For startups, social media 2026 offers the opportunity to build even more closeness and trust with followers. However, in a world where Gen AI is filling more and more feeds with hyperreal-looking but pretty random content, the community’s need for authenticity and tangible stories is growing.
Users want to see how something is created, not just the polished end result – also as proof that AI was not used in the production of the content.
The crucial question is not whether AI will change social media, but rather how brands and startups will react to it. What do users expect from content in 2026? Which formats create closeness instead of distance? It is precisely from these questions that 5 central trends for 2026 can be derived.
Insights behind the scenes create closeness
In 2026, the community wants to see things being created. Behind-the-scenes will not be a nice-to-have, but an important part of the story. Startups that dare to show imperfect shots, spontaneous moments and real team dynamics build trust. For example, Koro provides insights into out-of-stock problems or assortment decisions. This gives the community an overall picture of the company. This makes the comment column not only a place for reactions, but also for dialogue with users.
An insight into everyday job life, preferably with a wink, is also popular with followers. At Naughty Nuts, for example, an employee pranks the bosses to attract new talent. ClickUp even goes one step further: On its own channel, the company satirizes the realities of work in comedy clips. In these, specially developed characters make a supposedly boring product like a project management tool funny and entertaining.
Such formats work because they trigger emotions and are understandable. They are shared and commented on – and the algorithm loves that.
Social media is becoming even more like entertainment media
Today, social media competes directly with Netflix & Co., meaning that brands will have to act like series production companies in the future. The best example is Deutsche Bahn’s TikTok series format with comedian Anke Engelke. But Instagram series like those from Academy Bikes or Brooklyn Coffee Shop also show how serial storytelling creates reach.
The reason for this development is simple: culture is created on social and the more naturally content fits into everyday conversation, the greater its impact. On platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, the social aspect is no longer the focus. Users no longer want to post themselves, but instead want to be entertained. You scroll through endless feeds that feel like a mix of Netflix, comedy channel, series library and advertising space. The comment column is becoming more important because users hope to find even more funny or helpful content there. Unique trends are developing here, such as the frequently used saying “I must be on Instagram Premium” to describe in an appreciative way that the production and entertainment quality is so high that you actually have to pay for it.
Marketing ecosystems instead of individual viral hits
Building holistic marketing ecosystems in which organic content, collaborations with influencers, paid media and events intertwine will continue to gain in importance in 2026. Instead of isolated campaigns, successful startups rely on recurring formats that reinforce each other across different touchpoints – and thus create brand worlds. HelloFresh strategically combines creator content with paid distribution and specifically scales organic reach. Offline events or community campaigns provide additional content and deepen the relationship with the target group. Influencers not only act as a reach lever, but also as a credible extension of the brand.
AI content does not replace creativity
The more AI content appears in feeds, the greater the mistrust among users becomes. The “AI slop” often generates criticism instead of commitment. Big fashion brands like Maison Valentino and Benetton experienced exactly this phenomenon: their AI-generated campaigns caused comments on Instagram like “cheap AI mess” or “Have you been hacked?” This negative feedback shows that visible AI alone does not create emotional value. Your greatest leverage lies in the background – from research, to idea generation, testing, process automation and reporting.
By the way, the fashion brand H&M is a good example of transparent AI use. She openly said that AI clone models were used and the real models continue to earn money. In doing so, she took the wind out of the criticism’s sails early on.
Focused channels and dedicated niche communities
Another trend that will continue to prevail in 2026 is the mono-theming of channels. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram reward specialized, recognizable channels more than generic, general-purpose accounts. Startups will therefore increasingly set up several vertical channels, for example divided according to the interests of their target groups. A fintech startup could, for example, open its own channels for freelancers, larger companies or private investors in order to help the algorithm understand who the respective content is intended for.
At the same time, some of the conversations are shifting away from the public feed and into smaller, closed groups on WhatsApp, Facebook or Reddit subs. Maniko Nails, for example, has its own community as a Facebook group with over 37,000 active members who post, discuss and share ideas dozens of times every day.
In 2026, it will be important for startups and brands to build their own communities or integrate into existing communities, i.e. to speak and understand their language and codes.
Social Media 2026: People before technology
Social media 2026 will not be possible without AI. However, startups and brands don’t win hearts with AI alone. The real levers lie in authenticity, dialogue and context. Those who show how products are created, who is behind the ideas and what everyday work really looks like build stronger communities than those who only distribute perfectly generated AI assets. Founders should therefore use AI as an invisible booster in the background to leave the stage to real people and moments.
About the author
Mirco Gluch is the founder of the Berlin social media consultancy Piggyback. The Challenger agency supports growth-oriented companies in taking their strategies, processes and performance in the social media sector to a new level. The aim is to empower brands and establish them as leading brands. In addition to strategy programs, mentoring and workshops such as the “AI for Social Media Online” course, Piggyback offers interim team reinforcement. In addition to Maniko Nails, previous customers include Nike, Zalando, Wholey, Mercedes-Benz, CLARK, N26 and Trade Republic.
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