Social media’s relationship with news and politics is getting even more complicated in the age of AI. Brands and the platforms will face big risks and challenges as mis- and disinformation proliferate this election year.

The best ad practices for Facebook, Snapchat, or even Instagram Reels won’t convert to TikTok, which has its own ad creation tools, bidding process, and attribution metrics. We’ve analyzed TikTok’s new Web Auction Best Practices Guide and pulled out the most important advice for advertisers.

Last December, TikTok user Lukas Battle posted a video proclaiming that 2024 is all about loud budgeting, which encourages consumers to open up about how they spend their money and take pride in saying no to unnecessary purchases.

Shoppers are relying on their smartphones more, as enhancements in mobile payments, social media checkout, and retailer apps make purchases easier than ever. This year, US shoppers will spend $558.29 billion on their mobile devices, accounting for 44.6% of overall ecommerce sales, according to our November 2023 forecast. We delve into the consumer embrace of mcommerce, unpacking three key drivers.

Return fraud cost retailers $101 billion last year, per NRF estimates: That poses a challenge as merchants need to balance mitigation measures with customer satisfaction.

To out-influence Gen Zers’ favorite financial social media creators, banks should mimic certain finfluencer strategies.

The “The Sopranos” turns 25 this year, and the “mob wife” look—big hair, fur coats, animal prints, and lots of gold jewelry—is back and trending on TikTok.

Retailers are going big on innovation. AI-powered improvements to the customer journey, ambitious market expansion, and viral partnerships and marketing campaigns have caught our attention, just in time for the first edition of our monthly ‘unofficial’ ranking of most interesting retailers.

What is shoppable media and which formats have the most potential?

TikTok’s retail ambitions will go head-to-head with Amazon’s ecommerce dominance, while LinkedIn’s ad appeal grows with tech-powered enhancements. Here’s how our analysts predict the changing social landscape will impact advertisers in 2024.

UMG and TikTok clash over music rights, AI: The label is pulling its catalog from TikTok amid a pay dispute and the app's test of AI music features.

It’s hard to deny social media’s influence on how consumers discover and even sometimes purchase products. But there are other platforms out there besides Instagram and TikTok that can help brands engage with consumers, especially when it comes to fashion.

TikTok influencers drive the most engagement for sponsors: Our Industry KPIs show influencers on TikTok have more than twice the engagement as Instagram influencers.

TikTok is intent on growing livestream sales: The platform plans to open live studios and is testing ways to make all content shoppable, even as retailers shift focus to shoppable TV.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have some of the most digitally engaged consumers in the world. Here’s how they stack up globally.

UK ecommerce sales have bounced back to steady growth as consumer spending remains resilient despite inflationary pressures. Most major categories will see a further shift online by 2027, bringing opportunities for ecommerce retailers.

TikTok’s US growth is slowing: That trend correlates with the launch of TikTok Shop, which some feel degraded the app’s experience.

Social’s share of total media ad spending will grow much more slowly. Between 2017 and 2021, social’s share of overall media ad spending in the US nearly doubled, climbing from 10.5% to 20.0% in just four years. By contrast, its share of US media ad spending will climb less than 2 percentage points through 2027, inching from 20.4% in 2023 to 22.0%.

These self-aware young customers know that their mental health drives their financial behavior. They need help making better saving and spending decisions.

TikTok evolves into a search engine: A study shows the platform is becoming popular among Gen Z for information and diverse content.