17 social media predictions for 2026
- Mike Dallin-Gist
- Dec 10
- 5 min read
Our Strategic Social Lead, Victoria Bussey and Creative Social Lead, Kayed Mohamed - Mason predict what’s coming for social media in 2026
What’s coming for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn and the rest of the social universe next year? We peered into our crystal ball to unveil the trends and movements that will actually matter in 2026.
We’re predicting algorithm shifts, audience behaviour, platform shake-ups and anticipating the tactics brands will need if they want to stay visible in the new year.
Authenticity reigns supreme
With the embrace of AI comes the inevitable push-back. A flood of same-y AI replicated posts means that original content with that all-important human touch will feel fresh and real.
Audiences will prefer authenticity and a clear tone of voice over polish, and brands with familiar characters and inside references will reap the reward of a bunch of loyal followers.
Employees become the new influencers
At The Content Emporium, we know the importance of employee-generated content (EGC) as part of a successful social strategy, but in 2026 we expect to see this become an essential ‘must do’ as brands lean in to the people in their team that make them special. This will be especially true in retail, hospitality and local community spaces.
The social shop
The ecommerce arm of TikTok has seen steady growth over the past year and its recent crackdown on AI scams and focus on SMEs with its ‘Shop Local' support scheme, shows commitment to growth.
Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) generates billions in revenue from livestream shopping, and TikTok will want to replicate this success worldwide, so in 2026 we’re likely to see even more of a push within live shopping, both on TikTok and other platforms too.
Augmented reality (AR) "try-ons" are also likely to become more prevalent too, pushing viewers over the line to purchase.
Micro trends are in (and they’re exclusive)
“In 2026 we’re about to see things get really niche,” says our Strategic Social Lead, Victoria Bussey. “Group 7 is the blueprint, if you know, you know… and if you don’t, you’re about to. Everyone wants to feel like they’re a part of something, the more exclusive the better. The FYP will be turning users into VIPs of the social media landscape.”
CRM & social – a love story
In 2026 personalisation will really start ramping up and social behaviour will become a key data signal in CRM journeys. Loyalty schemes will feed back into content and vice versa, so it’s time to tighten up those touchpoints.
AI integration
2025 has definitely been the year AI went mainstream and in 2026 it will continue to become even more integrated into every app we use. It will be less of a novelty and amalgamate itself into an invisible part of the social infrastructure, powering hyper-personalisation, targeted ads, and content creation tools.
AI Crackdown
However, alongside AI integration the pressure will be on for platforms to improve enforcement of AI labelling. In 2026 we’re expecting to see greater transparency when it comes to AI usage, stricter rules on categorising AI created content and perhaps some penalties coming into force too.
Search goes beyond Google
Gen Z and Alpha already direct their search queries to Instagram and TikTok instead of Google. In a study by Adobe they found that 64% of Gen Z use TikTok as a search engine. In 2026, we’ll see brands optimising directly for social search with keyword-rich captions, native FAQs, and searchable video formats.
AI is also emerging as another search engine, and we’re expecting to see more AI-ready optimisation from brands so that their information is bot-ready.
Social creation is getting messy
“With AI slowly becoming more and more predominant across our socials, I think audiences will be wanting to see more authentic content,” says our Creative Social Lead, Kayed Mohamed - Mason. “Therefore I think content creators are going to start being less polished and perfect with their content – from filming styles to the way they speak and come across on screen.”
Keeping it reel
Instagram looks set to continue its reels push and it’s possible that next year you may find that your feed opens automatically on the reels tab (remember when Instagram was a photography app? Good times). Reels currently drive about 50% of traffic on the app so shifting the default view would align with Mosseri & Co’s love for short-form video.
Community first
Chasing big numbers is going to be a thing of the past, with focus tightening in on smaller, but genuinely engaged audiences. Micro interest-based pockets (roughly 2–10k followers) will be the users to impress and increase brand trust and loyalty.
Alternative options
Alongside this rise in nice online communities, users will be turning their attention to alternative and emerging community-driven social platforms: Reddit, Bluesky and Substack will all continue to grow their audiences.
The rise of private chats
Public feeds feel noisy with more ads and recommended content than ever. Many users are turning their attention to private spaces such as WhatsApp (the messaging channel now has over 3 billion users globally), Discord and Telegram.
And with new features such as ‘Channels’, we’re expecting more brands than ever to communicate with their audiences in these spaces.
Is LinkedIn cool now?
Well, maybe not, but what was once grey and corporate may be quietly turning into the place where real people actually connect. Plus, LinkedIn demographics show that 47.3% of users worldwide are aged 25-34, with another 28.7% in the 18-24 age group. That means roughly 75% of LinkedIn users are under 35.
We may see a response to the younger demographic, with a greater focus on short-form video within the feed and a more personal feel (but don’t worry, it’s still the go-to place to celebrate your work anniversary).
On the Horizon
Believe it or not, Facebook remains the most used platform in the world with around 3 billion active users, so it is still a key consideration for marketers.
Mark Zuckerberg has thrown a lot of weight (and investment) behind the metaverse and while big launches still look a while off, in 2026 there may be more features that tie into the new Horizon Worlds VR social environment.
The algorithm goes bespoke
There’s an increased demand for more personalisation when it comes to what the algorithm serves up, and platforms are relenting.
Instagram now allows you to customise your feed, by selecting your favourite accounts which will show higher in your feed and with previously mentioned increased AI integration we can expect content to become even more tailored to each user.
Age limits on social media
Age-gating has been a talking point for years, but 2026 is when we’ll start to feel the impact. Australia has banned the use of social media for under-16s and governments across Europe are set to follow suit and push toward tighter restrictions or even bans. We’re likely to see major apps respond with stricter verification processes, reduced data collection for younger users and new “teen-safe” modes.
Want to refine your content marketing strategy for next year? Get in touch to find out how we can shape up your social media or take a look at more insights from our experts to find out how to make social trends work for you or improve your social SEO.
