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.

The store is no longer the only place where consumers can discover and shop for consumer packaged goods (CPG) products. Younger generations are finding products via search and social media, while Amazon Prime Day offers shoppers the opportunity to stock up on essentials for less.

In July and August, the US ad market saw its first consecutive two months of growth in over a year, according to Standard Media’s US Ad Market Tracker. Platforms are focused on keeping that momentum alive with several updates. Multiple platforms are boasting improved AI targeting and enhanced connected TV ad solutions. Here is everything new in September.

Despite TikTok’s strong growth, most brands continue to turn first to Instagram for influencer marketing. Instagram remains a must, but there are good reasons for more marketers to commit to TikTok—and YouTube Shorts.

On today’s podcast episode, host Bill Fisher is joined by our researcher Man-Chung Cheung and analyst Carina Perkins to examine TikTok’s ecommerce plans around the world, looking at what’s driven success in some markets and held it back in others.

TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are where Gen Zers spend most of their daily time. Across the US population ages 18 to 24, time spent on TikTok will average 58 minutes per day in 2023, compared with 38 minutes for Instagram and 30 minutes for Snapchat.

Which platforms are Gen Z’s top choice for key social media activities? Our proprietary survey sheds light on how they spend their social media time.

By 2025, US adults will spend more time on TikTok than on Facebook, according to our June forecast. This marks a major milestone for TikTok, which is on track to become the largest social platform in total daily minutes by the same year.

Mcommerce continues to defy the slump in online sales as people turn to their smartphones for savings and social media transforms Gen Z buying habits.

Influencer marketing once referred to an Instagram power user featuring products in posts resulting in native promotional content. It was a cheaper and more authentic-feeling alternative to celebrity endorsements and paid social ads.

Streaming video and music top Gen Z adults’ media activities, but their digital lives aren't just about entertainment. The multitasking, multidevice cohort treats the intersection of media and technology as a lifeline for socializing and staying informed.

Bridging the gap between content and conversions: TikTok introduces Attribution Analytics to provide more robust ad measurement insights.

The old form of social networking may be dying. But our forecast shows people spend more time on social platforms, so marketers need to be aware of what the new era of social media looks like. Gen Z and TikTok certainly dominate social media headlines, but Meta maintains a stronghold, even as it struggles to make new endeavors like Threads take off.

US-TikTok negotiations restart after ultimatum: A potential agreement could grant government unmatched oversight, altering app's autonomy.

US Influencer marketing spending will pass $2 billion on Instagram in 2024, while spending on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook will each pass $1 billion, per our forecast.

TikTok continues to attract a lot of attention, both good and bad. The hype around its heavily engaged and coveted Gen Z audience is real. But concerns over alleged privacy violations have made it a target for regulators, and user trust of the platform has suffered as a result.

TikTok integrates Wikipedia snippets into search: A move towards broader search capabilities amidst rising competition with Google.

Douyin, TikTok's Chinese sibling, is about to become China’s largest social platform. It's also crashing the country’s ecommerce party. Already the fourth largest online shopping platform by sales, its market share is rapidly approaching JD.com's.