Battenhall's Year Ahead in Social 2026 event, in review
This week I hosted Battenhall's Year Ahead in Social event at The British Library in London. Hands down one of my absolute highlights of the year. Here's a recap of the event and what we launched.
Each year, Battenhall hosts an event in London for clients, brands and the wider industry, where we present our predictions for the year ahead in social media. This week we ran what was our 13th edition of this annual Battenhall social media briefing, to a packed and standing room only auditorium in The British Library’s main theatre. Here’s a video clip of the opening bits…
We launched our latest annual report, with five chapters that are our five forces for how we predict the year ahead in social will pan out. These were presented by six Battenhall speakers joined by two special guests. Here’s a review of what we covered, what we launched and how it was received.
How it started
Looking at the changes in how we use technology in our day-to-day lives, the new platforms, new habits, behaviours and so on, and how this might shape the near future, has always fascinated me. This is why, when Battenhall was just a startup, we put on our first Year Ahead briefing. It was an opportunity for myself and my colleagues to share some of what we’re seeing, in the hope that others might find it interesting.
Back then, in 2013, we planned on hosting our maiden event in the large meeting room of our co-working space, which could seat 12 people. I felt like this would provide good bang for buck. We sent out invites and published our event online, and 800 people registered to attend.
After a moment to think about it, we decided to hire the biggest venue we could in London, going for the Royal Institution’s Faraday Theatre, and we started a conference. There were queues around the block to hear us talk about what we thought about the future.
Battenhall’s Year Ahead in Social 2026: reviews
Firstly a huge thank you to everyone who came to our event in London this week. Over 400 registered to attend in person, and some of those who came have shared their views:
Paul Wiseman: “I would highly recommend downloading a copy of the report if you want to understand where digital culture is heading next.”
Kristy Collingbourne: “Honestly one of the most insightful discussions I’ve had the pleasure of joining first thing on a Wednesday morning. I’ll be back Battenhall.”
Alison Battisby: “I’ve been going to this for over 10 years now (how is that possible?!) and it never disappoints. They are brilliant at using research and observations to accurately predict where social is heading, and this year’s insights were particularly thought-provoking.”
Bettina Weber: “5 trends that will shape storytelling on social / digital channels in 2026.”
Vicki Davis: “a thought-provoking and illuminating session at The British Library this morning.”
Tom Glover: “Every brand has “player characters” - these are the people and storytellers who bring its story to life.”
Georgie Freeman: “Today was a real ‘pinch me’ moment.”
Bryn Foweather: “Trip down to Superbia this morning to check out Battenhall and their ‘Year Ahead in Social in 26’”
Elise Pearce: “Career highlight alert.”
Recap of the main talks
The event was in five parts: four talks and a panel, each of which were based on a chapter from our newly-launched report - The Year Ahead in Social 2026. From the emergence of Gen Alpha whose elders are turning 16, to the double-edged sword of online virality, to the rise of AI influencers, and the decline of trend-chasing, there’s something that everyone can take away and plan for in 2026.
Talk 1: Gen Alpha coming of age
Speaker: me
As the oldest of the next generation of social media users, Gen Alpha, turn 16 next year, how will their social media habits shape the mainstream, and what are their views on their relationships with social media and AI? After a year spent working with some of this demographic, and learning a lot in the process, we take a look at what the future holds with Gen Alpha at the helm.
Talk 2: Crowd control
Speaker: Battenhall’s associate director, Georgie Freeman
Virality is a double-edged sword with brands operating in a climate of heightened sensitivity; one wrong step can trigger a major campaign backlash. This loss of control is the new normal, meaning brands should anticipate reinterpretation and be ready to respond quickly.
Talk 3: AI influencers
Speaker, Battenhall’s account manager and AI creator, Akilah Harper
A deep dive into how synthetic creators are redefining influencer marketing. These digital accounts can provide 24/7 availability, message consistency and brand control, but at what cost? We look at how brands can tap into the AI influencer surge, while blending human and AI voices to enrich storytelling while preserving genuine connection.
Talk 4: The 20-year social cycle
Speaker: Battenhall’s Director and Insights lead, Jonny Atter
As social media enters its 20th anniversary year, we’re seeing old features, formats, and trends re-emerge. From the nostalgic to long-form content, we look into Reddit, Substack, YouTube, Facebook and more. How can brands and marketers stand out from the crowd in 2026 and be an authentic voice for their target audiences?
Panel talk: The end of the trend
Panel chair: Battenhall’s Director, Elise Pearce. Panelists: Battenhall’s clients Tom Glover of Niantic Spatial, and Lois Saxton of The O2, along with Battenhall managing director, Rhian Robinson.
Audiences are growing bored of cringe brand participation in short-lived viral moments. Success in 2026 will shift from chasing trends to creating stories that matter. The pendulum is swinging back to long-form, serialised content across platforms in a way that keeps audiences returning, boosts algorithm metrics, and enables brands to build depth, loyalty and values-driven narratives.
Our findings all have a common red thread: the need for brands to accept they can no longer control the narrative. Those who embrace authenticity, community, and richer long-form content on social media stand to build more meaningful, longer-lasting connections with audiences old and new.
Thanks for having us, British Library. Really hope to do this again in the same spot next year.