R&Co Communications
Are you looking for a better return on investment from your social media marketing? These are the tactics the social media team at R&Co Communications are concentrating on in 2026.
The Birmingham agency's team are sharing their advice on the bad habits to leave behind and the best habits to embrace to achieve greater impact over the next 12 months.
Read on for actionable social media tips.
Rethink video content
Short-form video continues to dominate, but success comes from creating content designed for the platform, not repurposed from elsewhere.
AI vs. authenticity
As AI generated content becomes more widespread, audiences are getting better at spotting what feels real. And that means authenticity will matter more than ever. The brands that win will use AI as a support tool, not a shortcut. Keeping genuine voices, real people and honest storytelling at the centre.
Social search
From Instagram to TikTok to LinkedIn, users are actively searching for recommendations, answers and inspiration. Finding ways to optimise captions, hashtags and on-screen text for search is a priority in 2026.
Scroll stopping
If the content you are creating wouldn’t stop you scrolling, don’t post it. And don't post just to stay visible. When it comes to your 2026 social strategy, choose quality content over quantity.
Ditch vanity for engagement
Focus on engagement metrics when measuring the impact of your social media activity - shares, saves, comments, watch-time, dwell-time… Not vanity metrics – leave counting likes, followers, views and impressions in 2025.
Creating conversations
Talk with your target audience, not at them. 2026 is all about creating conversations and emphasising the social part of social media. Your posts shouldn’t just shout about your business, they should entertain, inspire and engage. Understanding who your audience are and what makes them tick will make content creation much easier for the year ahead.
Three second rule
Add value in the first three seconds of your reel or risk losing your audience. Attention spans are short, show your hand or wave goodbye to those all-important engagement metrics.
Do you need help making your social media campaigns stand out in 2026? Talk to our team to find out how we can create scroll-stopping content for your business or learn more about our social media marketing services.
