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Emplifi's annual social media benchmarks report analyses brand activity across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn throughout 2025, drawing on data from over 330,000 brand profiles. The 2026 edition identifies a clear split in platform dynamics: some channels are driving growth, others maintaining scale, and others losing relevance for most brands.
TikTok is the standout finding. Brand follower counts on TikTok grew by over 200% year on year, and TikTok delivered the highest median engagement rates of any platform, peaking at 35.9% in Q3 2025. At large-brand scale, TikTok generates more than twice the median interactions of Instagram and over 20 times those of Facebook. Top-performing TikTok advertisers spend two to three times more than the average and achieve significantly greater reach as a result.
Instagram remains a core channel but its dynamics are shifting. Organic reach fell 30 to 40% across all post formats in 2025, while shares per reach grew by more than 150%, making shares the primary signal for broader distribution. Carousels and Reels continue to generate the strongest engagement, and Instagram Reels ad investment nearly tripled from Q1 2024 to Q4 2025.
For destination marketers, the report's industry breakdown is particularly relevant: airlines rank first on both TikTok and Instagram for engagement per impression, reinforcing the strength of travel and lifestyle content on visually driven platforms. The benchmarks provide a solid foundation for reviewing channel mix and paid media allocation heading into 2026.
Emplifi's annual social media benchmarks report analyses brand activity across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn throughout 2025, drawing on data from over 330,000 brand profiles. The 2026 edition identifies a clear split in platform dynamics: some channels are driving growth, others maintaining scale, and others losing relevance for most brands.
TikTok is the standout finding. Brand follower counts on TikTok grew by over 200% year on year, and TikTok delivered the highest median engagement rates of any platform, peaking at 35.9% in Q3 2025. At large-brand scale, TikTok generates more than twice the median interactions of Instagram and over 20 times those of Facebook. Top-performing TikTok advertisers spend two to three times more than the average and achieve significantly greater reach as a result.
Instagram remains a core channel but its dynamics are shifting. Organic reach fell 30 to 40% across all post formats in 2025, while shares per reach grew by more than 150%, making shares the primary signal for broader distribution. Carousels and Reels continue to generate the strongest engagement, and Instagram Reels ad investment nearly tripled from Q1 2024 to Q4 2025.
For destination marketers, the report's industry breakdown is particularly relevant: airlines rank first on both TikTok and Instagram for engagement per impression, reinforcing the strength of travel and lifestyle content on visually driven platforms. The benchmarks provide a solid foundation for reviewing channel mix and paid media allocation heading into 2026.
