Today we’re launching Battenhall Labs – our global innovation unit for emerging tech. Battenhall Labs brings together our specialists to help brands apply new technology responsibly and effectively. Read more from Chief Innovation Officer and Labs lead, @philsheard.bsky.social: btnhl.com/4qmSBtD

Amazing to see our Year Ahead in Social 2026 report featured by Marketing Interactive! 🎉 btnhl.com/45JqXzz In the report, we explore why trends, virality and perfection are losing power, and what brands must do instead to cut through in the year ahead. You can download it here: btnhl.com/3LpsiEM

How brands can thrive, not just survive, on social media in 2026

As social media approaches its 20th birthday, Battenhall is calling time on the era of control, trend-chasing and one-way brand storytelling.

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It’s been another transformative year in the world of social media. As 2025 draws to a close, senior content director, Charlea Hale-Abusham, looks at the five social trends that defined the year and what could be coming next: btnhl.com/4rYir9y

2025 wrapped: 5 social trends that defined the year

As the year comes to a close, here are the five big trends that have moved the needle in the world of social media over the last 12 months – and what could be coming next...

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Australia’s under-16 social media ban starts tomorrow. Youth culture drives consumer behavior and platforms will follow. Our CEO, Drew Benvie, shares his take: www.campaignasia.com/article/adve... #Australia

It may be too early to bring up New Year’s resolutions but, at Battenhall, we like to stay one step ahead. From Gen Alpha’s influence to the double-edged sword of virality, we asked our Year Ahead in Social speakers to share what they are expecting from the social media landscape in 2026.

APAC social = next level. From livestream shopping to super apps, we map out this diverse region’s platforms and trends that brands simply can’t ignore in our new blog post: www.battenhall.com/blog/scrolli...

Scrolling through APAC: A social snapshot

Following our expansion into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, we spotlight how social media shapes the area, and why you need to be part of it.

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We’re still on a high from our Year Ahead in Social event this morning! ✨ Our experts presented the five forces we believe will shape the social media landscape in 2026. Explore them in our new report: trends.battenhall.com?utm_source=s... #YAS2026

#YAS2026 over and out! What a day! 🙌 Thank you to every speaker, panelist & guest who joined us at The British Library. Keep your eyes peeled for our social media trends report, dropping later today, and see you again next year... #Battenhall

We're talking trend fatigue! 💤 Trend-hopping gets clicks, but at what cost to authenticity? Final takeaway: use trends with purpose. Niantic Spatial’s @tomglover.bsky.social put it best when he said “It’s better to lean into strategic story-telling than just the meme.” ✨ #YAS2026 #Battenhall

It’s time for a panel 👀🎤 ‘The End of the Trend’ featuring: - Niantic Spatial’s @tomglover.bsky.social - The O2's Lois Saxon - Rhian Robinson and Elise Pearce from Battenhall #YAS2026 #Battenhall

Wrapping up Jonny’s session with his top 3 predictions for 2026:👇 1️⃣ Deeper connections & community-led engagement 2️⃣ Longer-form storytelling returning to the mix 3️⃣ Greater personalisation & niche focus The future of social is more human than ever. ✨ #YAS2026 #Battenhall

Next up, Jonny Atter on The Social Cycle. Starting by talking through how what’s old becomes new again following the trend cycle... ♻️ Introduction ♻️ Growth and adoption ♻️ Peak ♻️ Decline #YAS2026 #Battenhall

And that’s a wrap on Akilah Harper’s session... Her key takeaway: AI can craft the face, but humans create the feeling. The next era of influencer marketing is all about creativity, connection, and trust. ✨ #YAS2026 #Battenhall

63% of professionals plan to use AI or ML in influencer marketing 👀🤖 But where do you start? 🔍 Do your research - find voices aligned with your values. 🧩 Start small - test one partnership and learn. ⚡ Stay informed - this space is evolving fast. #YAS2026 #Battenhall

Up next, Akilah Harper dives into the faces of the future 👀🤖 Mentions of AI influencers grew 50% in early 2025 and the conversation is only getting louder. The AI future of influence? It’s here already. ⚡ #YAS2026 #Battenhall

Key takeaway from Georgie's talk? The rule book is gone 🔥 1. 2025 proved audiences now own the narrative - rewriting brand stories in real time 2. Heading into 2026, control is out. Collaboration is in. 3. Authenticity, agility, and participation will define who wins the crowd #YAS2026 #Battenhall

Georgie Freeman now takes to the stage on ⚔️ The Double-Edged Sword of Virality ⚔️ Are viral moments your biggest win or your biggest flop? Georgie's here to break it down for us! #YAS2026 #Battenhall

How are Gen Alpha trends shifting? This is what we found: 💬 Messaging, AI, and social media apps aren't separate, they're intertwined 🚫They know stricter age limits are coming, but the response? "We’ll use it anyway" 🛡️Many believe the world would be safer without social media entirely #YAS2026

Kicking off the day with our very own @drew.battenhall.com diving into Gen Alpha and their impact on mainstream social media... 👀 The next generation is already shaping what’s next. Let’s go #YAS2026! 🚀

Saying HELLO 👋 from the British Library this morning for our 13th Year Ahead in Social breakfast briefing! Are you ready for a morning filled with trends, insights and our predicitions for 2026? Follow along for live highlights. #YAS2026 #Battenhall

Marketing leaders' top questions for 2025: content on YouTube and LinkedIn, creator budgets, and the rise of Gen Alpha! John Iglesias breaks it down with insights from our recent trends dinner in San Francisco. ✨ btnhl.com/4qqaIjZ

What makes a social media post successful? Understanding your audience is a great place to start. To find out about how audience behavioural insights should be considered and used in your social strategy, check out this blog by our Senior Insights Director, Keri: btnhl.com/3KoYuHL

Long-form content on Substack, real-life book events, running clubs: what do these things have in common? They’re all ways brands have found to build connection with their audiences, fostering communities both on and offline. Read more in our latest blog 👇

Join the club! Why brands are turning to longer-form social

Could short-form social be on its way out? Top brands are swapping swipes for page-turners in a bid to build richer communities – and audiences can’t get enough

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Employee-generated content (EGC) is one of the most powerful trends shaping social right now. But how do you actually make it work in practice? Join @nica.bsky.social and George Brett on September 1 @ 2pm for a webinar exploring this very topic! Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Battenhall influencer team roll call 📢  We thought we should introduce the team behind our epic EGC report: indd.adobe.com/view/39ab8d2...

Are employees the next generation of influencers? 🤳  Our dedicated influencer team has taken a deep dive into the evolution of EGC (employee-generated content) in a new report 👉 bit.ly/3H9DG5H

Last Sunday saw the Lionesses triumph yet again, retaining their European title. 🦁 Their success also sparked a wave of social media growth. We looked at the squad’s followers across Instagram and TikTok between June 15 and July 29, and pulled out some of the standout stats. Any surprises? 👇

We’ve been on the road with our client Pokémon GO celebrating the game’s 9th anniversary! 😎 Phew, where did that time go? To mark the occasion, Pokémon GO has been taking a Road Trip across Europe! 🚚 We attended the first stop in Manchester last week, capturing content and handling media requests.

What better way to start the week with not one, but two @prweekuk.bsky.social Awards nominations? 🎉 We have been shortlisted for Small Consultancy and Specialist Consultancy of the Year awards, and are very proud of our amazing team! Congratulations to all the other nominees – see you in October!

How can brands create story-rich worlds that audiences care about? 🤳 Senior design director Charnah Bradley has the perfect recipe for social success… 🍰 Click for ingredients 👉 bit.ly/4lgAoMV

How to create the perfect recipe for social storytelling

With attention spans depleting and content competition flooding the feeds of audience groups, brands are faced with an ultimatum: become entertaining and hook audiences or face irrelevance…

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