3 trends driving Candid’s 2026 social media strategy

Creating Candid’s annual social media plan is usually one of my favorite tasks. But 2025 threw us a bit of a curveball.

Changes with a new administration meant we had to toss out our original plan. We quickly shifted our social media strategy to support those impacted by executive orders, canceled a major campaign, and rethought the language we were using.

At the same time, AI content took over social media platforms. Also known as “AI slop,” it’s hard to miss the videos, photos, and text that have permeated what were once places for authentic engagement.

All of this shifted how I approached our social media plan for this year. While I still analyzed the data thoroughly (you can read about that approach here), I spent a lot more time thinking about what you, our audience, needed. Here are the top trends we’re looking at and how it’s going to drive our 2026 social media strategy (and how you can steal these ideas for you organization).

1. Authenticity is the antidote to AI slop

As generative AI makes it harder to discern what’s real, users are increasingly distrustful and exhausted with social media. That’s why it’s more important than ever to have content that feels like it was made by and for humans. To quote Tasha Van Vlack, “authenticity beats polish.”

Now, authenticity can be a slippery thing to nail down, and it’s going to look different for every organization. For some, it might be casual videos and photos that feature their staff in action. For others, it might be a more formal and produced approach. The key is to match your organization’s style.

Candid’s approach: With our 2026 social media strategy, we’re leaning into our nerd side. That means more data, diving deeper into topics that matter most to nonprofits, and debunking misinformation.

2. Not every platform is worth your time

Time is one of our most precious resources. Tracking how you spend it can help you make more informed decisions about where to put your efforts and whether the investment matches the results.

When we’re doing our data deep dive at the end of the year, one of the big questions I pose is whether we’re investing the right amount of time in the right spaces. Is it worth investing 30% of my time in producing daily TikTok videos for an audience of 3,000? No (which is why we stepped back from the platform). Should we invest more in LinkedIn posts and newsletters? Yes, absolutely, since we’ve seen 325% growth in engagement and tripled our followers on that platform since I joined Candid in 2022.

Candid’s approach: We’re doubling down on LinkedIn, because when we put in more effort, we see more growth. It also has our most engaged community. We’ll maintain a presence on other platforms but won’t put the same energy into them.

3. Human connection and shared identity come first

People get onto social media to connect, learn, and feel something. That’s why platforms like Substack and Reddit are gaining popularity: They prioritize building human connection and celebrating shared identities. Although we don’t all need to use these platforms, you should consider what folks like about them and replicate it elsewhere.

With everything that’s going on, it’s also really important to be monitoring your community—looking at their social media feeds to see what they’re talking about and staying up to date on news.

Candid’s approach: We’ll be doing more proactive outreach. That means finding appropriate times to jump into conversations where it makes sense, whether it’s on Reddit or in LinkedIn comments. We’ll also be monitoring what our audience is talking about so we can create content that directly addresses their needs.

Social media never stops evolving. What trends are shaping your 2026 social media strategy?