11 Social Media Best Practices For 2026

The number of social media users has been growing over the past decade. From 2.73 billion users in 2017, it’s estimated that there will be 5.56 billion users in 2026, 5.58 billion in 2027, and 6.05 billion in 2028.

(Source: Statista)

Currently, 66% of the global population uses social media.

And social media will continue to grow in influence and prominence in 2026.

11 Social Media Best Practices For 2026

What can social media do for your business?

• Market and promote your products and services.
• Build brand awareness.
• Foster customer engagement.
• Enhance reputation as an industry expert.
• Expand your network.
• Create a brand community.
• Provide market insights.
• Drive website traffic.
• Generate leads.
• Improve sales conversion rate.

The numbers on social media support these benefits:

• 76% of users report that their purchasing decisions were influenced by a social media post.
• 87% of retailers claim that using social media to sell their products positively impacted their revenues.
• 14% of consumers use social media as the starting point of their purchase journey.
• 17.11% of online sales are driven by social media platforms.
• The ad reach of YouTube and Facebook, at 2.54 billion users and 2.28 billion users, respectively, accounts for 92% of the total global community of social media users.

Advances in digital technology and changes in consumer behavior have transformed the social media landscape. You can’t expect your 2025 social media playbook to deliver the same results in 2026.

We’ve listed 11 best social media practices to help your strategies evolve with the changing times. Follow these practices to create campaigns that drive traffic, build meaningful customer engagement, and deliver successful results.

1. Integrate AI Technology Into Social Media Marketing Process

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology has been gradually expanding its role in social media marketing by introducing efficiencies in various processes, enhancing user experience, and improving content quality.

How can you integrate AI technology in the social media marketing process?

• Curate high-value research sources.
• Perform editing functions such as grammar, spell-checking, and generating text suggestions.
• Review social media analytics and provide recommendations.
• Analyze content performance and user behaviors.
• Monitor brand mentions in real-time.
• Utilize AI chatbots to provide customers with 24/7 customer service.

Let’s address the elephant in the room…

Should you use AI to create content?

AI can be used to create various types of content: blogs, social media posts, videos, infographics, ads, and newsletters. Many businesses have used AI to scale content production to conform to social media algorithms.

However, AI remains a Machine Learning (ML) technology. It studies and tries to replicate human behavior, but is incapable of providing a key human characteristic.

Empathy.

Without the ability to empathize, AI-generated content might be perceived as disconnected and unrelatable.

The absence of empathy limits AI’s comprehension of context, which can result in the creation of content that contains misinformation and is easily misunderstood.

2. Purpose-Driven Posting

Posting for the sake of checking off a to-do list on your social media calendar will accomplish three things: fewer followers, a tarnished brand, and wasted resources.

For your posts to be effective, there must be a purpose for creating them. Your purpose is driven by what your business needs.

What is the purpose of your post? Do you want to:

• Drive website traffic?
• Promote a new product?
• Build your reputation as an expert?
• Generate audience engagement?
• Solicit customer feedback?
• Stay top-of-mind?

You can have different marketing objectives, but it’s not advisable to run campaigns simultaneously.

Instead, create a social media posting schedule:

• Monday: Increase brand awareness by posting a “How-To” or list-type blog.
• Wednesday: Launch a new product by sharing an explainer video.
• Friday: Engage followers by responding to comments or crowdsourcing ideas.

“How often should I post on social media?”

Here’s a social media posting schedule that you can use as a reference:

Social Media Network:	Posting Frequency:
Facebook	3 times a week
X	3 times a week
Instagram	3 times a week
IG Stories	2 times a week
Threads	2 times a week
LinkedIn	Once a week
Pinterest	Once a week
YouTube	Once a week
Google My Business (GMB)	Once a week

There’s no strict rule regarding how often to post. Ideally, posting five days a week would be great, but always prioritize quality content over quantity.

💡Pro Tip: Generate website traffic by including a CTA with your URL in all social media posts.

For example:

“For more information, visit our website Digital Marketing, SEO & Website Design Services.”

3. Create An Immersive Storytelling Environment Using A.R./V.R. Technology

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies are effective in creating an immersive storytelling environment for your social media followers.

They’re tools that take engagement to the next dimension. Users are transported to a place you’ve designed to help them experience your product or service.

Here are examples of AR/VR content you can share on social media:

• 360-degree videos that allow users to explore your restaurant, resort, shopping center, or Airbnb.
• AR filters for users to “try on” clothes, makeup, and fashion accessories.
• Virtual walking pathways for potential buyers of running or trekking shoes.

Integrating AR/VR technology into your social media campaign can fast-track users’ journey along the sales funnel.

4. Humanize Content

Effective content requires genuine human interaction. High-quality content isn’t just content that’s fresh, useful, and informative. It must also be engaging, compelling, and relatable.

Here are five tips on how to humanize content:

• Focus on User/Search Intent. The first social media practice we discussed was to create purpose-driven posts. That’s your side of the conversation.
  The users’ side is their intent or their purpose for clicking on your social media post.
  To create value, publish content that addresses users’ search intent. Your social media posts should provide answers to their questions or present options to consider.
• Use Natural Language. How would you converse with someone you just met? You want to create a good first impression to keep the conversation going.
  Articulate your ideas in a way that can be clearly understood and appreciated by the reader. Avoid using technical jargon and language that makes the audience want to download a dictionary.
• Practice Storytelling. Share stories that make your business more relatable to the audience.
  For example, share a story about your beginnings.
  How did you start in this business? What experiences motivated you to pursue this career path? What were the biggest obstacles you faced, and how did you overcome them?
  Stories help content resonate with the audience.
• Create Mobile-Friendly Content. Mobile-friendly content is scrollable content. Would you be encouraged to scroll through a paragraph that contains 25 sentences that average 40 words each?
  Keep your paragraphs short. Articulate the main idea of the paragraph in two to three sentences.
  Remember: Focus on user/search intent! Provide users with the information they need immediately.
• Stay Positive. Social media is a double-edged sword. It humanizes the business by providing a platform to build a personality. However, social media also creates an environment that triggers emotions.
  Maintain a positive tone in your social media posts. You want to build your brand without tearing down others.
  The “Stay Positive” rule also applies when responding to negative comments. If you come across a comment that’s unfavorable but justified, respond professionally and address the issue.

💡Pro Tip: Google does not penalize AI-generated content; however, content that appears to be created by AI may deter potential customers. Humanizing content by following our five tips can help you avoid this pitfall.

Utilize AI technology to automate the process and verify research sources; however, it’s best to leave the content writing to human writers.

5. Follow the 80/20 Rule

Keep sales-related content to only 20% of production output. More than 20% and your content becomes noise to your audience.

You don’t want your followers to think you’re interested only in their money and not in building long-lasting relationships.

The 80% should provide your audience with valuable, non-sales content that shines the spotlight on “who” your business is, and not what it’s about.

• Provide unique but helpful tips and hacks that will help your audience resolve their problems or concerns.
• Give users a sneak peek into your operations: Behind-the-Scenes (BTS) or a Day in the Life types of content.
• Share personal information about yourself: What you do on your days off work, hobbies and interests, and a story on how you got started in the business.
• Introduce your team to your community.
• Create crowdsourcing sessions where users share their tips and advice on how to improve your products and services.

Follow the 80-20 Rule. The 80% puts the “Social” in social media.

6. Remain Aligned With Your Values

A 2025 study by marketing research agency Gitnux revealed 89% of consumers stay loyal to brands that remain authentic or aligned with their core values.

Furthermore, 91% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that are perceived to be authentic to their brand identity.

Here are five tips on how to remain authentic and aligned with your values:

• Create a buyer’s or customer’s profile and keep it updated. Use the profile as a guide for creating personalized content.
• Review your website and social media analytics to keep track of changes in online behavior.
• Be selective with your choice of social media channels. These networks are virtual communities that function differently from one another.
• Ignore trends that don’t align with your values.
• Conduct A/B testing on campaigns. Organize two small groups of respondents and run multiple versions of campaigns. Find out which version resonates better with your audience.

💡The Bottom Line: Authenticity is being true to who you are. Your brand is you, and you are your brand. Stay true to the core values that define who you are and what your company is about.

Consumers align themselves with brands they can relate to. Authenticity cultivates long-lasting relationships that are built on trust and loyalty.

7. Expand the Role of Video

A 2025 study by Wyzowl found that 93% of digital marketers experienced high ROI from video marketing. 21% of the respondents reported that short-form videos delivered the highest ROI, but long-form videos generated longer watch times.

The ideal length of a short-form video is 31 to 60 seconds. However, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels allow short-form videos of up to three minutes.

Short-form videos have an engagement rate of 43%. They are effective for product launches, pushing limited-time-only promos, storytelling, and sharing customer testimonials.

Long-form videos can range from five minutes to over one hour. They are excellent for SEO because viewers stay longer on your page. Long-form videos are ideal for explainers, in-depth storytelling, podcasts, detailed product demos, and tutorials.

Incorporating short and long-form videos is your one-two punch combination that will deliver knockout results for your social media strategy.

Use short-form video platforms such as Reels and YouTube Shorts to promote new products, discount offers, explain five-point product benefits or how-to tutorials, and share positive customer reviews.

Long-term videos are effective tools for building brand awareness and managing reputation strategies. Upload high-quality long-form videos on YouTube three times weekly, and the King of Video Content will reward you with greater visibility.

💡Pro Tip: A live stream video, where viewers can ask questions and get immediate feedback, is an effective way of promoting new store openings, hosting webinars and tutorials, and product demonstrations.

8. Collaborate With Micro-Influencers

According to the 2024 State of Influencer Marketing Report, 84.8% of brands favor influencer marketing because of its impressive ROI.

An influencer is someone with a substantial following and whose reputation and expertise in the industry influence consumer decisions. Businesses that work with influencers aim to leverage their reputation and community to expand into new markets for their products.

How do influencers work?

• Create content to boost their online presence.
• Partner with brands that match their niche. Influencers develop content for these brands, attend sponsored events, offer product reviews, and promote them to their audiences.
• Actively engage with their followers to foster a greater sense of community and establish brand loyalty.
• Set trends that could shift consumer favor toward the brands they represent.

The cost of hiring an influencer will depend on the size of their followers.

Here’s a table showing the types of influencers:

Type of Influencer	Size of Followers	Description	Engagement Level	Clients/ Brands
Mega Influencer	1 million+	Celebrity; well- entrenched reputation in social media	Low to medium	Major international labels/brands
Macro Influencer	100,000 to 1 million	Longstanding personalities or OGs	Medium	Large brands
Micro Influencer	10,000 to 100,000	Relatively new, understands the business, aggressively posts content, and is proven capable of engaging a large audience	Very High	Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Nano Influencer	1,000 to 10,000	Start-up stage; still learning the ropes, but has an impressive enough track record in pulling an audience	High

Looking at this table, it’s no surprise that 64% of brands prefer to hire micro-influencers and 44% choose nano-influencers.

Here are six tips on how to work with an influencer:

• Define your goals.
• Choose an influencer who is aligned with your values.
• Clarify expectations.
• Get involved in the creative process.
• Track performance.
• Aspire toward building a sincere relationship.

💡Pro Tip: A collaboration with an influencer should be formalized with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that clearly outlines the responsibilities of both parties.

The MOA ensures that everyone is on the same page. It must include a timeline for deliverables, an exit clause, and a confidentiality agreement.

9. Keep Track of Changes in the Algorithm

Social media platforms have search engines that undergo frequent changes in their algorithm.

An algorithm is a mathematical formula that considers multiple attributes to help search engines determine the ranking and order of content.

Every social media platform operates with its own unique algorithm.

Here’s a breakdown of the ranking signals used by key social media platforms:

• Facebook: High engagement short and long-form videos, AI-recommended content, and community-supported content with impressive levels of likes, shares, and comments.
• X: Posts with images, videos, infographics, and survey polls, verified user accounts, and trending topics.
• YouTube: Frequent posting of short-form videos, long-form videos that establish topic authority, and content with high engagement levels.
• Instagram: High utilization of Reels via short-form videos, impressive collection of comments, likes, and shares, and the use of keyword-rich hashtags.

Staying updated with social media algorithm changes allows you to create compelling content that aligns with user intentions, enhances visibility, and establishes your brand as a trusted resource.

10. Repurpose Digital Content

The cool thing about digital content is that you don’t send it to the trash bin after publication.

The blogs, videos, e-books, newsletters, infographics, and other types of content you created are digital assets that can be repurposed for the next few years.

• Update the information shared in your blogs every six months or annually.
• Pick out a long-form blog and create three short-form blogs with updated information.
• Convert a short-form blog into a Reels series of 30-second videos.
• Use the discussion points or headers of a long-form blog as a content guide for a podcast or webinar.
• Condense the main points of your blogs into snippets that can be shared on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn.

Repurposing content will help you save time and money, boost content production, and enhance your visibility on social media.

11. Introduce a Crisis Management Process

Here are five examples of negative social media posts that may damage your brand reputation and impact your earnings.

• Customers sharing their unpleasant experiences at your establishment.
• Unflattering product reviews with detailed descriptions and images.
• Incendiary customer comments on your business page.
• Former employees uploading a video tell-all about their experiences working for you.
• A well-intentioned but misunderstood social media post that offended users who decided to share it on their feed.

The problem is, you don’t know when these posts are uploaded to social media. By the time you find out, the post could have already gone viral.

Protect your business from the unpredictability of social media by introducing a crisis management process.

• Create a workflow that outlines the process for addressing PR issues and customer complaints. Identify the personnel responsible for each stage of the process.
• Assemble a social media moderation team. Provide them with guidelines on how to tag and categorize text and image content.
• Incorporate a QA step where random checks will be conducted on the social media pages to track comments that weren’t tagged by the moderation team.

Regularly monitor social media for mentions and hashtags.

💡Pro Tip: Establish a target turnaround time (TAT) of 24 to 72 hours to resolve user complaints.

Conclusion

Take advantage of opportunities presented by social media by having your campaign strategies adapt to the changing landscape.

Incorporate the latest technologies, such as AI, AR, and VR, to improve process efficiencies, increase output, and enhance user experience, but don’t forget that the aspect of social media that makes it social.

Empathy – the human touch!

Create content that aligns with your values, pulls the heartstrings of your audience, and integrates the ranking factors of the social media algorithm.

Organize a moderation team to ensure content quality and the integrity of your brand. Establish a customer support process flow that efficiently resolves complaints within a 24 to 72-hour timeframe.

Although social media isn’t a ranking factor in Google’s search algorithm, an effective social media marketing strategy will drive visitors to your website.

Is your website ready to handle the influx of visitors?

Contact us to be sure!

We’ve designed and optimized websites that have delivered results for clients from various industries. We can also create optimized digital content and map out a social media marketing strategy that will help accomplish your business goals.

Let’s book a time to talk.