Social Media Trends 2026: What's Working Right Now

“The only thing more useless than a New Year’s resolution is a social media trends report you bookmark and never read again.” — Me, January 2026

What are the social media trends that matter in 2026?

The trends shaping 2026 are social search replacing Google for discovery, short-form video dominating ROI, AI content flooding every feed, series content outperforming random posts, DMs becoming the new customer service channel, and Google traffic declining as AI answers take over. The businesses winning are the ones showing up consistently everywhere — not chasing every new feature.

What should businesses do about these trends?

Pick 2 discovery channels (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts) and 1 relationship channel (DMs, groups, email). Post 3 short videos per week — one FAQ post, one proof post (testimonial or before/after), and one behind-the-scenes post. Respond to all DMs within 24 hours. Use AI automation for content generation and scheduling so you can maintain this cadence without burning out.

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Last Tuesday at 11 PM, I was doing something every business owner has done at least once: reading a social media trends report instead of posting on social media.

Hootsuite’s 2026 report. Sprout Social’s consumer research. HubSpot’s State of Marketing. I had seventeen browser tabs open and zero scheduled posts for the week.

My wife walked by my office. “Still working?”

“Research,” I said, like that made it better.

Here’s what I’ve learned after three years of building Apaya and watching thousands of businesses try to keep up with social media: trends reports are the most sophisticated form of procrastination ever invented. You feel productive reading them. You learn interesting things. You nod along. And then you go back to not posting because you still don’t have the time or energy to do any of it.

So I’m going to do something different with this one. I’m going to give you the 12 trends that matter, tell you what I think about each one (some are overhyped, and I’ll say so), and more importantly — tell you what to do about them without hiring anyone, learning a new platform, or adding 20 hours to your week.

Because 5.66 billion people use social media globally. 76% of SMBs say social media positively impacts their business (Verizon). And Gartner predicts traditional search volume will drop 25% by 2026. The ground is shifting. You can read about it, or you can do something about it.

Here are the 12 trends. Here’s what they mean. And here’s what to do.

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1. Social search is replacing Google for a lot of people

1 in 3 consumers skip Google and start searching on social platforms. For Gen Z, that number is more than half (Sprout Social). Google itself is pulling short-form and UGC-style content into search results more aggressively than ever (Search Engine Land).

I see this every day with our clients at Apaya. A dentist in Austin told me last month that 40% of her new patients found her through Instagram — not Instagram ads, just her posts showing up when people searched “dentist near me” on the app.

What to do about it:

• Write captions like mini landing pages — include your service, your city, who it’s for, and a next step.
• Answer one customer question per post. “How much does ___ cost in [city]?” “Best time to ___?” Each one becomes a searchable asset.
• Put location signals everywhere — on-screen text, voice, caption, geotags, alt text.
• Build a repeatable FAQ series. One question per post. These compound over time.

Treat every post like someone’s first impression from a search result — because increasingly, it is. And if you’re using AI to generate your posts, make sure your location and service keywords are baked into the prompts.

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2. Your social posts are showing up in Google

Google is pulling social content into search results more than ever. Short-video search features now draw from multiple platforms (Search Engine Roundtable). For local businesses, Google started pulling social updates into business profiles — restaurants and bars first (The Verge).

This is a big deal that most businesses are sleeping on. Google rewards freshness. Social posting is one of the easiest “fresh signals” you can generate. Every post you publish tells Google you’re alive, active, and relevant.

What to do about it:

• Post timely content that search loves: specials, events, new arrivals, seasonal services.
• Keep naming consistent across social and your real-world offerings — service names, city names, neighborhoods.
• Repost your best-performing evergreen content periodically with better hooks.

With AI-powered scheduling, you maintain that freshness signal without manually posting every day. Set it up once, and Google sees an active business. That’s what our clients at Apaya do — and it’s one of the easiest SEO wins nobody talks about.

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3. Video is #1 — but you need a mix

The top ROI-driving content formats are all video-based: short-form video (49% of marketers say highest ROI), long-form video (29%), and live-streaming (25%) (HubSpot). 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool (Wyzowl).

Here’s my take: the “video is king” trend has been true for five years now. What’s different in 2026 is the mix. Short video gets you discovered. Long video builds trust. Live video converts. Most businesses only do one of these — if any.

What to do about it:

• Short video (15–45 seconds) for discovery: “3 mistakes people make when…”, quick before-and-afters, tips.
• Longer video (1–5+ minutes) for trust: walkthroughs, case studies, deep FAQ answers.
• Live video for conversion: Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes, launches.

For local businesses: “Talk to camera + show the place” beats polished ads every time. A 20-second walkthrough of your shop converts better than anything a production crew creates. Your phone is your studio. Stop waiting for permission to look professional.

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4. Series content beats random posts

People want brands to interact with audiences (58%) and create original content series (57%) (Sprout Social). Hootsuite calls out recurring content structures as a major direction for 2026.

This one I’m passionate about because I’ve watched it work with our clients. A plumber in Phoenix started doing “Plumbing Myth Monday” — one myth debunked per week, same format every time. Within three months, his engagement tripled. Not because the content was groundbreaking, but because people knew what to expect. They came back for it.

What to do about it:

• Build 3–5 recurring “shows”: Myth vs Fact Monday, Price Breakdown Tuesday, Customer Story Friday, Behind-the-Scenes Saturday.
• Keep the format consistent so both the algorithm and humans learn what to expect.
• Batch record — do 4 episodes at once, schedule them across the month.

Series content is where AI automation becomes a cheat code. You define the series format once, and the AI generates variations week after week, keeping your voice and your structure consistent. That’s what Apaya was built for — recurring content that doesn’t require you to reinvent the wheel every Monday morning.

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5. Human content wins in an AI-saturated feed

79% of social media managers use AI daily (Hootsuite). 52% of consumers are concerned about brands posting AI-generated content without disclosure (Sprout Social). 30% of consumers are less likely to choose a brand whose ads look AI-generated (Hootsuite).

This is the trend I think about most, because we’re an AI company. Here’s the tension: AI is indispensable for volume. No solo business owner can create content for 5 platforms daily without burning out. But the content needs to feel like it came from a real person with real opinions. (We wrote a full breakdown of whether stock photos and AI images are okay on social media — including what the platforms require and what consumers say about transparency.)

The businesses that win in 2026 nail this balance. AI handles the production — the ideas, the hooks, the scheduling, the publishing. You handle the voice — the opinions, the local context, the specifics that make your content yours.

What to do about it:

• Put real people on camera. Faces build trust that no amount of perfect copy can replace.
• Show real-world constraints: “We’re booked out two weeks.” “Here’s what this costs.” “Here’s what went wrong.”
• Use AI for speed, keep the voice human. Let AI handle ideas, hooks, editing, and scheduling. Keep the point of view yours.

This is why we built Apaya the way we did. The AI learns your voice, your brand, your industry — and then handles the grind of producing content consistently. But you’re still the human behind it. The opinions are yours. The stories are yours. The AI just makes sure they get posted instead of sitting in your “someday” pile. For a deeper look at navigating this balance, read our guide on AI social media risks, ethics, and limitations.

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6. DMs are the new front desk

Roughly three-quarters of consumers expect a brand to respond within 24 hours, and silence pushes them to competitors (Sprout Social). On the other side, 65% are comfortable with brands using AI to speed up customer service.

I learned this one the hard way with Kokotree. We had parents messaging us on Instagram asking about the app, and we’d respond two days later. By then they’d already downloaded a competitor. Your Facebook and Instagram DMs are your customer service line. Treat them like it.

What to do about it:

• Set a reply SLA. Same day if possible. Always within 24 hours.
• Use saved replies for common questions — hours, pricing, booking links.
• Convert comments to DMs: “Comment ‘MENU’ and we’ll DM it,” “DM ‘QUOTE’ for pricing.”
• Build smaller spaces: broadcast channels, private groups, VIP lists.

The businesses that respond fast are the ones that book the appointment. Period.

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7. Creator partnerships are about ROI, not vanity metrics

The shift is toward creator partnerships focused on outcomes — pipeline, conversions, revenue — not views (Hootsuite). Even local governments are building creator-business matchmaking programs (CT Insider).

Everyone’s still obsessing over follower counts when they pick creators to work with. Stop. A local creator with 8,000 followers who’s trusted in your town will outperform a generic influencer with 500K every single time. The trust is already built. You’re borrowing it.

What to do about it:

• Partner with micro/nano creators (5K–25K followers) who look and sound like your customers.
• Pay for deliverables + usage rights so you can run their best clips as paid ads.
• Track everything: unique codes, booking links, DM keywords, offer-based landing pages.

If you can’t measure it, it’s vanity. Treat creator spend like ad spend — with real attribution and real expectations.

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8. Social is a first-party data engine

Social is one of the most direct touchpoints for capturing first-party signals — through DM automation, polls, and audience interactions (Hootsuite). SMB decision-makers are increasing investment in content and social as a leading outreach tactic (Verizon).

Most businesses think of social as a megaphone. The smart ones use it as a microphone — listening to what their market is confused about, price-sensitive about, and excited about.

What to do about it:

• Collect data through social interactions: polls (“Which style do you like?”), question boxes, DM keyword automations, lead forms.
• Feed those learnings back into your business: update your offers, refine your FAQs, sharpen your sales scripts.

Your comments section is free market research. Pay attention to it.

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9. Algorithms reward interest, not follower count

Platforms are reading micro-behaviors beyond likes. Follower count matters less than content resonance (Hootsuite). A small account with high-resonance content outperforms a large account posting generic stuff.

This is great news for small businesses. You don’t need 100K followers. You need content that’s specific enough for the algorithm to know exactly who to show it to.

What to do about it:

• Design for retention and saves: fast hook (first 1–2 seconds), clear outcome, on-screen text + captions.
• Create for a specific interest cluster, not “everyone.”
• Track saves and shares, not likes. Those are the signals that tell the algorithm your content has value.

A plumber in Denver posting “3 signs your water heater is about to fail” can reach thousands of homeowners in Denver — even with 200 followers. The algorithm matches content to intent, not follower count.

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10. Burnout is the real content crisis

39% of marketers say rushing to follow trends led to lower engagement (eMarketer). 21% frequently feel burned out, 33% doubled their content production year over year, and 46% sacrificed work-life balance to meet content goals (Adobe).

This is the trend behind all the other trends, and nobody talks about it enough. Every trend on this list — social search, video mix, series content, DMs, omnipresence — requires more content. More consistency. More showing up. And business owners are already stretched thin.

I built Apaya because I lived this problem. At Kokotree, I was the CEO, the marketer, the content creator, the customer support rep, and the social media manager. I burned out in three weeks. The 11 PM posting sessions. The recycled motivational quotes. The agency that charged $3,000 a month to disappoint me. That experience is why Apaya exists.

What to do about it:

• Build a simple pipeline: capture raw moments on your phone → batch edit → schedule → recycle winners monthly.
• Use a trend filter: Does it fit the brand? Can we add a real point of view? Will it attract the right customer? If no, skip it.
• Let AI handle the production grind — content generation, scheduling, publishing — so your energy goes into the decisions that require a human brain.

Consistency beats bursts. One weekly cadence maintained for 12 months beats “posting like crazy” for 3 weeks and going dark. That’s the core benefit of automation — it removes the feast-and-famine cycle that kills most businesses’ social presence.

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11. LinkedIn is having a creative moment

LinkedIn’s video engagement and creator-driven behaviors are surging (Hootsuite). The platform is pushing deeper into video and creator/publisher programs (Reuters).

If you sell to other businesses — commercial services, accounting, IT, real estate, construction, consulting — LinkedIn is a cheat code right now. The organic reach is still generous, the audience is there to buy, and most of your competitors aren’t posting. That last part won’t last forever.

What to do about it:

• Founder/owner content wins for trust-based services: agencies, consultants, trades, medical, legal, finance.
• Share case studies and process breakdowns: “Here’s how we solved…”, “The real cost of…”
• Post short native video, image posts, and carousels. LinkedIn’s algorithm is promoting these.

This is where your AI-generated content can work hardest. LinkedIn rewards consistency and the algorithm is still favorable to organic content. Show up three times a week and you’ll be ahead of 90% of your competition.

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12. AI is eating Google traffic — omnipresence is the new SEO

Gartner predicts a 25% drop in traditional search volume by 2026 due to AI chatbots and agents. Nearly 30% of marketers already report decreased search traffic (HubSpot). Google desktop searches per US user fell nearly 20% year-over-year (Search Engine Land). AI usage has crossed 1 billion+ monthly users globally (DataReportal).

This is the big one. For years, the playbook was simple: rank on Google, get traffic, get customers. That playbook is cracking. People are asking ChatGPT instead of Googling. AI Overviews are answering questions before anyone clicks. And it’s accelerating.

The new playbook is omnipresence. Stop thinking only in rankings. Think in visibility across social feeds, social search, Google surfaces, and AI answer engines. The businesses that show up everywhere — in feeds, in search results, in AI answers — are the ones capturing attention in 2026.

What to do about it:

• Build repeatable brand associations: “the [city] specialist for ___,” “the fast option,” “the premium option.”
• Increase your content surface area. More places your brand shows up — social posts, videos, blog content, reviews — more chances AI models and search engines surface you.
• Create content at scale with AI automation so you’re not choosing between platforms. Be on all of them.

“I keep seeing that place everywhere” — that’s the reaction you want. That’s not built by posting once a week when you remember. It’s built through consistent, multi-platform presence. And that’s what AI social media automation makes possible without hiring a team.

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Stop reading about trends. Start showing up.

Every trend on this list points in one direction: the businesses that show up consistently, with real content and real faces, across multiple platforms, will capture more attention, trust, and revenue than the ones still “planning their strategy.”

Here’s the minimum viable plan for 2026:

Pick 2 discovery channels + 1 relationship channel:

• Discovery: TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts (pick two where your audience lives)
• Relationship: Instagram DMs, Facebook groups, or email/SMS list

Weekly cadence:

• 3 short videos per week (15–45 seconds): 1 FAQ/search post, 1 proof post (testimonial, before/after), 1 behind-the-scenes post
• 1 community post: poll, question, local recommendation
• Daily: respond to comments and DMs within 24 hours

What to measure:

• Saves + shares (strongest intent signals)
• DM starts and completions (direct engagement)
• Calls, booking clicks, direction requests (conversions)
• Repeat viewers (series effect — are people coming back?)

You don’t need a perfect strategy. You need a sustainable cadence and a system that maintains it when you’re busy, sick, on vacation, or just don’t feel like posting. That’s what AI automation gives you — the ability to show up every day without it costing you every day.

The 94% of marketers using AI for content creation figured that out. The question is whether you’ll build that system now or keep reading trends reports at midnight while your competitors are posting.

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Sources

• Sprout Social — Social Media Trends 2026
• Hootsuite — 18 Social Media Trends for 2026
• HubSpot — State of Marketing 2026
• Gartner — Search Engine Volume Prediction
• Verizon — 2025 State of Small Business Survey
• Wyzowl — Video Marketing Statistics 2026
• DataReportal — Digital 2026 Global Overview Report
• Search Engine Land — Video-Driven SERPs Guide and Google Search Volume Report
• Search Engine Roundtable — Short Videos in Search
• The Verge — Google Restaurant Profiles
• eMarketer — Marketers Feel the Strain
• Adobe — Scale Content with AI
• Reuters — LinkedIn Video Push
• CT Insider — Content Creators + Local Businesses

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If you’re tired of reading trends reports and doing nothing about them, you might like my book — 300 pages on why systems beat willpower, and a content supply chain is just a system for showing up.