A new year brings a fresh wave of platform experimentation, and the January 2026 social media updates show no signs of platforms slowing down. Algorithms, AI, commerce and community are firmly at the centre of platform priorities as brands and creators head into 2026.
Missed last month’s roundup? Catch up on the December 2025 social media updates.
Here are the January 2026 social media updates brands, creators and marketers need to know.
Pinterest Predicts returns for 2026
One of the most talked-about social media updates this month comes from Pinterest who have released its annual Pinterest Predicts report, revealing the trends set to shape culture, creativity and consumer behaviour over the year ahead. Based on billions of searches and an 88 percent accuracy rate over the past six years, the report offers valuable, early insight for brands planning content, campaigns and product development.
Some of the standout predictions for 2026 include:
- Gimme Gummy: Playful, tactile aesthetics are on the rise, with jelly-like textures, bold colours and squishy accessories influencing fashion, beauty and product design.
- Glitchy Glam: Beauty trends embrace imperfection, with asymmetric makeup, mismatched nails and experimental looks driving a more expressive approach to glam.
- Scent Stacking: Personalised fragrance routines take centre stage, as consumers layer perfumes and oils to create bespoke scent combinations.
- Afrohemian Decor: Interiors lean into culturally rich, global influences, blending Afro-inspired patterns, natural textures and eclectic design elements.
- Khaki Coded: Utility-led fashion gains momentum, with practical silhouettes, earth tones and explorer-inspired styling shaping wardrobes.
- Extra Celestial: Cosmic and futuristic aesthetics influence fashion and beauty, with holographic finishes and otherworldly visuals trending.
- Throwback Kid: Nostalgia continues to resonate, with vintage-inspired children’s fashion, classic toys and heirloom-style aesthetics seeing renewed interest.
- Wilderkind: Nature-driven visuals and forestcore influences reflect a growing desire for grounded, earthy and organic experiences.
For brands, these January 2026 social media updates underline the importance of tapping into emotional connection, personal expression and culturally relevant aesthetics, especially on visual-first platforms like Pinterest.
Threads experiment with algorithm control
Threads is testing a new way for users to influence their feed. The platform is experimenting with posts that begin with “Dear algo”, allowing users to signal the type of content they want to see more of. While this doesn’t permanently reset the algorithm, it temporarily refines recommendations.
For brands and creators, this reinforces the importance of clear content pillars and consistency. As platforms lean further into relevance-based discovery, accounts with a defined niche are more likely to benefit from these types of algorithm refinements. Look at this example.
Threads simplifies sharing saved and liked content
Threads is also making it easier for users to resurface content they care about. A new share icon within the post composer opens a gallery of saved and liked posts, allowing them to be reshared more easily.
Already live on iOS and rolling out on Android, this update encourages repeat distribution and gives high-performing posts a longer lifespan. For brands, it creates more opportunities for organic amplification beyond the initial publish window.
Meta releases new Reels performance guidance
Meta has released updated guidance on how to improve Reels performance across Instagram and Facebook, covering both brand awareness and direct-response creatives.
For brand advertisers, Meta’s advice centres on early branding, repeated brand presence, and using audio and visuals together. For direct-response advertisers, the focus shifts to showing products multiple times, adding clear calls to action, and using strong hooks within the first few seconds.
First up, for brand advertisers, Meta offers these 5 tips.
- Show both brand and main message early in the creative
- Show your brand more than once (in different scenes and positions)
- Leverage both speech and music in your creative
- Delivery the message through audio and visual cues
- Show scenes including people going about their everyday activities
For direct response advertisers, Meta offers these 6 tips.
- Show your product more than once
- Add additional context to support your main message
- Use a CTA in your creative
- Leverage both speech and music in your creative
- Use emojis in your visual
- Feature the brand up to 25% of the duration of your creative
The takeaway is clear. Reels remain a performance-driven format, and creative fundamentals matter more than ever within the wider January 2026 social media updates.
Google brings AI-powered virtual try-on to the UK
Google has expanded its AI-powered virtual try-on experience to the UK and India. Users can upload a photo of themselves and virtually try on items including dresses, jackets and shoes.
Powered by a fashion-specific AI model, the tool aims to improve confidence at the point of purchase. For retail brands, this is one of the most commercially impactful social media updates of the month, particularly as platforms continue blending discovery and commerce.
Australia enforces under-16 social media ban
Australia has officially passed legislation restricting access to social media for users under 16, with platforms responsible for enforcement. YouTube has been confirmed as part of the ruling.
YouTube has begun notifying affected users that their content will no longer be publicly visible, although downloads remain available. For brands, this highlights the growing importance of age-appropriate targeting, compliance and youth safety across platforms.
YouTube expands expressive captions
Accessibility continues to feature strongly in the January 2026 social media updates, with YouTube expanding its AI-powered expressive captions.
The captions better reflect tone and context through capitalisation, vocal sound recognition and ambient noise labelling. This improves inclusivity while also enhancing content comprehension in sound-off environments.
YouTube launches its first-ever yearly recap
For the first time, YouTube has released a yearly recap, combining platform-wide trend data with personalised user summaries.
From trending shows to top creators and music, the recap mirrors a wider industry shift towards reflective, data-led social media updates.
For creators, this type of insight can help inform content planning for 2026, highlighting what formats, topics and themes consistently drive attention.
This update reinforces the value of consistency and niche ownership within evolving social media updates.
Instagram tests early access Reels
Instagram is testing a feature that allows creators to lock Reels for the first 24 hours, making them exclusive to followers. Non-followers are prompted to follow to unlock the content.
This positions exclusivity as a growth lever, encouraging deeper community building rather than pure reach.
Instagram expands Marketing API metrics
Instagram has expanded its Marketing API, giving third-party tools access to new performance metrics including Reels skip rate, repost counts and profile visits driven by ads.
For brands and agencies, this is one of the most valuable social media updates this month, offering clearer insight into what drives discovery and engagement.
Instagram enables resharing of public Stories
Instagram is rolling out the ability to reshare public Stories, even when users are not tagged. This brings Stories closer to feed behaviour and opens up new opportunities for organic reach and amplification.
TikTok launches Nearby Feed in the UK
TikTok has officially launched its Nearby Feed across the UK and several European markets.
The feed surfaces content from nearby creators, businesses and events, creating new discovery opportunities. For local brands, this is one of the most strategically important January 2026 social media updates.
TikTok tests collaborative features
TikTok is experimenting with shared feeds, collaborative collections and digital greeting cards. These features are designed to encourage shared experiences and deepen community engagement.
TikTok introduces new accessibility tools
TikTok is also rolling out new accessibility settings, including options to disable HDR video and reduce motion effects. These updates support users with sensory sensitivities and reinforce the platform’s commitment to inclusive design.
Threads expands topic-based communities
Threads has doubled the number of topic-based communities available and is testing Community Champion badges and community flair.
For brands and creators, this presents new opportunities to engage with highly relevant, interest-driven audiences.
YouTube tests image carousels in Shorts
YouTube is testing image carousels within the Shorts feed, giving creators another way to appear in short-form discovery without relying solely on video.
For brands and creators, this could lower production barriers and open up Shorts distribution to static assets such as product imagery, event photography or campaign visuals, particularly useful for always-on content strategies.
Google reveals key 2025 search trends
Google’s Year in Search has landed, spotlighting the topics that defined 2025 across entertainment, sport, culture and technology. These insights offer valuable context alongside wider January 2026 social media updates, helping brands understand what captured public attention over the past year.
Some of the most searched topics of 2025 included:
- Gemini: Significant interest in Google’s AI developments and capabilities
- Pope Leo XIV: Global attention following the appointment of the new pope
- DtMF – Bad Bunny: Lyrics and music searches surged around the release
- Squid Game 3: Anticipation for the next season drove major search demand
- Regretting You – Colleen Hoover: Strong engagement around book and author searches
- FIFA Club World Cup: A key sporting moment that dominated global interest
- Arc Raiders: Growing curiosity around the upcoming game and its community
- Hot honey: A breakout food trend reflected in recipe and cooking searches
- Golden – HUNTR/X: Music discovery and streaming searches peaked around the track
For marketers, these trends offer a useful lens into the topics and cultural moments most likely to influence content discovery and engagement across social platforms in 2026.
Ads confirmed for Google Gemini
Google has confirmed plans to monetise its Gemini AI chatbot with advertising placements expected later in 2026. While details remain limited, this marks a significant shift in how AI platforms fit into the advertising ecosystem.
YouTube rolls out A/B testing for creators
YouTube is rolling out A/B testing for video titles and thumbnails to creators with Advanced Features access. After years of testing, this long-awaited feature allows creators to optimise for clicks and performance more effectively.
Instagram tests TV-style viewing app
Instagram has confirmed it is testing a TV-style app in the US, designed for communal viewing. Users can browse content by interest or creator, signalling a push towards longer-form consumption.
Facebook tests limits on organic link sharing
Facebook is testing restrictions on how many link posts unverified accounts can share each month. The move could significantly impact publishers and brands that rely on organic referral traffic.
AI content detection comes to Gemini
Google is rolling out AI content detection within Gemini, allowing users to check whether videos were created or edited using Google AI. As trust becomes a growing concern, this is one of the most notable updates in 2026.
TikTok launches GamePlan for sports organisations
TikTok has introduced TikTok GamePlan, a new suite of tools designed to help sports organisations grow their presence, from enhanced analytics to ticketing and fan engagement features.
The January 2026 social media updates make one thing clear, platforms are entering the year focused on control, creativity and community. From deeper analytics and algorithm transparency to local discovery and accessibility, these social media updates set the tone for what brands should expect from the months ahead.
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About the author
Niamh Conneely | Junior Account Manager
With experience across beauty, lifestyle, and tech, working with both B2B and B2C brands, Niamh is passionate about all things social and loves turning strategy into engaging campaigns.
