Reader,

If posting on your organic social media platforms (where you just post on your theatre's Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and other platforms} feels harder than it did a year ago, you’re not imagining it.

In 2026, many theatres are still being asked to perform miracles with a 2024 social media playbook—one that assumed steady organic reach, predictable algorithms, and audiences who followed accounts simply because they love you!

Sorry, That world is gone.

Organic social hasn’t died, but it has fundamentally changed—and continuing to use the old rules is one of the biggest reasons your social media posts aren’t performing the way they used to.

What’s changed since 2024?

Here’s the short (and slightly uncomfortable) truth:

• Algorithms now favor people over brands. Even beloved local, cultural organizations like yours are deprioritized unless your website and social media content sparks measurable conversation or retention.
• “Posting consistently” is no longer enough. Volume without strategy signals low value. Social Media has made a HUGE shift here. Content quality means more than posting every Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Quality matters.
• Follower counts matter less than tracking watch time, saves, shares, and comments. My top-performing clients are focused on creating social content that is shared and saved.
• Trend-based content expires faster. Jumping on a trend (like a dance on TikTok) usually hurts more than it helps. Stop it if you're trying to capture social trends. It won't work for us trying to drive ticket sales.
• Audiences expect immediacy, authenticity, and context. Polished promo videos get ignored by the social media technology. I know this hurts and may ruffle feathers with your executive leadership.

If your current strategy only focuses on:

• show pictures
• long-form video sizzle reels
• press quotes
• on-sale reminders
• and “here’s what’s happening this weekend” posts…

…it’s probably underperforming, no matter how good your shows are.

What does work in 2026

My theatres seeing organic growth on social media are doing a few key things differently:

• Shifting from promotion to participation​
  Social content is designed to invite audiences into the process—not just announce outcomes. If you've been posting ON SALE NOW or CAST PHOTOS over the past year, you're not working well with the algo.
• Human-centered storytelling​
  Artists, staff, ushers, donors, audience members—faces outperform graphics almost every time.
• Platform-specific thinking​
  Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube are no longer interchangeable. Each has its own job. Work with your marketing team to distinguish each platform and what content works.
• Fewer posts, stronger intention​
  Strategic scarcity > constant posting. We no longer want to post everyday. No longer!: 3 times a day to feed the social algorithm. We must focus on the intention of each social post.
• Organic + paid working together​
  Organic social sets the story. Paid ensures the story actually gets seen.

The Hard Truth

Organic social can no longer be the primary ticket sales engine on its own. Sorry but that boat sailed in 2020.

But—when aligned with paid media and smart storytelling—it’s still one of the most powerful tools we have for:

• building awareness in your community
• keeping your theatre visible in our community
• Nurturing future ticket buyers

The goal this Spring isn’t to “beat the algorithm.”
It’s to use organic social intentionally—without burning out your team or your budget.

If any of this feels uncomfortably familiar, you’re in very good company. And you’re exactly who I’m supporting this year,

More soon,
Julie