10 Latest Social Media Trends You Should Follow in 2026

Social media has managed to become an integral part of our lives in a short time. What started as a medium to stay in touch with friends and family soon became a channel for brands and businesses to connect with their target audience through well-crafted social media strategies.

With the rapid growth of this medium, numerous social media trends have emerged and evolved over the years. Adapting to these new and upcoming trends is what helps businesses keep abreast of the fierce competition.

Top 10 Social Media Trends to Watch Out For in 2026

We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 social media trends for 2026 that every marketer should follow for better engagement and improved online visibility.

1. AI Will Be a Game Changer

AI writing and marketing tools are gaining increasing popularity at the moment. As of Oct 2025, ChatGPT has 800 million weekly active users. 

Plus, big brands in the search engine market, including Google and Microsoft, are integrating new AI capabilities to make online search more interactive and generate easily digestible answers to user queries.

 

That said, brands are leveraging AI tools – like Buffer, Copy.ai, Canva, Social Sprout, Perplexity, and ChatGPT – to get content ideas and create social media posts that address customers’ pain points and provide on-the-go answers.

In fact, according to recent reports, 83% of marketers reported increased efficiency, and around 61% of organizations say the #1 reason they use AI for social media is to reduce staff workload.

With the recent developments, AI is redefining content editing and refining, generating and editing images, and providing customer service.

Customer service? Yup! AI agents provide continuous support across time zones and outside business hours, ensuring you respond to your customers even while you sleep. 

However, although AI is creating a revolution, AI writing tools can’t replace human writers in terms of creativity, thought leadership, and originality.

That said, if you don’t overuse AI tools and are cautious enough to maintain a human touch in your client’s social media content, you perform better than brands that rely heavily on such tools.

2. AI-Influencers Will Redefine Social Media Marketing

AI-influencers are stepping into the spotlight as the next big force, and they’re doing more than just turning heads. 

These virtual personalities can create content on demand, speak multiple languages, and maintain brand consistency without the risks attached to human endorsements. More importantly, they are delivering results that you can’t overlook. 

A recent industry report shows that 77% of brands have reported better ROI by using AI with influencer marketing, proving that virtual brand ambassadors are not just a passing trend, but a high-performing growth channel you can’t overlook. 

This shift doesn’t eliminate the need for human influencers, but creates new opportunities where AI personalities and real creators coexist, collaborate, and complement each other. 

Users crave fresh experiences, immersive storytelling, and innovative interactions, and AI-influencers deliver all three at a speed and volume humans simply can’t match. 

As platforms evolve with AI-powered engagement—think virtual live hosts, automated community conversations, and hyper-personalized content – you who embrace this hybrid influencer ecosystem will have a sharp competitive edge. In 2026 and beyond, the future of influence is not just human. It’s human plus AI, working together to shape the most powerful marketing narratives yet.

3. Social Media Will Be A Destination For Online Search

Today’s users, especially youngsters, use social media platforms to perform online searches.

A study conducted by WARC has found that 64% of U.S. Gen Z use TikTok as a search engine.

In fact, Google themselves has admitted that 40% of searches happen on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

If you want your brand to be found easily on social media, you must optimize your posts with the right keywords.

So, will social media be the new Google? Well, at this point, I may not be surprised if a question like this pops into your head.

To answer that, it’s a no.

Holding 90.06% of the search engine market share, Google is by far, the biggest industry player.

However, with people beginning to do online searches on social media, you should start doing SEO for your posts so that they show up for relevant searches.

For more information, listen to this short video clip from one of our SEO On-Air episodes in which Catfish Comstock, Director of SEO at BusinessOnLine, talks about the link between Social Media and SEO.

4. Short-Form Video Commerce and Micro-Influencers Will Dominate

If you want to stay ahead, pay close attention to the booming world of short-form videos and micro-influencers—this dynamic duo is shaping social media in ways you can’t ignore.

You’ve probably noticed how quickly people scroll, stopping only for content that hooks them in seconds. That’s exactly why brands are switching gears, creating bite-sized videos that not only entertain but also drive instant purchases.

Think of platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts: these aren’t just spaces for dancing or trending audio—they’ve become powerful marketplaces where one well-placed shoppable link gives your audience a direct path from inspiration to checkout.

But here’s what’s changing the game in 2026: authenticity matters more than ever. Instead of chasing mega influencers, brands are teaming up with micro-influencers—creative voices with smaller but fiercely loyal audiences. You get more engagement, more trust, and often a bigger impact from these everyday creators than celebrity endorsements.

If you’re ready to thrive, combine the speed of short-form video with the reach of micro-influencers and built-in commerce tools. When your content feels genuine and makes shopping effortless, you’re not just capturing views—you’re turning followers into customers, one short video at a time.

5. Social Media Crisis Management Becomes A Necessity

Social media is expected to be widely used for crisis management in the days to come.

According to a recent Twitter report, 61% of respondents opine that brands should acknowledge crises in their advertising and communications.

In the digital age we live in, information spreads faster, especially on social media. This may sometimes land brands in crisis, which is part and parcel of any business.

When left unaddressed, a small issue is likely to transform into a massive one and result in a big blow for any brand.

Not all businesses have a crisis team in place. But the good news is social media platforms can act as effective crisis management tools.

Given the expectations for brands to address crises effectively, we may see more businesses investing in crisis management through social media platforms.

6. Gaming Becomes the New Social Media Playground

Gaming is predicted to hit a net value of $268 billion in 2025.

What does that mean for businesses and social media?

With social media being a tried and tested channel for ads, gaming has exciting opportunities in store for brands from 2025.

You can organize live gaming events and competitions on social media for gamers to leverage social conversations and convert them into business opportunities.

That said, in the upcoming days, you can notice brands hosting gaming-based events to entice more followers and also partner with gaming companies to expand their reach.

7. Gated Content and Communities are Trending

These days, users are drawn more towards content that specifically interests them than the randomly suggested social media posts.

That’s the major reason behind the rise of gated content.

Gated content is content that’s exclusively available to subscribers and top fans.

Brands are expected to use features like Instagram Subscribers and Facebook Top Fan to come up with gated content in order to strengthen their connection with loyal followers.

Helping businesses in establishing a stronger connection with their prospects, gated content will be a prominent brand strategy in 2025.

At the same time, more people than ever are actively joining groups, forums, and private communities to have deeper conversations, share knowledge, and build lasting connections. Platforms like Discord, Reddit, Facebook Groups, and Threads are seeing record participation. In fact, Q2 of 2025, Reddit has recorded more than 60 million active users worldwide.

You’re not just passively scrolling—you’re contributing to meaningful discussions and finding your tribe online.

For brands, this trend is a game-changer. By creating exclusive spaces for your most loyal followers, you can foster loyalty, spark discussions, and build a community around your brand. When you give your audience a place to talk, share, and connect, you’re not just growing numbers—you’re building genuine engagement and advocacy.

If you want to strengthen your connection with your audience and stay ahead of social trends, now’s the time to focus on gated content and build (or join) active discussion groups on your platforms of choice.

8. Midway Storytelling Will Be Around

Reading a long narrative from the beginning may be a boring business, but catching a glimpse of it somewhere in the middle is likely to kindle curiosity.

Telling a story midway is a sure-shot at hooking the attention of users on social media.

I mean, what’s more interesting than making people want to find out more?

Businesses will use this technique to tell followers their brand stories, build trust, and get more conversions.

9. Augmented Reality (AR) Experiences Will Become Standard

You’re no longer just scrolling through static feeds—social media platforms are making augmented reality a regular part of your online experience.

In 2026, you can expect AR filters, interactive product try-ons, real-time virtual backgrounds, and immersive overlays everywhere you post. Major networks like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are leading the way, letting you overlay digital effects, visualize products in your own space, and even attend live events or meetups as an avatar.

The XR market is set to expand by $1.04 trillion by 2028. Brands are catching on, which means higher engagement and sharing rates for interactive AR posts compared to traditional content. You see your favorite creators and businesses showing off sneakers, makeup, or furniture in their physical environment, and you can try them out virtually before you buy.

If you want to stand out and reach your audience in 2026, it’s time to embrace augmented reality—whether it’s hosting a live AR event, launching a creative filter, or letting your followers visualize your products in their world before making a decision.

With AR, your social media presence becomes more immersive, memorable, and fun, keeping you ahead of the curve in online engagement.

10. Social Commerce Takes Over

You’re not just browsing social media for fun anymore—you’re shopping directly inside your favorite apps. By 2025, social commerce sales worldwide are projected to hit an incredible $1.2 trillion, with over 17% of all online sales now happening through social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

You see shoppable posts, live shopping events, and influencer recommendations everywhere you scroll. With a tap, you can go from product discovery to secure checkout—no need to leave the app or visit a brand’s website. Brands know this is where you want to shop: in fact, nearly 69% of marketers agree that more shopping will now happen within social platforms than on traditional e-commerce websites.​

Social commerce is not just a trend for 2026—it’s the new normal. If you’re a brand or creator, focusing your strategy here ensures you reach your audience exactly where they love to spend, browse, and buy. Welcome to the era where your social feed is the future of retail, and every scroll could be your next purchase.

To Conclude!

There are a number of social media trends that will rule the year 2026 and have a massive impact on the users, as well as brands. If you haven’t adapted to these new trends year, it’s time you do so to leverage your brand on social media and stay ahead of the competition.

Ready to harness the power of social media to take your business to the next level? Book a free strategy call with our experts today.