We’ve updated our Social Media Guidelines for 2026 — and this is the most useful version yet.
If you’re a Powder Days client, this is the cheat sheet that sits behind the posts we publish on your behalf. It maps all eleven platforms we work across — Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Business, Pinterest, YouTube, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, X, Threads, and Bluesky — against the things that actually decide whether a post lands: tone, format, character limits, image sizes, posting cadence, and the metrics that matter. We keep it current so you don’t have to.
Here’s what’s new in the 2026 edition.
Functionality updates
Platforms change quietly, and outdated specs cost you reach. We went through every cell and corrected what shifted. Pinterest retired Idea Pins and folded everything into a single unified Pin. TikTok now takes uploads up to 60 minutes. X Premium unlocked long posts up to 25,000 characters and multi-hour video. Instagram moved to a taller 3:4 profile grid, so we’ve flagged the sizing that keeps your photos from getting cropped. Small things — but they’re the difference between a post that fits and one that gets clipped.
Estimated users
We added approximate global monthly active users for each platform. Facebook still leads at roughly 3.1 billion, with YouTube around 2.9 billion and Instagram near 2.3 billion. TikTok has climbed past 1.6 billion. It’s a fast way to see where the audience actually is before we invest your time and budget.
Time spent
Reach is only half the story — attention is the other half. We added average daily time per user, and the gap is striking. TikTok commands roughly 95 minutes a day per user, while Instagram and Facebook sit around 30. That tells us where content has room to breathe and where it needs to earn the scroll in the first three seconds.
Core audience demographics
Every platform now has a Primary Audience row with age ranges and key traits. Facebook skews 30-49, Instagram and TikTok core 18-34 (TikTok younger still), LinkedIn the 25-44 professional crowd, Pinterest a planning-minded, largely female 25-44. When we know who’s on the other side of the screen, we write for them — not for everyone.
Audience intent
Finally, we sharpened the audience intent for each platform — why people are actually there. Someone on Pinterest is planning a future purchase. Someone on X wants the news. Someone on Google Business is ready to call you today. Matching the message to the mindset is where good social becomes effective social.
Why this matters for you
This guide isn’t a document we file away. It’s the operating manual behind your content — the reason your posts are sized right, timed right, and pointed at the right people on each platform. Updating it for 2026 means your channels stay current without you lifting a finger.
If you’d like us to walk through what any of this means for your specific accounts, just reach out. We’re always happy to dig in.
