Podcast Summary: Grow Your Local Business Episode: 2026 Social Media Predictions And What They Mean For Your Local Business
Host: Leslie Presnall
Release Date: January 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Leslie Presnall kicks off 2026 by sharing her top five predictions for social media trends in the coming year, specifically tailored for local business owners. Leslie explores the shifting landscape of digital marketing, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, originality, and strategic use of platforms to help listeners stand out and grow their local presence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AI-Generated Content vs. Authenticity

• Main idea: AI content is everywhere, but people crave genuine, human-created content.
• Leslie expects AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to generate more content than ever, but warns that local audiences want to hear from you.
• She positions herself between embracing AI for some tasks (summaries, show notes) and ensuring her authentic voice remains central to her work.
  • Quote:

    "You're here because you want my voice, my ideas, my experience." (02:09)

  • Quote:

    "It's like if I saw one more piece of content telling me, like, you're not broken... I'm like, okay, ChatGPT wrote this, next." (04:32)

• Implication for local business owners: Audiences are growing more selective and can sense generic, soulless content. To stand out locally, business owners need to infuse their content with genuine personality and original thought.

2. Decline of Viral Trends, Rise of Original Content

• Main idea: The effectiveness of viral trends is waning. Originality is becoming the differentiator.
• Leslie has observed global social media fatigue—especially among Gen Z and millennials—due to repetitive trends and "copycat" posts.
  • Quote:

    "When you're mindlessly scrolling in bed and you’ve seen the same song, the same dance, the same hand motions... you kind of start to hate yourself a little bit... To me, it personally drove me off the app." (08:34)

• There's a 10% yearly decline in usage since 2022, attributed to mental health, platform fatigue, and a hunger for real connection.
• Advice for business owners: Now is the best time to stop blending in and start producing unique, expert content that sets you apart locally.

3. The End of the “Aesthetic” Era

• Main idea: Social media no longer prioritizes perfectly curated, branded visuals—instead, authenticity and “messiness” are in.
• Leslie notes a shift away from polished feeds to more spontaneous, real-life content—think text-overlay videos, casual FaceTime-like footage, and unscripted posts.
  • Quote:

    "Years ago, we were all about the curated feed... This just doesn’t exist anymore and will continue to not exist. Social media has gotten very messy." (13:03)

• Impact for business owners: Perfectionism is out. Focus on speed, value, and authenticity in content creation.

4. Private Engagement Trumps Public Metrics

• Main idea: Social media engagement is shifting from public actions (likes, comments) to private interactions (DMs, shares, saves).
• Engagement on public posts declined in 2025, with users preferring more private and direct forms of connection.
• Leslie highlights the rise of tools like mini chat, DM automation, and keyword triggers.
  • Quote:

    "Your local clients will continue to engage with you in a more private way than publicly." (16:41)

• Advice: Track engagement through DMs, shares, and saves—not just likes and comments.

5. SEO on Social Media is More Critical Than Ever

• Main idea: Social media content must be keyword-optimized, as search behavior evolves.
• A major 2025 update allows all public Instagram posts to be indexed by Google, boosting their visibility off-platform.
• More people search directly on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube rather than Google.
  • Quote:

    “This is how I found my wedding photographer and florist... I never went to Google.” (20:47)

• Action item: Ensure profiles and posts are optimized with relevant keywords to capture search-driven traffic.
  • Quote:

    "If your post are not keyword optimized, you are missing people. If your profile is not optimized, you are missing people." (23:53)

• Leslie plugs her course, “The Local Instagram Formula,” designed to help business owners master this aspect.

Bonus: User Control of Algorithms

• In late 2025, platforms like Instagram began giving users more control over what content they see, further emphasizing the necessity for clear and relevant keyword usage.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI Use:

  "I love AI. AI can be my best friends... I don't let it be my voice. I don't let it be my ideas. I want to keep using my brain every single day." (02:48)

• Audience Wisdom:

  "People are getting more selective with who they trust, with who they follow, with who they spend money with." (05:17)

• On Trends Fatigue:

  "Nothing feels new anymore. And we're craving something original. We're craving something new and different." (10:42)

• On Authenticity:

  "When things feel over polished, over scripted, too perfect, we're not connecting to it." (14:11)

• Search Shift:

  "If people can't find you when they search, you are missing people. The best news ever is I have a really quick mini course called the Local Instagram Formula..." (24:18)

Important Segment Timestamps

• AI and Authentic Content: 00:45–06:45
• Death of Viral Trends, Originality Rises: 06:46–11:45
• Rise of Messy, Authentic Content: 11:46–14:40
• Private vs. Public Engagement: 14:41–18:09
• SEO and Search Behavior on Social Media: 18:10–24:45

Tone & Takeaways

Leslie’s tone is friendly, encouraging, and pragmatic. She strongly urges local business owners to embrace their unique voice, value substance over surface-level trends, and focus on connection rather than perfection. The core message: in an era of sameness and automation, originality and realness win.

For Further Learning:

• Leslie’s “Local Instagram Formula” mini course (details available in show notes)
• Connect with Leslie on Instagram: @LesliePresnall

Perfect for local business owners eager to adapt to 2026’s social media landscape, stand out, and build genuine client relationships.