorial

At Proof Strategies, we help organizations map the trust journey, audit how organizations and brands show up across these channels and design communications strategies that work for both humans and AI. If you’re ready to rethink how and where your brand’s story is told, we’re ready to explore and shape this with you.

The featured image for this post was generated collaboratively using AI. It was reviewed and approved by the Proof Strategies AI Innovation team.