You see summer as the light at the end of the tunnel, but before the blissful break, you have to go through the chaos of graduation season, end-of-year celebrations, athletic events, and so much more!

Staying ahead of social media trends, updates, and news can be tedious, but the latest edition of Finalsite’s Social Media Trends for Schools has pulled together the biggest updates teams should know this spring. 

We’ve got all the key insights about the features, trends, and strategies impacting your school’s communications in 2026.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s new this spring:

Rearranging Instagram Carousels

Instagram now lets users reorder carousel posts with a simple drag-and-drop edit, giving you even more flexibility to adjust the first image in your grid after the post goes live.

AEO & LinkedIn

As AI tools continue pulling content from social platforms, LinkedIn’s long-form articles are becoming an even bigger influence on visibility.

For schools, original thought leadership is especially valuable. Content on topics like admissions trends, student outcomes, and campus leadership can help raise your profile in AI-generated responses and support AEO (answer engine optimization).

TikTok Local Feeds in the US

TikTok is becoming a stronger discovery platform for local content. The platform recently introduced a new “Local Feed” that shows posts about nearby events and businesses, as well as location-based recommendations.

That’s not all, though—links are displaying differently on Instagram, and a landmark ruling against Meta and YouTube is a cautionary tale for teens and social media.

So What’s Next?

For more insights, tips, and strategies to improve your school’s social media strategy, download the latest edition of Finalsite’s Social Media Trends for Schools to get the inside scoop on all the latest social media news and how it will impact you and your school.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As the Social Media and Content Specialist, Hailey oversees Finalsite's social media accounts and helps grow its online community. Following her time at the University of Kansas, where she took up rowing, Hailey is a fitness enthusiast who enjoys playing soccer and running.