Welcome to Battenhall’s Year Ahead in Social report 2026. This is our 13th annual forecast, looking at how emerging trends, platforms, technologies and behaviours are shaping the future of social media. We’re approaching a year where social media as we know it turns 20, Gen Alpha’s elders celebrate their 16th birthdays, and online communities are reshaping social and entertainment through comment, culture, and new creator opportunities using AI. Enjoy the report and hope you can put our tips to good use in 2026!
Drew Benvie | CEO & Founder
Gen Alpha’s oldest will turn 16 next year, stepping into the world of work and reshaping how we use social media in ways we’re only just beginning to anticipate. Delia Howe, Elka Requinta, and Nicole Mezzasalma take a close look at the next generation of social media users and their online behaviours.
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It’s getting harder for brands to stay in control of their own narratives – social media users are taking the reins. Georgie Freeman, Felipe Sturgis and Maznah Shehzad discuss how marketers should prioritise authenticity over authority in 2026.
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AI influencers are here – but can they truly take the place of humans in brand marketing? Akilah Harper, Millie Houchen, Becky Mason-Smith, and Lee Peters take a deep dive into the pros and cons of these digital personas.
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Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the beginnings of social media, a golden age when Facebook and Twitter launched, and Battenhall CEO Drew Benvie penned the social media Wiki page.
Two decades on and social has evolved a lot. But as Emillie Hawes, Becky Hersbach, and Alice McGinlay discover, platforms, brands and users are still looking to the past to inform its future…
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Molly Redmond and John Iglesias explore how and why trend fatigue is reshaping content marketing.
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