Social Media

Discovery—not influencers—is what separates TikTok and Amazon’s ecommerce businesses: The retail giant is trying to replicate TikTok’s success via its “Inspire” video feed.

Meta pulls plug on contracts with gamers: Austerity measure could lead Facebook Gaming streamers to defect.

TikTok’s magic is no longer in its mystery. The illusion of TikTok content being personalized for users through an all-powerful algorithm is fading. Two weeks ago, Forbes reported TikTok’s use of a secret “heating” tool. But TikTok’s heating controversy doesn’t mean marketers should immediately retreat to Instagram Reels. Rather, they should think of TikTok and Reels as two different tools.

LinkedIn proves the newsletter isn’t dying: Any user can create a newsletter on LinkedIn now, but advertising features have yet to debut.

Nearly 80% of the world’s internet users are on social media. This landscape is still dominated by Meta in most markets, but use and ad spend is shifting away from Facebook and toward TikTok. Here are five charts capturing the worldwide state of social.

Nearly 50% of social network users in Thailand will be TikTok users, giving the country the highest TikTok penetration in the world, according to our forecast. The US will rank second, with 45.3% of its social users on TikTok. We expect penetration in the US will be as high as 49.1% by the end of 2026.

Network configuration error downs Microsoft’s services: A network update took out Microsoft’s services globally, once more exposing the vulnerability of relying on monolithic cloud services.

Facebook and YouTube will still be the top US social media platforms for buying ads or monetizing content this year, though their dominance is eroding, according to October 2022 polling by Integral Ad Science.

Could iffy payouts cause creators to leave TikTok? The platform’s much-hyped revenue-sharing program is giving shockingly low payouts, but strong viewer growth makes a migration unlikely.

Picture this—Instagram to refocus on photos: Platform says it will better number of images and videos shown in feeds.

TikTok bans in colleges go viral: The fallout from students and teachers could be indicative of wider pushback against banning the app.

2023 is the year of performance marketing. Budgets are getting leaner, and pressure is mounting for marketers to deliver. Advertisers need to be intentional about audience, platform, and measurement when serving up ads. Here are five charts every marketer needs for building the perfect ad campaign.

As many as 25 celebrities and influencers have launched beauty brands over the course of the last three years, according to Business Insider. While some (like Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez) have exploded, others (particularly those founded by social media influencers) are having a hard time finding their footing. What does it take to build a successful celebrity beauty brand?

Twitter’s balance sheet is looking rough: The company lost more than 500 of its top advertisers, and Q4 revenues tanked 35%.

Instagram’s new Quiet mode offers an olive branch to parents and regulators as the Biden administration vows to go after Big Tech for “put[ting] our children at risk.” All social platforms can sense a new era of accountability, and they’re making active moves to stay on regulators’ good side.

Mobile app install ad spending is on the rise, and more video content on social media means an increase in time spent on platforms. Plus, click and collect remains a popular option for grocery buyers. Our forecasters laid out some good news for advertisers.

Tough economy challenges creator platforms: Fading investor fervor, consumer spending pullback force staff cuts and focus on revenue generation.

TikTok broadens effort to call out state-controlled media: US, China among countries added to labeling program in bid for greater transparency.

TikTok isn’t solely driven by its famous algorithm: ByteDance employees can make posts go viral without any disclosures.

Discord doubles down on youth with Gas acquisition: The app is huge with teens, and the deal shows the acquirer’s interest in moving beyond its gaming roots.