Meta has released a set of holiday 2026 planning guides aimed at supporting brands, marketers, and content creators in preparing for the upcoming seasonal shopping period. The resources were shared via Social Media Today on September 17, 2026, and include an artificial intelligence overview and a dedicated SMB playbook focused on in-app gift research.

The AI overview provides insight into how Meta’s generative and predictive AI tools can be used to streamline content creation, audience targeting, and campaign optimization during the high-traffic holiday season. It highlights practical applications such as automated ad variations, predictive performance forecasting, and AI-assisted copy generation tailored to festive themes.

The SMB playbook is designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses, offering guidance on leveraging Meta’s platforms to understand consumer gift research behaviors within apps like Instagram and Facebook. It emphasizes how creators and brands can align their content with early shopper intent by using platform-native tools to identify trending gift categories and seasonal search patterns.

Together, these resources reflect Meta’s ongoing effort to equip creators and advertisers with actionable, platform-specific strategies ahead of one of the year’s most critical commercial periods. By focusing on AI integration and in-app shopping insights, the guides aim to help users maximize reach, engagement, and conversion during the 2026 holiday season. Creators are encouraged to review the materials to inform their content calendars and partnership strategies in the months ahead.