The Social Media Shift Brands Can’t Ignore in 2026

Why saves and shares now matter more than likes ever did

For most of the last decade, social media success was measured in very visible ways. Likes, comments and follower growth became the measurement for relevance, influence and impact. They were easy to track, easy to report on, and easy for brands to chase.

But as we move into 2026, those numbers no longer tell the full story — and in many cases, they don’t tell the right story at all.

Behind the scenes, the algorithms that power Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn have evolved. What they now prioritise isn’t loud engagement, but meaningful engagement. Content is no longer rewarded simply for being reacted to in the moment, but for being returned to, shared privately, and passed between people who see genuine value in it.

In practical terms, this means saves and shares now matter more than likes and comments ever did.

What’s actually changed?

A like is easy. It’s a split-second, low-commitment action. Comments, while still valuable, are often driven by prompts, giveaways or surface-level reactions. Neither necessarily indicates that a piece of content had lasting impact.

Saves and shares are different. They require intent.

When someone saves a post, they’re signalling that the content has future value — something worth returning to, referencing or learning from again. When they share a post, especially via DMs or group chats, they’re attaching their own credibility to it. They’re saying, “This is worth your time.”

Platforms are paying close attention to this behaviour because it keeps users engaged beyond the scroll. Content that travels, lives longer, and sparks private conversation is content that strengthens the ecosystem — and that’s exactly what algorithms are now designed to reward.

The new lens brands need to apply to content

This shift demands a fundamental change in how brands think about what they post. In 2026, content creation should start with two core questions — not as a checklist, but as a mindset.

• The first is: would someone save this for themselves?

Save-worthy content tends to be educational, confirming or grounding. It helps the audience understand something better, do something more effectively, or see an issue from a new angle. This might look like breaking down a complex topic, sharing practical frameworks, offering industry insight, or answering questions people didn’t even realise they had.

If your content gives someone a reason to come back to it later, it has already outperformed something that simply earned a like in the moment.

• The second question is: is this worth sharing with someone else?

Share-worthy content often taps into collective experience. It names a frustration, articulates a shift people are feeling but haven’t put into words, or challenges an accepted norm. It creates that instinctive “you need to see this” response — the kind that sparks DM conversations, story reposts and side chats between colleagues and friends.

This is where opinion-led content, cultural commentary and honest perspective become far more powerful than safe, polished brand messaging.

Why aesthetic alone is no longer enough

Visual identity and clever creative still matters. A strong aesthetic helps content stop the scroll. But stopping the scroll is no longer the end goal — it’s just the entry point.

Beautiful content without substance may still attract attention, but it rarely earns saves, and it almost never earns shares. The brands performing best in 2026 are the ones pairing strong visuals with clear thinking. Their content doesn’t just look good — it says something.

Increasingly, high-performing posts feel less like advertisements and more like mini editorials, trusted insights, or conversations people want to be part of. They offer value and community that extends beyond the brand itself.

What this means for strategy, not just posting

This algorithm shift also changes how brands should measure success. If likes are no longer the primary metric, then chasing volume and frequency at the expense of depth becomes counterproductive.

Instead, brands are being rewarded for intentionality. Fewer posts, clearer points of view, and content designed to last longer than a single day in the feed. Metrics like saves, shares, reach driven by shares, and DM responses are becoming far more meaningful indicators of resonance.

It also requires brands to be more comfortable with depth. Longer captions. Nuance. Perspective. Content that assumes the audience is intelligent, discerning, and capable of engaging with ideas — not just visuals.

The quiet opportunity most brands will miss

Here’s the upside to all of this: not everyone will adapt.

Creating save-worthy and share-worthy content requires context, experience and confidence. It asks brands to teach rather than tease, to lead conversations rather than chase trends, and to offer insight instead of noise.

For the brands willing to do that work, the payoff is significant. Stronger trust. Longer content lifespan. Deeper relevance — even without massive audiences.

And this isn’t just theory.

We’re already seeing what happens when brands stop chasing visible engagement and start creating content designed to be saved, shared and passed on quietly. Under this approach, some of the brands whos social media we manage, are now seeing Instagram engagement rates sitting around 4%, with smaller accounts achieving engagement as high as 21% — well above the typical industry benchmark of 1.5 to 2%.

Reach and visibility have followed naturally. Total reach has increased by more than 250%, with views up over 360%, driven largely by non-followers — in some cases, close to half of total views. That’s a clear indication that content is being optimised not just for an existing audience, but for discovery, relevance and algorithmic trust.

The same pattern is showing up on Facebook, particularly for B2B and device-led brands where organic performance is often assumed to be limited. Daily reach has climbed into triple-digit growth, engagement rates are tracking at close to four times the category benchmark, and overall visibility continues to build — an important factor in long, considered sales cycles where familiarity and credibility matter more than instant conversion.

None of this is accidental. It’s the result of creating content with longevity in mind — content designed to live beyond the scroll, beyond the feed, and beyond the moment it’s posted.

The lesson for 2026

The most important question is no longer, “Will people like this?”

It’s: “Will this live beyond the moment?”

If your content is worth saving, it’s worth sharing. And if it’s worth sharing, the algorithm will take care of the rest.

If reading this has sparked a rethink around how your brand is showing up on social, we’re always open to a conversation. Jemma Smyth, Social Media Strategist at Inside Industry, works closely with brands to translate these platform shifts into content strategies that build genuine momentum — not just surface-level metrics.

No pressure, no pitch deck calls — just a chat about what social media could look like for your brand in 2026, and whether there’s an opportunity to do things differently.