Why Authenticity Is Winning on Social Media
As AI reshapes social media, long term care providers have an edge: the authentic human connection audiences are increasingly craving.
Nathan Wooden
9/8/2026
Every day, the world is bombarded with the newest and greatest AI technology. Add to that the growing roster of AI agents—ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity—and the list of new AI tools grows. We can employ AI for almost any task, and the pace shows no signs of slowing. Thousands of AI platforms and tools now exist. Tech company Ascendix reported in 2025 that there are approximately 90,000 AI companies worldwide.
Social media is no different. Facebook has Meta AI, X has Grok, TikTok has Symphony. Whether they are creating graphics or brainstorming ideas, marketing and social media professionals are producing content faster than ever before thanks to AI.
While AI is certainly changing the landscape, one shift stands out: people now value authenticity more than ever.
Human Connection
One message keeps surfacing: audiences are craving more human connection, not less.
As AI use increases, people are placing greater value on authenticity, relationships, and real experiences. Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk described this transition as a return to the analog world, and he predicts an explosion in live events and in-person gatherings.
In other words, the more digital the world becomes, the more people seek human connection.
Long term care facilities and assisted living communities are well positioned to harness this shift. Every day, these facilities provide the human connection people are striving for. Whether through intimate interactions between residents and staff or community-wide events, long term care offers much more than care; it creates connections.
That is a story worth telling.
Telling Our Story
Social media offers a way to show families that their loved ones are receiving the care and love they deserve—and that those loved ones are living life to the fullest. There is so much life happening within these facilities, and social media helps highlight it.
A compelling example comes from Gainesville Health Care Clinic in Missouri. The facility created a TikTok page that has earned over two million likes, thanks to such videos as “Racing with the Times” and “Whack-a-staff.” In an interview with local news, one resident, upon hearing those numbers, said, “Somebody out there really loves me.”
The Goalposts Have Moved
Marketers are well acquainted with social media algorithms, and they rank content based on a variety of signals. They are different on each platform and change often, and staying current requires constant attention. As social media shifts toward authenticity and transparency, the goalposts have moved along with it.
Here are a few things many algorithms are now calculating. (See table below.)
| Rewarded | Penalized |
| Engagement. Social media success used to be measured by impressions or views. Now, the algorithm favors content that generates audience engagement: likes, comments, shares, and similar interactions. | AI-generated content. Platforms are increasingly rewarding posts that feel authentic and spark meaningful engagement. LinkedIn, in particular, has been actively moving away from AI-generated content. |
| Video. Video continues to perform well on social media, and watch times are increasing. | Links. Social media companies want users to stay on their platforms. Including a link in a post actively encourages users to leave, and the algorithm penalizes that. This presents a challenge, especially when sharing important information. |
Helpful Tips
A few practical tips for using AI in social media are worth highlighting:
- AI policy. Every organization should have a clear AI policy in place.
- Prompts. When using AI, provide an accurate and detailed description of the desired outcome. Give specific instructions, and don’t settle for the first output.
- Verify. Nothing AI generates should be used without verification. AI has been known to produce plagiarized content, so due diligence is essential — every output should be checked carefully.
As AI continues to evolve, social media will evolve alongside it. New tools will emerge, algorithms will shift, and platforms will launch new features.
But one thing is unlikely to change: people want to connect with people.
For long term care and assisted living providers, that is good news. Every day, these communities create moments of joy, friendship, purpose, and belonging. Social media offers an opportunity to share those moments with families, prospective residents, policymakers, and the public.
AI can be a valuable tool when it helps teams work smarter. But it shouldn’t overshadow what makes these stories powerful in the first place: the people behind them.
Nathan Wooden is social media manager at AHCA/NCAL.