Social media is\u00a0an instrumental tool for charities, helping them to share news, reach new audiences, and\u00a0boost fundraising. Social media usage has grown\u00a0considerably in\u00a0recent years, with new platforms\u00a0emerging\u00a0and new audiences developing, making it possible for charities to tailor their content to drive engagement with those they might otherwise be unable to reach.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Given how helpful it has been to charities, it\u00a0also has\u00a0brought some challenges \u2013 not least the pace with which it changes. As new platforms\u00a0emerge, old ones decline, and charities might find the success of\u00a0previously\u00a0lucrative channels wanes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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It is\u00a0important that charities keep\u00a0up-to-date\u00a0with the changing social media landscape,\u00a0in order to\u00a0keep being able to fundraise and communicate with their audiences effectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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In this article,\u00a0we explore key social media trends that will shape 2026 and how charities can continue to use their channels to their advantage in the coming year.<\/p>\n
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Social media is still going strong\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The changing landscape of social media means that there have been many reports of its decline over the years \u2013 but\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0not what much of the research is pointing to in\u00a02026. Rather,\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0changing is how\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0using social media,\u00a0driven by the growing diversity of the platforms themselves.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Social media consultancy\u00a0We Are Social<\/a>\u00a0estimates that more than two thirds of people across the world now use social media each month.\u00a0A report by\u00a0consumer research platform GWI<\/a>\u00a0revealed that\u00a0social media is \u201cthe dominant media form\u201d,\u00a0with consumers estimating that they spend around seven hours per week on it,\u00a0without\u00a0taking into account\u00a0the six and a half hours spent on short videos such as Instagram Reels and TikTok.\u00a0These two mediums are ahead of streaming services (such as Netflix), music streaming, and broadcast TV \u2013 showing that there is still power in social media to reach new audiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Not only are people spending lots of time on social media,\u00a0they\u00a0are also sharing it across different accounts. One in five global consumers are active on more than 10 different platforms, according to GWI, rising to a quarter of those in Gen Z.\u00a0The reason for this variety lies in the purpose of each account \u2013 TikTok, for example, is the go-to for entertainment and content, while Facebook is preferred for\u00a0keeping in contact\u00a0with friends and family.\u00a0Taking the time to understand these purposes\u00a0will help charities\u00a0create\u00a0tailored\u00a0content that captivates their audiences\u00a0on each platform.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The importance of community in the age of AI\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing a lot of what we see online and how we perceive information.\u00a0The\u00a0proliferation of\u00a0AI slop<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0low-quality AI-generated content with no\u00a0discerning purpose \u2013 is flooding social media platforms with boring, often inaccurate content, such as fake videos of celebrities, of animals on surveillance cameras, and much more. And\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0blurring the lines between\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0real and\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0not.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDeepfakes, AI-generated hoaxes, and manipulated narratives are on the rise, and this problem is simply not going away,\u201d says Meltwater in its\u00a02026 Marketing Trends report<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0understandable that consumers trust the media less than\u00a0ever, when\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0bombarded with mis\/disinformation from all angles.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Charities need to use social media\u00a0wisely\u00a0to\u00a0respond\u00a0to\u00a0this growing level of AI slop\u00a0and misinformation.\u00a0Charities have a uniquely trusted place in society, with\u00a0research consistently showing<\/a>\u00a0that they are more trusted than\u00a0most\u00a0professional sectors, including private companies and some government bodies.\u00a0So\u00a0when they post on social media, they\u00a0have a trusted voice<\/a>,\u00a0one that can tackle misinformation directly and build strong connections with supporters.\u00a0It is\u00a0likely in\u00a02026 that we will see a greater emphasis on community amid the wave of AI slop online.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n However,\u00a0despite the growing\u00a0risks of AI on social media,\u00a0according to the 2025 Charity Digital Skills report, just 5% of charities are investing more in tackling\u00a0misinformation or community moderation.\u00a0These are the areas where charities can make a real difference, using their trust voice to build communities and generate trust.\u00a0This trust then makes a difference to the charity in turn, driving support and donations for a\u00a0cause\u00a0people feel connected to.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cKeeping supporters involved\u00a0is about\u00a0building connection, trust, and a shared sense of purpose,\u201d\u00a0explains Public Interest Registry<\/a>, the\u00a0organisation\u00a0behind the .org domain name. \u201cResearch<\/a>\u00a0consistently\u00a0shows that people stay engaged when they feel informed, emotionally connected to the mission, and invited to\u00a0participate\u00a0in ways that feel personal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In 2026, it is important to keep authenticity\u00a0and community\u00a0in mind when using social media to communicate. Using AI-generated content, for example, might be\u00a0time-saving\u00a0but it could have an impact on your reputation and undermine your trusted voice.\u00a0The charity sector is all about people and community \u2013 that should be reflected in our use of social media, especially in a world of AI slop.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Everyone wants\u00a0more\u00a0video\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Video is still a powerful driver of engagement in\u00a02025\u00a0and since most\u00a0social media platforms have added a video element in recent years, it shows. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts\u00a0have all been developed to respond to the growing appetite for video content, where people can share ideas and connect with their audience.\u00a0Sprout Social says<\/a>\u00a0that 68% of marketing leaders\u00a0say YouTube drives the most business impact, while 64% say the same about TikTok. Only Facebook is higher\u00a0with seven in ten marketers saying it drives the most business impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Social media management app Gain<\/a>\u00a0supports this, saying YouTube is likely to become even more influential\u00a0in 2026, with users searching more intentionally for videos on topics they care about, creating \u201cmore leads and higher-quality conversions than on traditional social media platforms\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n However, it is important to note the\u00a0different types\u00a0of video content and where they work best. Short-form video is seeing lots of success on TikTok and Instagram, but Sprout Social acknowledges there is still a place for long-form content\u00a0too. TikTok videos can be up to 10 minutes long and YouTube shorts have been extended to up to three minutes long.\u00a0It is a challenge, then, for charities to keep their messaging consistent while tailoring the style of their videos to the typical user\u00a0behaviours\u00a0on each platform.\u00a0On any platform, the\u00a0fact\u00a0remains\u00a0that\u00a0video\u00a0is\u00a0an engaging way to get their message across and reach new audiences.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhile repurposing content can\u00a0be effective, brands need to look beyond a one-size-fits-all approach,\u201d explains Sprout Social. \u201cCreate unique content that aligns with users\u2019\u00a0behaviours\u00a0and preferences on each platform\u2014think bite-sized Reels on Instagram and TikTok and long-form storytelling pieces on YouTube.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Charities should not refrain from\u00a0repurposing content for different\u00a0channels\u00a0but they should be purposeful with it.\u00a0Map the different styles of video<\/a>\u00a0for each platform, consider what each will look like before filming.\u00a0Planning for multiple formats at the start of the video ideation process will make your messaging consistent across all platforms and ensure your supporters are still getting content that reflects what they want to see wherever they are, whether its Instagram or YouTube.\u00a0Maybe a\u00a0fully-fledged appeal video will work well on\u00a0YouTube\u00a0but\u00a0TikTok might prefer a shorter behind-the-scenes look.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The emphasis is on authenticity\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The age of AI means has put the emphasis on authenticity in how we communicate \u2013 in a world of computers, people want to\u00a0prioritise\u00a0human connection. And that is reflected in how we consume social media content.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n