Why 2025 Broke the Online Business Playbook (And How to Win in 2026)

Damn… 2025 was a whirlwind.

I’ve been in the online space since 2020, helping course creators build and launch courses.

Through my own experience and countless conversations with clients and colleagues

Something became very clear at the end of 2025:

Many of the strategies that were taught between 2020 and 2024 were built for a very specific moment in time.

And that moment has passed.

It’s like when Facebook stopped being a place for random thoughts and party photos and became a platform for groups, businesses, and communities.

Same platform. Completely different behavior. Completely different rules.

The environment has shifted.

In 2025, it became abundantly clear: It’s no longer enough to simply be visible, educational, and consistent.

You likely felt this too. What was hinted at in 2024 came fully true in 2025:
Benchmark data shows that by 2025, the average organic reach rate on platforms like Facebook was down to roughly 1.65% of followers per post meaning most of your audience doesn’t see your content without additional signals like engagement, strategy, or paid support.

(And  it’s paved the way for the Facebook Andromedia experience we’re seeing now.)

So what does this mean for you now, if you don’t want to repeat these cycles in 2026?

Buyer psychology matters more than ever but not in the way it used to.

People are more sensitive to pressure, urgency, and manipulation. They’re more intentional about what they consume.

This means it’s not about pushing people toward a desire they haven’t consciously chosen.

It’s about supporting people who are already ready to evolve—who are actively (or even subconsciously) searching for the right solution.

That’s a very different role. And it requires a very different kind of strategy.

What to focus on in 2026:

→ Audit your customer journey

Do you have a clear, valuable entry point like a lead magnet, signature talk, or training (or even a high-value YouTube video)?

This year is about generating leads, testing what resonates, and making decisions based on real analytics—not assumptions.

→ Expand beyond one platform

Look at traffic-driving channels like:

• SEO (so people can find you when they’re searching)

• Pinterest (longer lifespan, lower friction)

• Threads (for connection and visibility)

• Long-form content that drives meaningful traffic back to your site

In 2026, content needs to be discoverable, not just visible.

→ Be intentional about your point of view

How are you shaping the way your market thinks? How clearly are you articulating your process and your approach?

Your perspective is the most important part of your positioning

→ Conduct real market research

Ask better questions. Get curious. Let your highest-intent buyers tell you what they need in order to move forward.

At Belco, this is exactly what we’re doubling down on:

• Foundational marketing

• Buyer psychology

• Clear, grounded messaging that helps people make decisions

Before anything gets built, we help our clients:

• Map their ecosystem

• Clarify their positioning

• Design a visibility strategy that actually supports the business

Only then do we move into implementation and execution.

Clear structure.
Clear roles.
Clear tracking.
No clients left behind.

What I’m doing to evolve alongside this shift

To stay rigorous and strategic in this next evolution, I enrolled in university-level business and marketing programs through Coursera.

Not to chase credentials but to deepen my grounding in segmentation, positioning, pricing, buyer psychology, and market research.

My goal isn’t to become more academic.

It’s to lead more effectively and bring what actually works into real practice in my clients' businesses.

My intention for 2026:

To help you build a business that feels coherent.
A system that supports your growth instead of exhausting it.
And a digital headquarters that actually reflects who you are now and where you’re going next.

We’ve made it through a big year of change.

Instead of rushing past it, I’m using this space to share exactly what we’re learning, testing, and refining at Belco.

We’re turning the uncertainty of 2025 into the foundation of how we approach sales and marketing.

We’re building businesses that are:

• Recession-resilient

• Strategically grounded

• Designed to last far beyond hype and temporary tactics

If you’re in the messy middle… If your business has outgrown its current structure… If you’re ready for a more grounded and strategic way forward…

Know this:

You’re not alone.

Here’s to building what lasts.