Stop Optimizing for Robots: The 2026 Digital Reset

Rich Keller • January 16, 2026

Welcome to 2026.

The holiday auto-responders are off, the coffee is brewing, and if you are like most business owners I’ve talked to this week, you are looking at your marketing plan and wondering:

Does any of this still work?

If your plan looks exactly like it did in 2024 or 2025, the answer is likely no.

We are witnessing the biggest shift in digital behavior since the invention of the smartphone. The internet is flooded with AI-generated noise. Because of that, trust is at an all-time low.

So, for our first strategy session of the year, I want to propose a radical idea:

Stop writing for Google. Start writing for Humans.

☕ Rich’s Corner: A View from 1996 vs. 2026

I started this company in Brandon back in 1996. Back then, the web was the "Wild West." It was messy, personal, and chaotic. Over the last 30 years, we spent so much time polishing the web that we accidentally sterilized it.

Last week, I was looking for a review on a new piece of tech. I waded through five different articles that were clearly written by robots—perfect grammar, zero soul, and absolutely no evidence that the "author" had ever touched the product.

Then, I found a forum post from a guy named Dave. It had typos. It was short. But he included a photo of the product on his messy desk. I bought the product immediately.

The lesson? In 2026, "Dave" is more powerful than a generic 2,000-word article. My goal this year is to help you be more like Dave (but with better spelling).

The Concept: Building Your "Human Moat"

In medieval times, a moat protected the castle. In 2026, your "Human Moat" protects your business from being replaced by AI.

If an AI can answer your customer's question in 3 seconds, why should they click on your website?

The answer is Experience.

Google’s algorithms (and the new AI search engines) have pivoted hard toward E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Note that first "E"—Experience. That is the one thing ChatGPT cannot fake. It doesn't have a body. It doesn't live in Manitoba. It hasn't run a business for 30 years.

You have.

3 Ways to Humanize Your Site in January

If you want to survive the "Great Reset," here are three things you need to change on your website this month:

1. Kill the "Voice of God"

Stop writing content that sounds like an encyclopedia.

Bad: "Web design is an important facet of business marketing."
Good: "In my 30 years designing sites in Brandon, I’ve seen bad design kill good businesses." Action: Go to your top 5 pages and rewrite the intro using the word "I" or "We."

2. Prove You Are Real (Visual Proof)

Stock photos are dead. If your "About Us" page is a stock photo of people in suits shaking hands, you are losing trust. Action: Upload real photos of your office, your team, or even your morning coffee. Imperfection signals humanity.

3. Opinions are Ranking Factors

AI is neutral. It tries to please everyone. Humans have opinions. If you believe a certain industry trend is wrong, say so! If you think a specific tool is the best, explain why. "Opinionated content" is ranking higher than "neutral content" because it shows unique expertise.

The 2026 Plan

This month, at RichKeller.com, we aren't just doing keyword research. We are doing "Perspective Research." We are digging into what makes your business unique and putting that front and center.

The businesses that win in 2026 won't be the ones with the most content; they will be the ones with the most personality.

Ready to Reset?

If your website feels a bit too "robotic" and you aren't sure how to inject that human element back in, let's talk. I’m opening up spots for 2026 Strategy Audits starting next week.

Contact Rich Keller for a Strategy Call

Here is to a very human 2026.

— Rich Keller

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Rich Keller • January 16, 2026

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