TikTok Still Reigns Supreme: What the 2026 Social Media Benchmarks Mean for Your Strategy

Every year, I keep a close eye on social media benchmark reports. Not because they give us all the answers, they don’t, but because they’re brilliant for spotting patterns.

And this year’s 2026 social media benchmarks from Social Insider are particularly interesting.

The report analysed 70 million posts across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X. While I’d personally love to see YouTube included next time (and yes, I will be feeding that back!), the data still gives us a really helpful snapshot of where engagement is heading.

So, let’s break it down.

Average Views: TikTok Takes the Lead (Again)

If your goal is video visibility, this is the stat that really matters.

TikTok is firmly in the number one spot for average views. Even more impressively, average views on TikTok have increased by 3% year on year.

That tells us something important.

If your strategy is focused on reach and awareness, TikTok absolutely deserves a place in your content mix.

Likes: A Clear Winner

I know many of you still use likes as a quick indicator of whether content is landing well. While they’re not the whole story, they are useful.

Once again, TikTok dominates.

The average number of likes per TikTok post has increased by 12%, which is huge compared to the other platforms in the study. Instagram, Facebook and X trail significantly behind.

In short? If you want visible engagement signals, TikTok continues to outperform.

Comments: Engagement Is Going Private

Comments are a tricky metric these days, and the report reflects that.

Both TikTok and Instagram have seen a decrease in comments over the last year. Honestly, this doesn’t surprise me at all.

We’re seeing a clear shift towards:

• Private DMs

• Shares

• Saves

• One-to-one conversations

People still want to engage. They’re just doing it more privately.

That said, TikTok still leads when it comes to comments overall, with Instagram and Facebook sitting fairly close together in second and third place.

Shares: The Metric That Really Matters

If there’s one stat I want you to pay attention to, it’s this one.

Shares have increased across all platforms, and that’s brilliant news.

Why? Because shares are one of the strongest signals of meaningful content. People don’t share lightly.

TikTok once again comes out on top, but it’s encouraging to see growth on Instagram, Facebook and X too. This tells us that strong, relevant content is still cutting through.

Posting Frequency: How Often Are Brands Really Posting?

One of the most practical parts of this report is the posting frequency data.

On average:

• Brands post around five times per week on Instagram and TikTok

• Facebook and X see higher posting volumes

• X leads by a long way (which won’t surprise anyone who’s ever used Twitter in its earlier days)

If you’ve been wondering whether five posts a week is “enough” this data suggests it’s a very solid benchmark.

And remember, this is based on 70 million posts. That’s not guesswork.

A Quick Reality Check on Benchmarks

One important thing to say: take any benchmark study with a pinch of salt.

The report doesn’t specify regions, but it’s likely heavily weighted towards the US. Your results may look different depending on your audience, industry and content style.

Benchmarks are not targets. They’re context.

Use them to guide decisions, not to beat yourself up.

So, What’s the Big Takeaway?

TikTok has managed to retain its crown as the platform delivering the highest engagement right now.

If your business relies on:

• Video views

• Shareable content

• Discoverability

TikTok should absolutely be part of your strategy in 2026.

That doesn’t mean you abandon other platforms. It does mean you think carefully about where your effort will have the biggest impact.