Social Media

Reddit amplifies ad tools: New features in Ads Manager boost campaign efficiency and audience targeting for advertisers.

Next year, US influencer marketing spend will hit $5.89 billion, and 82.7% of marketers will use influencer marketing, according to our forecasts. While that figure still pales in comparison to the $75.08 billion going to social network ad spend, influencer marketing is growing at a faster rate.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss a digital out-of-home (OOH) TikTok initiative, whether OOH ads have actually bounced back, and what we expect to see from in-store retail media. "In Other News," we talk about YouTube experimenting with longer but less frequent ad breaks and whether consumers are finally bumping up against a video streaming ceiling. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Ross Benes.

UK regulators scrutinize Snapchat’s My AI over child privacy concerns. Non-compliance could mean major fines.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) case against Amazon, the tech giants' defense, and what is most likely to come of this. "In Other News," we talk about what to make of Peloton and Lululemon striking a deal and why social media burnout is back on the radar. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Jacob Bourne and Zak Stambor.

Meta pays big bucks for star-powered AI: It’s spending millions to craft AI personas of celebrities as a way to attract users. It’s also gaining a reputation it might regret.

Meta proposes ad-free subscriptions for EU users: A strategic shift ahead of 2024's Digital Services Act, with global implications.

Patreon makes a bet on a new model for crowdfunding: A relaunch includes features designed to get creators and fans to spend more time on the platform.

X wants to reduce traffic to rivals but may end up curbing its own: The platform removed headlines from news links in a move that could get news outlets to divest.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what to make of the deal between the writers and studios, whether we'll soon be interacting with synthetic social networks, if AI can really improve customer service, wearable AI technology potentially replacing the smartphone, how much people have saved for retirement, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha, director of forecasting Oscar Orozco and analyst Max Willens.

Key stat: 53.7% of US marketers will use Instagram Reels for influencer marketing this year, making it the top platform for influencer marketing according to our forecast.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss who the LGBTQ+ community are, their relationship with advertisers, and what advertisers are getting wrong. "In Other News," we talk about the battle between TikTok and Instagram for young people's attention and which X (formerly Twitter) users are leaving the platform the fastest. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Paola Flores-Marquez.

ChatGPT’s new update is an existential threat for publishers: The chatbot can now access information in real time, which could eat into news publisher traffic.

TikTok wants to test an ad-free subscription model: It’s a major shift from its traditional ad-driven revenues to capitalize on evolving user preferences.

Paid search CPMs declined by double digits YoY every quarter in the past four quarters—29% in Q2 2023 alone, per Skai. Paid search CTRs have not seen the same pattern of decline.

Reddit users will be opted into personalized ads by default: The change drew more criticism from users and will have to be adjusted for certain markets.

Just over 80% of US Gen Zers ages 15 to 26 use YouTube monthly, and almost the same percentage use Instagram or TikTok, per our July 2023 survey. More than half still visit Facebook. And though BeReal was the trendy app last year, only 15.1% of Gen Z respondents use it.

“AI” was the phrase of the moment at Meta Connect: The tech company is launching a number of AI features like chatbots and image generators to entice young users.

Meta’s AI chatbots catch flak before even launching: The company is expected to announce the feature to attract young users, but early signs aren’t great.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how affiliate is helping marketers take back control of their ad spend. "In Other News," we talk about Amazon unveiling a smarter, more conversational, Alexa and TikTok Shop hitting the US. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Max Willens and Alexandra Forsch, president of Awin Americas.