As we navigate through 2026, the social media landscape is being defined by emotional storytelling, authentic connections and a strategic balance between human creativity and AI-powered innovation.
The numbers paint a compelling picture: South Africa is home to 29.1.-million social media users aged 18 and above, representing nearly 65% of the adult population. South Africans spend an average of three hours and 36 minutes on social media daily, significantly higher than the global average.
With users projected to reach 40.77-million by the end of 2026, the opportunity for brands has never been greater. But connection isn’t just about reach anymore, it’s about resonance.
Let’s explore the key trends shaping social media in 2026:
1. Episodic content takes centre stage
Random one-off posts are becoming a thing of the past. In 2026, brands are building loyal audiences through episodic content, serialised storytelling that keeps people coming back for more.
Think of it as the Netflix model applied to social media. According to Sprout Social’s Q2 2025 Pulse Survey, 57% of global social media users want brands to prioritise posting original content series.
Duolingo’s viral storytelling campaign demonstrated this perfectly. Rather than asking people to download their app, they made people care about what happened next.
This trend resonates particularly well on LinkedIn, where serialised thought leadership pieces help executives remain top of mind among their industry peers.
2. Community and resonance trump viral reach
One of the most fascinating shifts we’re observing is brands prioritising resonance within their communities over chasing viral moments.
Nando’s year-end fatigue campaign saw its biggest engagement a year later, in December 2025, when it genuinely resonated with exhausted South Africans at exactly the right moment. The lesson? Content that speaks to community experiences at the right time will always outperform content engineered solely for virality.
Shares and saves are becoming valid KPIs in their own right, indicators that your content is valuable enough for people to return to or pass along. Content that feels like it comes from a friend rather than a corporation will naturally perform better.
3. Unexpected partnerships drive conversation
Strategic collaborations are creating some of the most engaging content in 2026, particularly when brands venture outside their expected lanes.
The Krispy Kreme x Vaseline Cera-Glow partnership exemplified this trend beautifully. By leveraging the trending “glass-skin” aesthetic, these seemingly unrelated brands created a visual association so strong it made consumers pause mid-scroll.
Research shows that roughly 75% of agencies now believe smaller creators with niche audiences outperform celebrities in both engagement and ROI.
The authenticity these micro- and nano-influencers bring to partnerships often resonates more deeply than polished celebrity endorsements.
4. Authenticity and heritage storytelling win hearts
In an era where AI literacy is becoming mandatory for marketing leaders and an estimated 70% of social media images involve AI tools such as Midjourney or DALL-E, the counter-trend towards authentic, human-led storytelling has never been more important.
Vaseline’s Heritage Day campaign went viral because it tapped into something deeply familiar to South Africans: traditions passed down through generations. It was not overly polished. It was not AI-generated. It felt real, recognisable and relatable. That is why it resonated so strongly, sparked conversation across the country and went on to win multiple awards.
The campaign is also a simple reminder that sometimes, the most powerful work comes from keeping things honest and uncomplicated.
5. Social SEO becomes non-negotiable
Social media platforms are increasingly functioning as search engines, fundamentally changing how users discover content and brands.
Nearly one in three consumers now skip Google entirely and start their search journey on platforms like TikTok, Instagram or YouTube instead.
For South African brands, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge. With 58.5% of South African internet users watching tutorials, educational content and how-to videos every week, optimising content for social search is crucial.
6. The AI Paradox: efficiency meets authenticity
Perhaps the most complex trend shaping 2026 is the relationship between artificial intelligence and authentic brand voice.
The statistics are staggering: 88% of marketers now use AI daily, with 93% using it to speed content creation.
But here’s the critical nuance: while AI speeds up and makes content creation more accessible, 62% of consumers are less likely to engage with or trust content if they know it was generated by AI.
The brands succeeding in 2026 are those using AI strategically, as a creative partner and workflow optimiser, while keeping humans at the centre of storytelling.
Looking ahead
Social media in 2026 is less about chasing reach and more about earning real attention. The platforms are more saturated than ever, AI-generated content is everywhere, and audiences are increasingly sophisticated in what they respond to.
The fundamental principle driving success hasn’t changed: meaningful human connection. But the tactics for achieving that connection are being rewritten almost constantly.
The question isn’t whether to embrace these trends, but how to implement them in ways that feel authentic to your brand and resonate with your specific audience.
