I read the 36 predictions for social media in 2026 so you don’t have to

Social Media Today just dropped 36 predictions for what social media will look like in 2026. That’s right. Thirty. Six.

My first thought: I ain’t reading all that.

Because I’m sorry, who has the time? They do know their audience is made up of MARKETERS, RIGHT? The most notoriously always-on-time-poor-losing-hair-and-sleep workers in the fkn field.

So, who has the time? Yeah, not me. Not you. Not even the intern who probably had to format that listicle at 11 p.m. on a Thursday.

So, I did the heavy lifting, or, okay, light scrolling (I’m a theatre kid, give me a break) to bring you the five predictions that might actually matter. Because five is normal. And palatable. And doesn’t make me want to implode. Which, at this time of year, doesn’t take much at all.

Let’s fkn go.

1. The death of organic reach??? Perhaps for real??

Every year someone declares organic reach “dead,” (remember when I did and almost got a warning hehe) and every year we still find a way to keep her alive and pumping. But this time? Social Media Today thinks the machines might actually win.

The publication predicts platforms will double down on pay-to-play visibility. Meaning if you want eyeballs, you better bring your damn wallet. With more content flooding feeds than ever (and half of it being AI sludge), algorithms will prioritise “quality signals”, aka people who spend.

So, yeah. Organic reach isn’t dead. But it may become more locked away behind a paywall. Like everything else these days.

2. AI becomes the intern we all need (and deserve)

AI is about to become the ultimate overachieving intern. The one who never sleeps, doesn’t complain (oh sh*t) and can spit out 20 caption variations in 0.2 seconds.

Gulp. She’s better than me already.

The report predicts smarter AI tools that go beyond “generate post,” such as automatic content repurposing, tone matching, and real-time trend adaptation. Which sounds dreamy until you remember: AI still can’t tell when your joke sounds unhinged (racist) or when your carousel looks like an HR training slide.

To excel here, it won't be by using more AI. It will be about using it better, freeing up humans to do what robots can’t: make things that actually matter/ evoke emotion.

3. Social goes dark

My favourite prediction of the bunch. Mostly because I just wrote an entire piece on it. The report highlights how “dark social” tactics like DMs, Close Friends, broadcast channels, private communities, are becoming the new frontier of influence.

Meta’s already paving the way. A-la the Ray-Ban Meta Neural launch, seeding the campaign through Close Friends lists, not ads or pesky PR blasts. The goal wasn’t reach, it was intimacy. Gatekeeping, but make it strategic.

In 2026, influence will hinge on how close your followers feel, not how many you have. It’s the digital equivalent of “If you know, you know.” And the more you make your audience feel like insiders, the more likely they are to evangelise you in public.

Dark social isn’t the death of virality--it’s just a more exclusive club.

4. Influencers become media networks

Creators aren’t just “influencers” anymore--they’re full-blown production houses. And 2026 will make that impossible to ignore.

Social Media Today predicts creators will professionalise further, building teams, IP, and content verticals. Some are already doing it, like the rise of “vertical soap operas” on TikTok and Instagram I wrote about earlier this week.

The new creator economy looks less like #sponcon and more like mini media empires. Which means for brands, the smartest move won’t be hiring influencers to post about you; it’ll be co-producing narratives with them.

5. Brands start acting like people again

Finally, some NORMALITY. After AI-perfect polish, chaos posting, and “who let the intern run the account?” humour, audiences are craving something real again.

The report predicts a swing back to grounded, personality-driven content. No, like, for real, the kind that feels like it came from a human with a pulse, not a content calendar and an over-caffeinated underpaid graduate.

I’m hoping for lo-fi videos, genuine opinions, behind-the-scenes mess. The brands that can strike that balance of professional yet personal will be the ones that actually build trust in an age when nobody trusts anyone, anywhere.

So, there you go. Five predictions that actually feel plausible, maybe even exciting.

If even half of them come true, 2026 could be the year social media finally grows up a little.

Maybe that’s ambitious… so, if not, don’t stress. Someone will publish another 36 predictions next year. And yes, I’ll probably skim those, too, purely for research.

Once again, you’re so welcome xx

-Sophie Randell, Writer