Published
Author
Lucy Kirkwood
SING MY PRAISES!
SING MY PRAISES!
It's a nice feeling when someone tells you a person has been singing your praises.
Even better as a business owner, hearing "this is the [brand / place / product] I was telling you about."
To me, that's the highest form of compliment - it means you made someone feel something strongly enough to be remembered and spoken about later.
If you're anything like me, you've probably planned a day out or entire trips around very specific, niche experiences; a beautiful hotel where the lobby has a signature scent and the minibar is filled with cool brands you've never seen before. A restaurant saved months ago purely for the interiors. A store that feels like an art gallery crossed with a coffee hangout. A cocktail bar where the drinks arrive like art in chic glassware.
The same level of care must be applied to your online world because every detail of a brand experience counts. People haven’t quit social. They’ve become ruthless about what deserves their attention.
I may live in aesthetic dreamland but the numbers back it up:
44% of online adults use social media to research brands before buying
50% of millennials make spontaneous purchases inspired by social media at least once a month
76% of consumers say social content has influenced a purchase in the past six months, rising to 90% among Gen Z
Your socials should feel like culture, commentary and inside jokes people actually want in their feed. These platforms shape a very non-linear customer journey that moves people to discover, book, buy and share, moving them out of "demographics" and into "interests".
The brands worth following in 2026 won't win by posting more, but by being worth staying for.
Every touchpoint is working harder than you think, and it should feel seamless, whether someone meets you online or offline.
Because one loyal customer who feels something is more powerful than a thousand passive views.
Vibes get people in the door. Design makes it memorable. Experience makes them share.
Image Credit: Fountainhead Winehouse
It's a nice feeling when someone tells you a person has been singing your praises.
Even better as a business owner, hearing "this is the [brand / place / product] I was telling you about."
To me, that's the highest form of compliment - it means you made someone feel something strongly enough to be remembered and spoken about later.
If you're anything like me, you've probably planned a day out or entire trips around very specific, niche experiences; a beautiful hotel where the lobby has a signature scent and the minibar is filled with cool brands you've never seen before. A restaurant saved months ago purely for the interiors. A store that feels like an art gallery crossed with a coffee hangout. A cocktail bar where the drinks arrive like art in chic glassware.
The same level of care must be applied to your online world because every detail of a brand experience counts. People haven’t quit social. They’ve become ruthless about what deserves their attention.
I may live in aesthetic dreamland but the numbers back it up:
44% of online adults use social media to research brands before buying
50% of millennials make spontaneous purchases inspired by social media at least once a month
76% of consumers say social content has influenced a purchase in the past six months, rising to 90% among Gen Z
Your socials should feel like culture, commentary and inside jokes people actually want in their feed. These platforms shape a very non-linear customer journey that moves people to discover, book, buy and share, moving them out of "demographics" and into "interests".
The brands worth following in 2026 won't win by posting more, but by being worth staying for.
Every touchpoint is working harder than you think, and it should feel seamless, whether someone meets you online or offline.
Because one loyal customer who feels something is more powerful than a thousand passive views.
Vibes get people in the door. Design makes it memorable. Experience makes them share.
Image Credit: Fountainhead Winehouse
