Social media in 2026 is no longer just about posting often or chasing the latest trend. With platforms evolving faster than ever and audiences becoming more selective about what they engage with, brands are being forced to rethink how they measure success, plan content, and build lasting relationships online. Likes and follower counts still matter, but they rarely tell the full story of what is actually driving growth, trust, and conversions.
At Website Planet, we work closely with digital experts, marketers, and business owners who rely on social media as a serious growth channel, not just a visibility tool. To better understand what truly works today, we asked industry leaders to share their insights on measuring real performance, staying consistent across platforms, adapting to constant algorithm changes, and uncovering the most underrated strategies brands should be using right now.
Below, top founders, creative directors, and marketing professionals reveal the tools, tactics, and mindset shifts that are shaping the future of social media and helping brands cut through the noise in 2026 and beyond.
What is the most underrated social media strategy that brands should use today?
When people talk about social media strategy in 2025, the same ideas usually come up: post consistently, jump on trends, use Reels, run ads, collaborate with influencers. All of these matter—but they’re no longer enough in feeds that are more crowded than ever.
There’s one strategy most brands still overlook. It doesn’t require a huge budget or a large creative team, yet it consistently leads to higher engagement, stronger trust, and more conversions.
The most underrated social media strategy today is building micro-communities through meaningful, two-way interaction.
- Not posting more.
- Not using more hashtags.
- Not chasing every trend.
But actually talking to people properly.
Why Micro-Communities Matter More Than Ever?
Over the past two years, every major platform has shifted to reward genuine interaction:
- Instagram pushes posts with conversations, not just likes
- TikTok values content that sparks comments and duets
- Facebook prioritises community-driven discussions and Groups
- LinkedIn boosts posts that create dialogue rather than broadcasts
Yet many brands still treat social media like a digital billboard. The result? Pretty content. Little impact.
What Is a Micro-Community?
A micro-community is a small, engaged group of people who:
- Feel connected to your brand
- Actively engage with your content
- Share feedback and recommend you to others
Not thousands of silent followers, just a few hundred people who genuinely care.
How Brands Can Build Micro-Communities?
- Reply to comments like DMs: real, human responses, not generic “Thanks!”
- Ask real questions: not engagement bait, but questions that create natural conversation
- Share behind-the-scenes content: show the process, the people, and the journey
- Use Stories to connect: polls, Q&As, quick updates, and voice notes
- Reward engagement: exclusive access, early launches, or private offers
Why This Strategy Works?
Because algorithms follow people. Genuine interaction signals value, increases organic reach, lowers ad costs, and helps brands build long-term trust instead of just publishing polished posts.
Most brands still don’t do this, which is exactly why it works.
Zack A., Social Media Manager at Nerds Agency
How do you measure real success on social media beyond likes and comments?
I look at whether the content is actually moving people toward something meaningful. Saves, shares, link clicks, replies, and DMs tell you way more than likes do. Even better: track how many people join your email list, hit your website, or convert into leads after seeing your content. If the audience is growing with the right people, people who stick around, engage consistently, and take action.
Clayton Rannard, Co-Founder of Collabstr
How do you approach content planning to ensure consistency across platforms?
We first choose a page based on keyword research, we create a podcast on that topic and use AI to write the script.
Once we have the podcast produced, we create a blog post from it with a bit of help from AI.
We take that blog, link it, and connect it to the podcast. Then we create social media posts from that blog, essentially excerpts that link back to the blog to drive traffic to the blog and the website.
We often promote social media posts to drive more traffic back to the website.
Robert Donnell, Co-Founder and CEO at P5 Marketing
How do you keep up with constant platform changes without losing focus?
Platforms change constantly, but clear storytelling, useful information, and content that genuinely catches an audience’s attention will always perform. That is where we put most of our focus when we manage client accounts.
The way people consume content evolves, but the goal doesn’t. Our job is to understand what the audience cares about and create work that speaks directly to that. We stay on top of platform updates so we understand how people are interacting with content, but we always come back to the fundamentals for our brands: be clear, be relevant, and provide real value with every post.
That is what keeps content performing, and it’s what keeps us focused no matter how quickly platforms change.
Anthony Richey, Creative Director at Path Creative
How do you balance creativity with data when managing social media campaigns?
I’ll be honest. Picking the right campaigns can drain me. You’re drowning in data one minute, then chasing a dozen creative directions the next. It’s a lot.
So what keeps me sane? People. My network of advertisers and ad networks have become genuine friends over the years. They toss me ideas, challenge my thinking, and spark creativity when I’m running on empty. Publishers chime in too with real feedback about what’s landing with audiences.
Then there’s my team. My developers see patterns I miss. My account managers stay plugged into what’s actually moving the needle. Together, they keep me from disappearing down rabbit holes.
Data tells you what happened. But people tell you what to do next.
Alexis Sreckovic, Founder of Work.ink
