Social Media Trends in 2026

Social media is changing fast and 2026 will be a tipping point. With AI shaping discovery, trust and engagement, the pressure on marketing leaders has never been greater. Visibility, reputation and ROI are all at stake.

This briefing is built for CMOs, Marketing Directors and senior comms professionals who need straight answers, not hype. In one focused session, you will cut through the noise and get clear, practical insight into where to focus your time, budget and attention in the year ahead.

You will leave with frameworks and strategies you can put into practice straight away to sharpen your brand’s visibility, protect reputation and prove marketing’s impact at board level.

#### What you will take away

*   **Visibility that lasts**: How to stay front of mind as search, social and AI-driven feeds reshape discovery.
*   **Reputation you can trust**: Practical ways to tackle misinformation, deepfakes and synthetic media without losing credibility.
*   **ROI that convinces**: Models that tie campaigns directly to commercial results, giving you the evidence to defend and grow budgets.

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#### The big themes

*   **The AI feed**: Where TikTok, Meta, X, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky and others are heading and how to adapt.
*   **Trust and authenticity**: How to protect your brand when synthetic media blurs the lines.
*   **ROI in the age of AI**: Smarter reporting frameworks that resonate with leadership, plus practical ways to use AI without undermining credibility.

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#### Why you should attend

This is not about trends for the sake of it. It is about getting ahead, avoiding costly mistakes and giving your brand the best chance to cut through in a crowded, AI-driven landscape.

If you are a senior marketer responsible for visibility, reputation or budgets, this is the session you cannot afford to miss.

This is for in-house marketing professionals only, no agencies or freelancers please.


Social Media Trends 2026: What Every Marketing Leader Needs to Know

AI-generated images, deepfake videos and fabricated influencer content are spreading faster than most brands can respond. One manipulated post can confuse customers, derail campaigns or damage trust overnight. This session gives marketing and comms leaders a practical hour on how to recognise emerging threats, assess the real risks to your brand and build a fast, confident response when misinformation hits.

Using real examples from consumer brands, visitor attractions, food and drink companies and education providers, we’ll show how misinformation flows, why it gains traction and the simple steps that help teams spot problems early. You’ll also see how small changes in workflow, governance and social listening make a big difference to how well you protect your brand when the pressure is on.

This session is for anyone responsible for brand reputation, campaign delivery, social content, influencer activity or crisis response, especially in sectors where customer trust can shift quickly.

**Why Attend?**

Sharpen Your Defences: Learn how to recognise AI-generated fakes, impersonation attempts and viral hoaxes before they spread.

Protect Brand Trust: Understand how misinformation erodes credibility and how to respond fast enough to limit reputational damage (as shown in the Asahi cases on pages 25–27).

Strengthen Your Crisis Response: Get a clear framework for the first 24 hours, built from real case studies where speed and clarity made all the difference (pages 54–76).

Stay Ahead of New Threats: See the latest trends in deepfakes, fake reviews, AI-generated influencers and scam promotions affecting consumer brands (pages 9–15).

Improve Team Readiness: Learn how to brief teams, align markets and build consistent messaging that holds under pressure.

**Who Should Attend?**

Marketing Directors

Communications Leads

PR and Reputation Managers

Brand and Social Media Managers

Digital and E-commerce Managers

This session is designed for in-house teams only.

Don’t wait until your brand is pulled into a crisis you didn’t create.

Reserve your place and learn how to protect your organisation in a world where misinformation travels faster than the truth.

Spaces are limited to keep the session focused and practical.


Protecting Your Brand in the Age of AI Misinformation

Prohibition PR is a multi-award-winning top 150 PR agency. We advise brands on how to use public relations, content marketing and social media effectively. With creativity, innovation and insight at the heart of everything we do, our aim is to deliver powerful strategies that help brands and businesses communicate more effectively both on and offline.

Operating out of the North of England for over a decade, our specialist integrated PR team has built a reputation for delivering highly successful, innovative PR campaigns that achieve maximum impact and results.