Brand Transparency: 70% of Consumers Demand It in 2026

By 2026, customers want to see more than just your polished ads. They’re looking for a real connection, a peek at the people who make your business tick. This has pushed authentic content, specifically behind-the-scenes material, from a fringe tactic into a must-have for any serious marketing plan. The demand for it is reshaping how businesses build trust. But how can you pull back the curtain without giving away the farm or, even worse, looking unprofessional?

Why Transparency is Everything Now

The era of the flawless, untouchable brand is over. Today’s customers, especially younger ones, are wired to detect anything that feels overly produced or fake. They want to know the values, the methods, and the people behind the stuff they buy, and this is a major factor in their purchasing decisions. It’s why a recent Edelman study is so telling: 81% of consumers reported they need to trust a brand before they’ll buy from it. When a company opens up, it forges an emotional bond that a glossy campaign just can’t replicate.

Think about how we perceive products now. Simply claiming something is “high quality” is an empty statement. A modern audience wants to see the proof: the quality control inspections, where the materials came from, the focus of the people doing the work. For a software team, that could be a recording of a sprint review or a whiteboard covered in frantic sketches as engineers map out a new feature. For a clothing brand, it might mean a tour of the factory that highlights sustainable practices or ethical working conditions. These small glimpses build a story of integrity that sticks with people much longer than a slogan.

This push for brand transparency also pays dividends when companies hit a rough patch. When something inevitably goes wrong, a brand that has been consistently open about its inner workings is likely to get more grace from its audience. People feel invested, almost like they’re part of the team, and are more inclined to stick around through the tough times. You’re building a relationship, which is a lot more durable than just processing transactions.

What Makes Behind-the-Scenes Content Actually Work?

Some behind-the-scenes content is just noise. Pointing a phone at the office fish tank and calling it a day is a waste of everyone’s time. Good content in this space has a purpose and offers a real window into your company. It should show something meaningful about your culture, your process, or your values. You have to honestly consider what the audience wants to know. Do they really care about your team’s morning coffee order, or are they more interested in seeing the intense process of bug-squashing before a new app feature goes live?

A simple and powerful angle is to focus on the people. Introduce your team, explain what they do, and let their expertise shine. That 2025 HubSpot report finding that 70% of consumers feel more connected to brands that share employee stories is all the justification needed. It puts a human face on the business, making it feel less like a faceless entity. A short video interview with a project lead explaining their passion for their work or a quick montage of engineers working together on a tough problem can be incredibly effective. These people become the living embodiment of your company’s skill and dedication.

Another great angle is to show your processes. This could mean walking through the complex steps of creating a product, from the first napkin sketch to the final box. For a marketing agency, it might look like an anonymized walkthrough of a client’s campaign strategy session, showing the depth of thinking involved. These process-focused pieces teach your audience something and demonstrate the real effort that justifies what you charge. And with tools like Loom or Tella, recording and sharing these walkthroughs is straightforward.

Finally, put your values and mission into action. If sustainability is a stated value, then show the recycling program you run or the eco-friendly suppliers you’ve partnered with. If incredible customer support is your thing, share a short clip (with permission) of your team solving a tricky problem for a client. This is how you turn the corporate-speak on your “About Us” page into tangible proof that builds real credibility.

How to Create BTS Content That People Actually Watch

A steady flow of engaging behind-the-scenes material requires a plan. While raw, off-the-cuff clips can work, the best results come from a structured approach. We’ve found that a content calendar dedicated to this material works wonders. The idea is to plan ahead, identify moments worth sharing, and present them in a way that connects. A good starting point is aiming for at least two detailed updates per month on your primary channels, like LinkedIn, with shorter, more frequent snippets on Instagram Stories or TikTok.

One strategy that works incredibly well is using live video. Platforms like TikTok Live or Instagram Live give you a direct line to your audience for real-time interaction. You could run a live Q&A with your CEO, host a “day in the life” with a developer, or give a live tour of a new workspace. Live video often gets three times the engagement of pre-recorded clips because of its immediacy and the fact that viewers can participate. You have to be prepared for unscripted moments. That’s where the real charm and authenticity come from.

You could also create mini-documentaries or a short series. Instead of one-off posts, think about developing a multi-part story that follows a specific project from beginning to end. For example, an agency could chronicle a major campaign’s entire lifecycle, starting with the initial client brief and internal brainstorms, moving through the nitty-gritty of content creation and ad setup in Google Ads or Meta Business Suite, and finishing with the final performance report. This format lets you go deep, showing the complexity of your work and keeping your audience hooked for the next episode.

And don’t forget about user-generated content (UGC). While most of your BTS content will be about your internal world, weaving in UGC shows how your product actually fits into your customers’ lives, which bridges the gap between your process and their reality. A clothing brand, for instance, could feature a customer’s unboxing video right next to a clip of the design team choosing fabrics for that very collection. It creates a complete picture of the brand experience which is fantastic for building both social proof and community engagement. Of course, always get explicit permission before sharing anyone’s content.

The Right Tools and Platforms to Use

The right gear can make this process easier, but you don’t need a Hollywood budget. Modern smartphones shoot incredible video and photos, so what’s more important is being thoughtful about how you edit and where you post it.

For video, simple editors like Adobe Premiere Rush or even the tools built into TikTok and Instagram are more than enough for quick, catchy clips. If you’re creating a more polished mini-series, you might want to use something like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro. The main thing is to have a consistent visual feel that matches your brand, and remember, that doesn’t always mean perfect. Sometimes a slightly raw look feels more authentic.

When you’re deciding where to post, go where your audience is. Instagram is king for visual, short-form content that gives quick glimpses through its Stories, Reels, and Live features. For B2B companies, LinkedIn is the perfect place for more professional, process-focused content that shows off your expertise and company culture. TikTok’s algorithm can give massive reach to short, dynamic clips of daily operations or team moments. And don’t forget your own website. A dedicated “Behind the Scenes” section can be a great home for longer, evergreen content.

To keep this all organized, use a project management tool like Asana or Trello. It will help you manage your content calendar and make sure that creating BTS content is part of your regular marketing workflow, not just an afterthought. Consistency is what really makes this strategy work over the long term.

How to Know If It’s Working

Putting all this effort in is only worth it if you can see the impact. While it can be harder to calculate a direct ROI compared to a pay-per-click ad, the long-term gains in brand loyalty are undeniable. You have to focus on the metrics that show you’re building a stronger audience connection.

Start with the obvious: engagement metrics. Keep an eye on likes, comments, shares, and saves. A jump in comments, especially ones with questions or positive feedback, is a great sign that people are genuinely interested. For video, view duration and completion rates are your best friends, if people are watching your entire two-minute office tour, you’ve struck gold. Next, check your website traffic and time on site. If you’re linking to a more detailed blog post from your social media, track how many people click through and how long they stick around. That signals a much deeper level of interest. Finally, use brand sentiment analysis tools to see if the tone of conversation around your brand is changing. Are you seeing more positive mentions about your company culture or transparency? And it never hurts to just ask your audience directly in a poll what they want to see more of. A brand that listens is a transparent one.

The end goal is to build a stronger, more resilient brand through a real connection with your audience. While it’s not always a straight line to a sale, the cumulative effect of consistently sharing authentic content is an audience that trusts you, advocates for you, and will choose you over a competitor who hides behind a corporate shield. That kind of long-term equity is worth far more than any short-term campaign spike.

Committing to behind-the-scenes content is a commitment to transparency. It starts with finding the unique stories already happening inside your company and sharing them with purpose. The authenticity you show is what builds the kind of loyalty that lasts.