<div class="gn-article"><div class="gn-hero gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-hero__image"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6877701b88030d58f11ac053/6a870d2a89d1a7fdf4c77964_3rd%20September%20Image.jpg" alt=""></div> <div class="gn-hero__head"> <span class="gn-kicker"><span class="dot"></span>Event · Expression</span> <h1 class="gn-title">The Reach Reality: How Brands Are Rebuilding Their Social Strategy When Organic Isn't Enough</h1> <div class="gn-meta"> <strong>The GO Network</strong> <span class="pip"></span> <span>20 August 2026</span> <span class="pip"></span> <span>2 min read</span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="gn-event-meta gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-event-meta__block"> <span class="gn-event-meta__label">When</span> <span class="gn-event-meta__value gn-date">Thu, 03 Sep 2026 · 09:00</span> </div> <div class="gn-event-meta__block"> <span class="gn-event-meta__label">Where</span> <span class="gn-event-meta__value">Microsoft Teams</span> </div> <div class="gn-event-meta__block"> <span class="gn-event-meta__label">Status</span> <span class="gn-event-status gn-event-status--upcoming">Upcoming</span> </div> <a href="#register" class="gn-register-cta">Register now</a> </div> <div class="gn-body"> <p class="gn-lede gn-reveal">A practical session for brand and social leaders on the real state of organic reach in 2026, and how to rebuild your social strategy around creators and paid amplification.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">Facebook organic reach has fallen to an average of 1.37% of followers. Instagram sits at approximately 7.6%. Meta's algorithm now actively favours creator content over brand accounts. The platforms that brands built their audiences on are becoming structurally pay-to-play, and the organic social strategy that worked five years ago is producing a fraction of its previous return.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">This session brings together social media specialists to examine the honest state of organic reach in 2026: how brands are rebuilding their strategy around creator partnerships and paid amplification, and what a realistic, commercially effective social presence actually looks like today.</p> <h2 class="gn-reveal">Who Should Attend</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">If you own social, brand marketing, content, or communications, or if you are briefing or buying an agency on any of those, this session will give you a clear-eyed view of where organic still earns its place, where paid and creator investment now has to carry the load, and how to make the internal case for that shift.</p> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <div class="gn-speakers gn-reveal"> <h3 class="gn-speakers__title">Panel</h3> <div class="gn-speakers__grid"> <div class="gn-speaker"> <img class="gn-speaker__avatar" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6877701b88030d58f11ac053/6a870d86c1febbb2b36a25e2_Brad-%20Succeed-%20Headshot.avif" alt="Brad Smith"> <div class="gn-speaker__info"> <span class="gn-speaker__name">Brad Smith</span> <span class="gn-speaker__role">Director · Succeed</span> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/succeedwithbradsmith/" class="gn-speaker__link" target="_blank">LinkedIn →</a> </div> </div> <div class="gn-speaker"> <img class="gn-speaker__avatar" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6877701b88030d58f11ac053/6a870e18c9f1b0512e315fe5_Sally%20Hawkesford.avif" alt="Sally Hawkesford"> <div class="gn-speaker__info"> <span class="gn-speaker__name">Sally Hawkesford</span> <span class="gn-speaker__role">Director · SHC Digital</span> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyhawkesford/" class="gn-speaker__link" target="_blank">LinkedIn →</a> </div> </div> <div class="gn-speaker"> <img class="gn-speaker__avatar" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6877701b88030d58f11ac053/6a8bf7bbca0caf4c8685897a_Sue%20Rizzello%20.avif" alt="Sue Rizzello"> <div class="gn-speaker__info"> <span class="gn-speaker__name">Sue Rizzello</span> <span class="gn-speaker__role">Managing Director · Remedy Marketing</span> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/suerizzello/" class="gn-speaker__link" target="_blank">LinkedIn →</a> </div> </div> <div class="gn-speaker"> <img class="gn-speaker__avatar" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6877701b88030d58f11ac053/6a8bf7bd7bbc9bc687790085_Bethan%20Gibson.avif" alt="Bethan Gibson"> <div class="gn-speaker__info"> <span class="gn-speaker__name">Bethan Gibson</span> <span class="gn-speaker__role">Business Director, Media · Space &amp; Time</span> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethangibson/" class="gn-speaker__link" target="_blank">LinkedIn →</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <div class="gn-reveal" data-rt-embed-type='true'> <details class="go-acc"> <summary> <span>The real state of organic reach across platforms, and what the numbers actually mean for resource allocation</span> <span class="go-chevron">▶</span> </summary> <div class="go-acc-content"> <div class="go-acc-inner"> Organic reach numbers have quietly collapsed while budgets and team time have stayed the same. We will look at where the numbers really sit in 2026 and what that means for how brands should be allocating their resource. </div> </div> </details> <details class="go-acc"> <summary> <span>Why creator-led content consistently outperforms brand-produced content, and what brands can do about it</span> <span class="go-chevron">▶</span> </summary> <div class="go-acc-content"> <div class="go-acc-inner"> The algorithm increasingly rewards creators over brand accounts. We will unpack why that is, what brand content can learn from creators without imitating them, and where the balance should sit. </div> </div> </details> <details class="go-acc"> <summary> <span>How to build a social strategy around paid amplification without simply paying to reach your own audience</span> <span class="go-chevron">▶</span> </summary> <div class="go-acc-content"> <div class="go-acc-inner"> Paid is now unavoidable, but boosting whatever already performs is not a strategy. We will cover how to decide what deserves paid support, and what signals should trigger amplification. </div> </div> </details> <details class="go-acc"> <summary> <span>What the brands doing social well in 2026 have accepted that more traditional organisations are still resisting</span> <span class="go-chevron">▶</span> </summary> <div class="go-acc-content"> <div class="go-acc-inner"> The brands getting this right have made peace with some uncomfortable truths. We will look at what they have changed and what more traditional organisations are still holding onto. </div> </div> </details> <details class="go-acc"> <summary> <span>How to make the internal case for a creator partnership budget when you are already funding an organic content programme</span> <span class="go-chevron">▶</span> </summary> <div class="go-acc-content"> <div class="go-acc-inner"> Securing new investment when an organic programme is already funded is one of the hardest internal conversations. We will cover which metrics land with senior stakeholders and how to frame the case. </div> </div> </details> <details class="go-acc"> <summary> <span>Platform by platform: where organic still has value, and where the argument for paid is now overwhelming</span> <span class="go-chevron">▶</span> </summary> <div class="go-acc-content"> <div class="go-acc-inner"> Not every platform is a lost cause for organic. We will go platform by platform on where organic still earns its keep and where brands are effectively paying to play whether they like it or not. </div> </div> </details> </div> <div id="register" data-go-tally-embed="WOqq6a" class="gn-reveal" style="margin:2.5em 0 0;scroll-margin-top:80px;"> <iframe src="https://tally.so/embed/WOqq6a?dynamicHeight=1&transparentBackground=1&event=the-reach-reality-how-brands-are-rebuilding-their-social" width="100%" height="800" frameborder="0" style="border:0;" title="Register to attend" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> </div></div> <a href="#register" class="gn-mobile-register">Register now</a> <style> .gn-mobile-register{display:none;} @media (max-width:768px){ .gn-mobile-register{ display:block; position:fixed; bottom:16px; left:16px; right:16px; background:#45ac62; color:#fff; text-align:center; padding:14px 20px; border-radius:28px; text-decoration:none; font-weight:600; font-size:15px; z-index:1000; box-shadow:0 6px 24px rgba(0,0,0,0.35); } } </style>