The 2026 edition of the “Social Media Study” by Metricool makes it clear that the social media sector continues to undergo significant transformation. After analyzing the activity of more than one million accounts and nearly 40 million posts, the conclusions are unequivocal: algorithms penalize saturation, long-form video is experiencing a resurgence, and B2B platforms as well as emerging communities now demand higher quality content.
Content saturation on Instagram
The major surprise of the study is the significant downturn in Instagram Reels, one of the formats that has most radically changed publishing behavior on social media in recent years. In a clear sign of saturation and algorithmic change, the reach of Reels plummeted by 35%, with an overall 31% drop in the reach of posts on the platform. As Juan Pablo Tejela, CEO and cofounder of Metricool, stated, “Creators can no longer rely on the hype of short-form video. Algorithmic saturation is real.”
That is to say, we are in a “needle in a haystack” scenario due to the difficulty of standing out. Even though the platform launched tools such as “Edits” to enhance its competitiveness against TikTok and YouTube in the short-format video space, the data reveal a drastic decline in performance: the average reach of Reels falls from 14,922 in 2024 to just 9,689 in 2025.
This decline occurs in a context of clear saturation. Although accounts connected to Metricool doubled their volume of posts and increased their weekly posting frequency by 21%, the indicators for visibility and engagement decreased. The conclusion is evident: increasing the amount of content does not translate into better results, which further confirms that posting more is no longer enough; now, it is essential to publish more effectively.
In detail, the study outlines Instagram’s current reality as follows:
- Creators have responded to competition by significantly ramping up their publishing frequency.
- Reels: The weekly posting frequency shot up by 35%, rising to an average of 1.88 videos per week.
- Posts: Static posts also saw a 21% increase in posting frequency.
- Despite this increase in production, the algorithm has severely restricted organic visibility. In this respect:
- Reach: Both formats have suffered massive declines. The reach of Reels fell by 35%, and the reach of posts fell by 31%.
- Impressions: Here, there is an interesting divergence. While impressions for Reels plummeted by 39%, impressions for posts rose by 27%. Although posts are reaching fewer unique individuals (decline in reach), they are being shown more frequently to those same people (increase in impressions), perhaps due to carousel features or the fact that users revisit the content in their feed.
- Saturation impacts not just who sees your content, but how much they interact. Total interactions dropped dramatically: 44% fewer for posts and 37% less for Reels.
- The only metric showing some resilience is the engagement rate: although engagement for posts fell by 18%, engagement for Reels decreased by only 3%. That is, although it is much harder to get someone to view a Reel these days, if you succeed in capturing their view, the format’s ability to retain attention and generate interaction remains nearly undiminished compared to the previous year.
Are we moving towards platforms with longer videos?
While Instagram grapples with the reach of short-form videos, YouTube consolidates its position as the leader in durable content. Despite the widespread popularity of short-form content, YouTube remains an indispensable channel for discovery and community building, confirming that audiences value both depth and consistency.
Indeed, overall video views on YouTube soared by 76%. Accompanying this increase in consumption, creators maintained a steady pace, slightly raising their weekly posting frequency by 4%. In absolute terms, the audience is more participative, and the response is overwhelmingly positive:
- Comments grew significantly by 38%.
- “Likes” increased by 11%.
- Shares rose by 5%.
However, there is an important counterpoint. Despite increases in both total views and interactions, the engagement rate dropped by 37%. Because the number of views grew disproportionately (+76%) compared to interactions (which did increase, but at a smaller rate, such as 11% growth in likes), the percentage of people interacting per view is lower. YouTube is consolidating its position as a mass consumption giant where users are watching much more content but are proportionally less engaged with each individual video.
Other social media platforms: from LinkedIn to TikTok
The Metricool study also highlights relevant trends among other most-used social media platforms worldwide:
- TikTok continues to surge: despite a slight decline in posting frequency, TikTok remains the platform with the highest average reach (28,482) and the greatest growth potential, with more than 17% of accounts increasing their followers.
- LinkedIn: After years of expansion, LinkedIn is weakening. The rise in posting frequency has saturated the B2B space, resulting in a 23% drop in impressions and a 14% decrease in interactions. Brands will need to elevate quality in order to stand out.
- X (Twitter) continues to lose traction as a source of web traffic. Although replies and reposts improved, clicks on links dropped by 28%, underscoring its diminished value as a referral channel for web traffic.
- Facebook is far from being a declining platform, recording one of the largest rebounds. The platform saw a remarkable increase of 51% in reach and 56% in interactions, offering significant visibility thanks to its scale and video-centric strategy.
- Pinterest: Posting frequency on Pinterest grew by 29%. Although impressions declined, interaction per view increased, suggesting that it is building a smaller, yet highly relevant and engaged audience.
- Threads has gained significant traction, with engagement nearing 25 interactions per post on average.
- Bluesky stands out with the highest relative level of interaction, averaging 16.38 interactions per post, indicating growing interest in decentralized social experiences.
The AI factor: authenticity or automation?
A key finding of the study is the “emerging gap” shaped by AI. The data reveal a divide between creators who use AI to “amplify original ideas” and those who rely on “low-effort automation.” Metricool explains that audiences are “rewarding depth, authenticity, and consistency.” In an environment where algorithmic shifts and the dominance of video are reshaping the social landscape, success no longer resides in the volume or repetition of popular formats, but in the strategic quality of content and genuine connection with the community.
Image: Gemini
