Silly Little Social: 2026
Welcome to the first SLS of 2026! I’ve been thinking a lot about this year. And to me, “you can feel the ground shifting if you’re paying attention.”
Social media is moving out of its era of polish and scale for scale’s sake. The future belongs to storytelling and specificity. To people and brands that know exactly who they’re for and aren’t trying to impress everyone else. Follower count is losing its chokehold. Engagement, trust, and community are stepping into the spotlight. Niche is the advantage.
I’m also predicting IRL experiences explode. New communities are taking up real estate where legacy platforms once dominated. I’m loving Spread The Jelly and Mom Walk Collective over incumbents like Motherly or Babylist. It’s no surprise that founder-led brands with wellness-first innovation are resonating more than ever. Not because they’re louder, but because they’re braver. They stand for something, show their faces, tell the truth. I’m pushing my clients to do this daily.
Entrepreneurship among moms isn’t slowing down either, it’s accelerating. So many women left the workforce in 2025, and they’re not quietly freelancing. They’re building in public. And my hope Is that they realize something important: playing small doesn’t lead to safety. It leads to stagnation. Only 2% of venture funding goes to women. Only 2% of women-owned businesses hit $1M. If we want a bigger piece of the pie, we have to think bigger. Plan bolder, go all in. Scared money don’t make no money!
On the brand content side, I’m betting big on social series that feel like sitcoms, reality shows. Brands turning employees and customers into characters you root for.
In the next month or two, I’m excited to see how culture shows up around moments like the Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl with Bad Bunny, and The Grammy’s.
Visual language is something I have been studying. And it feels mixed and varied, almost hard to nail down… because it Is. Collages, maximalism, playful textures, the “gummy” aesthetic. Less minimal, more personality. In the Mom space, frankly I’m pretty sick of female founders in studio shoots wearing a suit with an old school telephone. Can we kill that?
2026 doesn’t feel quiet. It feels expressive, intentional. A little unhinged in the best way.
And I can’t wait to see who steps up and claims it.
XO,
Lindsay
For Your Silly Little Social Feed
Want to make a vision board but you’re totally burned out on screen time? SAME! there are a million templates on Canva, but sometimes you just can’t stand to be in front of your laptop for another minute.
Here's an easier option: Try the Epik app. It has vision board templates that you can customize right from your phone.
All you need are some photos already on your phone. Pick your favorites, plug them into a template, download it, and set it as your wallpaper!
My EA made hers on Epik last year almost as a joke, but she ended up loving it. She said it worked for her, so I think she's planning to do it again this year.
TikTok trend January 2026: Vision Boards Don't Work
This trend contrary to its name shows that the content creator's vision board did work.
They post two photos: one is the picture they used on their vision board for a goal, like a dream job or a trip, and the other is a photo from their real life that looks just like it.
It's a smart, visual way to show that it's sometimes really worth sharing your dreams.
Have you ever made vision boards? How did it go?
Example: Kayla, Sarah, Ashley, Leyla, Nora
Stay on top of social media trends! 📬 Join the Authentic Creators Network, the content creator network of our CT social media marketing agency and get exclusive prompts delivered right to your inbox.
