Social media in 2026: the year of sticky content

Social media predictions for 2026: what to learn from 2025 and how to plan ahead

Social media is the beating heart of the comms ecosystem, so as we kick off 2026, we’re taking a look back at what defined social in 2025; outlining the key trends we expect to shape 2026; and sharing practical planning actions you can start now.

TL;DR – Social media trend predictions for 2026

• Social grows from being a primary search and discovery channel, to having a symbiotic relationship with Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, and Generative Engine-Optimised content
• Authentic creator led content (including customers and employees) grows its premium as an antidote to AI
• Slow, search-led content will outperform short-term viral tactics
• Niche communities are ever-growing with platforms like Substack on the up, making audience segmentation and diversified creative essential

A quick look back at 2025

Before we look forward, it’s worth understanding what really shifted this year.

1. Democratised content and the rise of UGC, EGC and AI

There is more content than ever before, but more isn’t always better. The barriers to creation have fallen fast, driven by:

• The explosion of UGC and EGC
• AI tools that speed up ideation, editing and production
• The increasing pace and volume of social platforms themselves

For brands, this has brought some real positives. Content production is more diversified, more authentic, and less reliant on polished studio shoots alone.

But 2025 also showed us the downside: volume without strategy doesn’t equal impact. Feeds are noisier, attention is harder to earn, and posting without intent is no longer a viable strategy – it’s got to be sticky.

The brands that stood out were the ones that paired democratised creation with clear intent.

2. Social-first has finally arrived

2025 felt like the year social truly moved to the centre of the comms ecosystem. It’s no longer just an amplification channel, but the driving force at every stage of comms planning and delivery.

We’ve seen this show up in a few ways:

• Social is now a primary search destination, especially for younger audiences
• Social content is influencing how AI-powered search surfaces information
• Social trends are shaping language, formats and culture far beyond the platforms themselves

In short: social isn’t supporting campaigns anymore. It’s shaping them.

Social media trend predictions for 2026

Based on what we’ve seen this year, these are the shifts we expect to define social strategy in 2026.

1. The democratisation of creators

As content continues to diversify, we expect brands to invest less in traditional influencer partnerships and more in a wider mix of creator voices.

That includes:

• Customers
• Fans and advocates
• Colleagues and internal experts

These (often smaller) voices bring more credibility, flexibility and long-term value than one-off influencer deals.

How to get ahead of the trend:

Start building creators, not just hiring them.

We’ve seen this work first-hand. For Brother’s electrician product, we trained a real customer to create content from scratch, taking them from zero followers to videos achieving over 70k views.

For many other brands, we train and empower employees to create EVP videos, like this example that drove triple the engagement of previous content.

The opportunity in 2026 is to spot potential early and invest in upskilling.

2. Slow and sticky beats viral

The obsession with going viral has already started to fade, and we expect that shift to accelerate in 2026.

Next year will be about intentional, slower content designed for longevity rather than short-lived spikes.

One of the biggest drivers of this is search. Social content increasingly needs to be discoverable weeks or months after posting, not just in the first 48 hours.

How to get ahead of the trend:

Start creating content designed for social search. Educational series, FAQs and explainers will outperform trend-chasing in the long run.

Our own Scott Says content series for Continental Tyres is a good example of how search-led thinking can still feel native and engaging on social.

3. Sticky content works: Nothing is too niche

If 2025 showed us anything, it’s that communities exist for everything.

From payments experts, to electricians, to petrol heads, to knitting influencers, niche audiences are thriving. In 2026, diversified creative that sticks to its community will be the norm, not the exception.

For 2026, Substack could be the lightning rod for niche content and communities – the platform continues its huge growth trajectory, which saw it surpass 47m monthly unique visitors in September 2025.

This challenges brands to move beyond one-size-fits-all social strategies.

How to get ahead of the trend:

• Segment your audiences deeply and understand what each group actually wants
• Use tools like synthetic personas to ‘focus group’ content ideas at scale
• Consider trialling thought leadership or expert content on Substack
• Use smart targeting with paid social to ensure you reach your audience

For clients like Lloyds Banking Group, highly segmented and granular paid strategies have been key to ensuring the right creative reaches the right audience, whilst reducing CPMs,

Kicking off for 2026: three things to do now

Predictions are only useful if they shape action. These are the three planning exercises we recommend doing as you kick off the year.

1. Run an audience discovery audit

Use GEO insights and social search to understand:

• What your audience is actively looking for
• Where you currently show up (and where you don’t)

Go deeper by exploring platforms like Reddit, which can unlock unfiltered audience insight and spark content ideas you won’t find in traditional research.

2. Audit your influential voices

Look at who is already talking about your brand, both externally and internally.

• Identify quick wins by working with the willing through training and content curation
• Map gaps where new creator partnerships could add value in 2026

This helps you move from reactive outreach to a deliberate creator ecosystem.

3. Set yourself up for every content rhythm

In 2026, you’ll need both:

• Slower, evergreen, search-led content
• The ability to move at the speed of social

Ask yourself:

• Could you realistically publish a reactive or trending video within days
• Is your budget split to allow for both planned shoot days and ongoing lo-fi creation?

The strongest strategies balance structure with flexibility.

Social in 2026 will reward clarity, intent and credibility. The brands that win won’t necessarily be the loudest – they’ll be the most useful.

By Kerry Sclater, Senior Social Account Director at Citypress 

To discuss your social strategy for 2026, get in touch with our social team →