Have you given up on Social Media as part of your recruitment toolkit? Before you completely walk away from it, or as you think about your strategy for 2027, here are some key stats to bear in mind.
Are you still using social media, either paid or relying on organic content, to communicate with your target audiences? Or have you, like many franchise brands seem to have done, thrown in the towel on what felt like flogging a dead horse? If so, there’s something you need to know.
The world has changed, based on the stats and data about how people in the UK have been using – or not using – social media platforms in 2026. But not to the point of complete regression.
Although it’s fair to say many people have either reduced their use of social media over the last year, even going so far as to delete their profiles, this isn’t the whole story. According to Ofcom data, released earlier this year:
- 89% of UK adult internet users still use at least one social media platform[1] on a regular basis
However, as we suspected, the way it’s used has changed with:
- Only 49% of UK adult social media users actively posting, sharing or commenting. This is down substantially, from 61% in 2024[2].
What does this mean?
Some of the analysis of the data suggests that your audience may have gone quiet. They’re perhaps scrolling. Or watching. But they’re no longer engaging with content by liking, commenting or sharing it.
Maybe you’ve noticed this in your own social media reports, where your engagement numbers have gone down dramatically. And it’s made you question what you’re doing.
This isn’t a bad thing.
Let’s look at what may be happening
There are many factors at play which may be causing the changes to how people are using social media. From concerns to the impact social media has on their wellbeing and too much screen time, to a lack of trust in what they’re seeing[3].
We’ve been saying it all year: But brands need to be more strategic in how they use social media, to have a stronger impact amidst the changing culture for online use.
What won’t help is to stop using it completely. Or to become sporadic. Because, as the Whito survey shows, people are still watching what you’re posting.
So, the kind of content which will win the battle for views is original content that stands out for the right reasons. Platforms like YouTube (which reaches 94% of UK adults) are performing better than they have done in years, while user-led Reddit has seen a year-on-year rise in monthly engagement up from 32% to 60%[4].
So, as you start thinking about what to do as part of your 2027 strategy, don’t ditch social media completely. Rethink how and where you can use it. Because for those who take a more strategic approach are seeing genuine results[5]:
- 84% of small business owners who marketed on social media generated some business
- 60% can point to work won from a single post
So, what can you do in 2027?
Streamlining how you are going to use social media maybe a good part of your strategy, rather than completely walking away from any kind of investment in it.
And be more human!
For years, we’ve been advising on the benefit of changing the kind of content you post to each platform – not just duplicating everything across everywhere. Over the last year, we’ve given strong advice for creating authentically you content, rather than relying on Ai to create content for you, if you want to stand out from the slop.
Now, we’re adding further guidance on the need to implement both of those things, but to take it a step further and focus your energy and effort on where your audience is most active, whilst trying one new thing you’ve never done before. This could be to jump across to a YouTube-based strategy. Or to embrace a more human strategy by having someone join in the conversations with your audience where they are – like on Reddit.
And, for heaven’s sake, put some energy into organising an in-person discovery event. People are “zoomed-out”! With online meetings making up to a third of the working week for some sectors, online meeting fatigue[6] is just one reason why your audience isn’t connecting with your online meeting invitation.
Need help with understanding your strategy for 2027, we’d be happy to have a conversation around your current approach and where to focus. Let’s talk.
[1] www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/media-habits-adults/passive-social-media-use-ai-companionship-and-online-side-hustles-uk-adults-media-and-online-lives-revealed
[2] whito.co.uk/research/uk-social-media-statistics/
[3] www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/media-habits-adults/passive-social-media-use-ai-companionship-and-online-side-hustles-uk-adults-media-and-online-lives-revealed
[4] www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/online-research/online-nation/2025/online-nations-report-2025.pdf?v=409837
[5] www.markeluk.com/knowledge-centre/trades-and-social-media-uk
[6] www.makerstations.io/meeting-fatigue-statistics/