Social Media Rules of Engagement: A 2026 Guide for Marketers

In 2026, marketers can no longer copy and paste the same content across social platforms. Instead, consumers expect brands to show up differently depending on where they are.  

Our latest State of Social Report makes it clear: trust and authenticity are everything. But with each platform having its own rules of engagement, understanding them is what sets great brands apart. 

Here’s your go-to guide for understanding the rules of engagement on social media in 2026.

Why platform-specific strategies matter

Today’s social media landscape is fragmented. With so many platforms for customers to choose from, each has developed widely different brand expectations – and audiences can spot a copy-paste post from a mile away. 

What resonates on TikTok often falls flat on LinkedIn, and a raw Reddit post won’t get the same response on X. And while it can be tempting to save time by repurposing posts, you risk coming across as tone-deaf, irrelevant, or simply not worth engaging with. 

But with this fragmentation comes opportunity. Brands that focus on tailoring their strategies to each platform stand out. Meeting consumers where they are, and properly speaking in the language of the platform, builds trust, loyalty, and engagement.  

Platform-by-platform breakdown

To give you a hand in understanding the complexities of each social platform, we’ve outlined a specific breakdown of what's working across the major social media platforms. 

TikTok

• What consumers expect: Authenticity and community are key. Brands should join trending conversations, not dominate them. 
• Generational nuances: Gen Z are leading, setting the tone for what’s going viral. 
• Industry standouts: Entertainment, cosmetics, and lifestyle. 
• Content types driving engagement: Trend-based videos, influencer collaborations, brand behind-the-scenes content. 

A TikTok success story 

Nescafe’s latest coffee campaign received 3.4m total video views. Aiming to target younger audiences, the brand combined education with tasty treats to entice viewers with fun recipes.   

Instagram

• What consumers expect: Visual storytelling, polished (but not too polished) content, and a space to connect with an active community. 
• Generational nuances: Gen Z and younger millennials are leading the way. 
• Industry standouts: Retail, e-commerce, CPG, and fashion. 
• Content types driving engagement: Short-form video on Reels, ephemeral Stories, user-generated content (UGC), and curated visuals. 

An Instagram success story 

Trader Joe’s is combining storytelling with curated visuals to drive engagement on Instagram. With 3 million followers and an active comment section, the brand is proving how community-focused, appealing content can thrive. 

LinkedIn

• What consumers expect: Professionalism, thought leadership, and insightful content pay off on LinkedIn. Educational or industry-focused content resonates most. 
• Generational nuances: Millennials and Gen X dominate. 
• Industry standouts: Finance, tech, B2B, and professional services. 
• Content types driving engagement: Articles, LinkedIn Live sessions, webinars, case studies, and employer-generated content thrive. 

A LinkedIn success story 

SaaS company Brij is bolstering its personability on LinkedIn through its CEO’s thought leadership. By sharing their CEO’s, and other employees’, posts on everything from industry news to hiring tips, the relatively new brand now boasts over 5k followers. 

Reddit

• What consumers expect: Genuine, person-to-person interactions. Brands need to participate in existing communities without overt promotion.  
• Generational nuances: All generations are present. Older generations tend to engage less – but they’re still active. 
• Industry standouts: Apparel, beauty, gaming, electronics. 
• Content types driving engagement: In-depth text posts, infographics, AMAs (ask me anything sessions). 

A Reddit success story  

Running software app Runna’s online Reddit community is thriving. The brand has 46k members and counting, and employees at Runna actively share new updates that are appreciated by the community.   

YouTube

• What consumers expect: Long form video that entertains, educates, or provides in-depth reviews. Storytelling matters most on YouTube. 
• Generational nuances: All generations are active on YouTube, with Gen Z and millennials taking a significant portion of the demographic. 
• Industry standouts: Retail and media, vlogging, gaming, and comedy. 
• Content types driving engagement: Shorts, tutorials, reviews, livestreams, vlogs. 

A YouTube success story 

NordVPN have dominated YouTube through long-term partnerships with tech YouTubers. By sponsoring multiple videos over a long period of time, the brand has generated trust, familiarity, and awareness with influencer audiences. It’s now the world’s leading VPN, and even offers its own self-serve influencer program. 

X (Formerly Twitter)

• What consumers expect: Real-time updates, fresh news, and active conversations. Consumers want brands to add value – with a bit of humor. 
• Generational nuances: Gen Z’s userbase on X is growing, with other generations not far behind. 
• Industry standouts: Media, sports, higher education, nonprofits.  
• Content types driving engagement: Threads, polls, live tweeting, commentary, and short-form updates. 

An X success story 

Wendy’s is leading the way with witty, timely posts and customer interactions. The brand’s 3.6m followers prove that humor, authenticity, and frequent posting wins on X.

Facebook

• What consumers expect: Community-focused content, events, and group interactions. 
• Generational nuances: Millennials make up the biggest proportion of Facebook users. Gen Z and Gen X aren’t far behind. 
• Industry standouts: Local businesses like restaurants, real estate, and travel have the best click-through rate (CTR). 
• Content types driving engagement: Influencer images, user-generated content (UGC), and giveaways or contests perform best. 

A Facebook success story 

Fitness equipment brand Peloton created a closed Facebook group for users where they share challenges, tips, and workouts. The community feel of the content means users feel like part of something bigger – and it’s worked. The group now has over 475,000 users. 

Threads

• What consumers expect: Casual, conversational, and community-driven content. Threads users expect more authenticity and less polished content – and especially less highly-curated corporate messaging.   
• Generational nuances: Early adopters are largely Gen Z and millennials.   
• Industry standouts: Lifestyle content, entertainment, CPG, and beauty.  
• Content types driving engagement: Behind-the-scenes content, soft launches and sneak peaks, quick thoughts, and community collaborations.  

A Threads success story

Booksellers Barnes & Noble are leading the way with their approach to Threads. Leaning into their readership’s interest through simple, funny, text-based replies and posts, the brand has amassed over 300k followers.

BlueSky

• What consumers expect: Niche communities, interest-driven content. Limit any overt brand promotions on BlueSky to keep your audience engaged. Less is more. 
• Generational nuances: The younger audience dominates, with a third of all users being Gen Z. Yet Gen X and even baby boomers are still engaging. 
• Industry standouts: Tech, art, and niche hobbies. 
• Content types driving engagement: Discussion threads around niche interests, polls or questions to engage audiences. Avoid too much brand promotion. 

A BlueSky success story 

English tea makers Yorkshire Tea are proving that you don’t millions of followers to generate an active community – in fact, less is more. The brand’s BlueSky presence leans into the “if you know, you know” category, keeping things simple while sharing a love for tea with customers. 

Your social expectation matrix

Social expectations can be a bit overwhelming. In our State of Social report, we distilled them into an easy-to-understand matrix. This matrix will help you fine-tune your social media goals and remember what consumers expect from different platforms. 

Print this out and stick it in your office – old school, but effective – for an easy reminder of the tone you should be setting on your brand's socials.

Use this matrix as a starting point, but remember that while every platform has its quirks, the fundamentals remain consistent: consumers reward listening, adapting, and showing up authentically. Let these insights guide your approach, while continuing to experiment and evolve alongside your audience. 

Roundup

Every platform has its own quirks and unspoken rules – and audiences are quick to reward the brands that understand them. Listening, adapting, and matching your social strategy to the expectations of each platform is a sure way to boost your engagement. 

Want the full picture of what’s shaping social in 2026? Dive deeper with our latest State of Social Report for trends and insights designed to guide your social strategy.