Social media marketing is everywhere and can be a very powerful tool, enabling brands to connect with their audience in unique ways, and build loyalty and trust.
But when did social media marketing actually start? How can it be used effectively? And which are likely to be the best social media channels for your business in 2026?
When did it all start?
The so-called “father of social networking” is a name you may not immediately recognise, Andrew Weinreich. In 1996 he founded the social network SixDegrees, a platform which enabled users to create a profile, connect with friends and send messages. SixDegrees was swiftly followed by various other social networks – often dating-related – such as Bolt, Hot or Not and Friendster.
Then came some of the bigger names, many of which are still in existence today, including LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter (X) , Instagram and TikTok.
Along with the development of these social networks came the realisation of their potential for marketing, particularly B2C – business to consumers. Social media platforms were a place for consumers to hang out and browse through news, thoughts and photos of others. What better place for businesses to connect with those consumers.
So in the early 2000s, some brands started creating official profiles on social media platforms to promote their products and services, initially through mechanisms such as blogs and podcasts. One of the first examples of a more ambitious use of social media was Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” Facebook campaign in 2012. The campaign started with a Facebook Ad that invited users to create their own custom Coke can and share virtual cans of Coke with their friends. Around 76,000 virtual cans were shared online, and Coca-Cola’s Facebook page saw a 39% increase in followers. Facebook also benefitted from an increase in traffic of 870%.
Since then, social media marketing has continued to evolve. Brands use social media to share their voice and personality, and create and engage with communities of loyal fans and brand advocates. Brands are also able to be increasingly sophisticated in the targeting of adverts with new and existing customers due to the availability of analytics such as views, clicks, and comments.
Effective ways to use social media for marketing
Social media marketing continues to evolve and change, and just because something is effective today does not mean that will still be the case 12 months from now. However, there are three strong current trends in social media marketing that we don’t think are going anywhere soon. So, when planning your social media marketing strategy for 2026, they deserve to have a place.
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Major on short-form video content
Short-form video is in many ways the perfect fit for today’s fast-moving world. It engages the viewer and enables key content to be communicated in a matter of seconds. 72% of consumers prefer to watch a video than read text, and 78% of businesses claim to have increased their sales through the use of marketing videos on social media.
Short-form video can be created for a variety of different purposes, including product demonstrations and tutorials, solutions and answers to common issues, live events, insider views, and so much more. The essential priority is to make them engaging and memorable so that they will grab attention.
Three additional tips for successful short-form video are:
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- Keep your videos vertical as this works better on most devices and has been proven to be more popular than horizontal video;
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- Make your videos easily shareable and encourage followers to do so;
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- Combine them with paid social ads to target the specific audiences you are after.
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Include a good proportion of UGC
What most people trust more than any advert – or even any influencer – is authentic reviews from friends, family and other “ordinary” people. This is why making full use of the power of UGC – User Generated Content – has great value. 79% of consumers credit UGC with playing a role when making purchasing decisions.
Encourage your followers to create UGC for you. Perhaps run a competition to boost this. If you can feature content of followers using your product or service in a variety of different ways, it will provide a wealth of opportunity for interactions that are both relatable and authentic. This will be attractive to many potential customers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, who prioritise brands that are solidly connected with real-life experiences.
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Reap the benefits of social commerce
If your business has products to sell, make sure you are reaping the benefits of social commerce. Most social media channels now have the facility to make in-app purchases, which makes complete sense. If your audience spends their free time on a social platform, the added convenience of being able to buy an advertised product from that platform has got to be a good thing.
Two of the main ways of benefiting from social commerce are:
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- Sponsored ads. Not only can you get your product ad in front of a desired consumer, but you can now add a “Shop Now” button to enable them to buy it without having to go anywhere else.
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- Live shopping events. Hosting live shopping events on your chosen platform enables you to showcase products in real time, and offer immediate purchasing opportunities.
The best channels for B2C social media marketing
Of course, to benefit fully from any of the above strategies, you need to ensure that you are choosing the best platform(s) for marketing your particular product or service.
Here are five tips to help you make that decision, and five useful insights to social media platforms:
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Five ways choose your best social media channel:
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- Focus the majority of your resources on just one or two platforms that are most relevant to your audience and objectives. This is more effective than a diluted scattergun approach over several channels.
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- Define the demographics of your target audience and research the platform they are most likely to be using.
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- Specify the main objectives of your marketing campaign – for example getting your brand voice heard, generating leads and sales or improving customer service. Then choose the platform most likely to support those objectives effectively.
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- Make sure your content fits with the platform’s unique style and format.
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- Keep abreast of what your competitors are doing, and make sure you do it better than them. Also be aware of the need to change direction to stay aligned with changing social media trends.
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Insights into five top social media channels:
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- TikTok: The platform leader for short-form video, and also strong on social commerce. Particularly popular with Gen Z.
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- Instagram: Great for highly visual content, including via Reels and Stories. Also strong on social commerce.
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- Facebook: The largest social network and top platform for social commerce. Also the most popular platform for the Gen X and Boomer generations.
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- YouTube: Main platform for longer video content, but also YouTube Shorts is a strong competitor with TikTok for attention from Gen Z.
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- Pinterest: A valuable visual discovery platform, particularly for brands such as home decor, fashion and DIY. Can generate good quantity and quality of referral traffic back to brand websites.
We hope that the information in this article is helpful when planning your social media marketing strategy for 2026. For more ideas and inspiration, do visit us again here soon at Xcite Digital.