Published on August 28, 2026 · The mitza.es team
The underlying shift in TikTok and Instagram's algorithms in 2026 is conceptual: it's no longer the content with the most "likes" that wins, but the content that manages to hold attention and generate real engagement. Content is no longer shown only to your followers, but to any user the system believes might be interested, whether or not they follow your account.
How TikTok's algorithm actually works now
TikTok distributes content in staggered waves, rewarding the percentage of a video watched to completion and overall watch time above any other signal. Every new video starts with a test on a small group, between 200 and 500 users, and only keeps expanding its reach if retention beats the account's own historical average. A small business with content that retains well can compete on equal footing with much bigger accounts.
Local Feed: the addition that matters most for a neighborhood business
One of the most relevant additions is the Local Feed: local searches, geolocated content and recommendations based on real visual experiences, not just anonymous text reviews. In practice, a local business no longer competes only with a Google Maps listing, but with vertical videos filmed by real people, and that opens a clear door to ranking in its area without needing an ad budget.
What this means for a local business in Spain
- Content in neutral Spanish is more likely to travel across Spanish-speaking audiences in different countries.
- Local turns of phrase and references, on the other hand, strengthen the connection with your own area's audience.
- There's no need to "trick" the algorithm with tricks anymore: what works is content people genuinely want to watch and share.
- Consistency matters more than expensive production: several simple, well-retained videos beat one highly produced piece that doesn't hook viewers.
How we connect this with the rest of your digital presence
Social media works better when it doesn't operate independently from the rest of your online presence. As we already explained in our article on local SEO and Google Business Profile, the combination of an optimized listing, a coherent website and now also locally-focused social content is what really moves the needle for a local business. If you want your social media strategy to move in the same direction as your website, we can plan it together with your content generation.