This year’s festival highlighted a maturing creator economy, a reality check for AI, and bigger and bolder brand activations and marketing trends.

Their ROOST initiative could pressure platforms to adopt stronger protections, reshaping digital safety and providing brand-safe environments for advertisers.

Digital gaming is popular across generations. But Gen Zers and millennials are more likely to game on multiple platforms, seek community around the hobby, and pass the habit on to their children.

"In 2025 we are going to see brands think community-first,” according to Jennifer Quigley-Jones, CEO of Digital Voices. One place they will do this is on Instagram Broadcast Channels, the one-to-many messaging feature that allows users to directly engage with followers. As of last week, subscribers of the exclusive direct messaging (DM) channels can now communicate with the creators and brands they follow, similar to how they might use Discord or Patreon.

Platforms owners like Meta and Snap face scrutiny over data exploitation and child privacy laws. Regulatory action could disrupt their ad-based profits.

Organic marketing is experiencing a comeback on social media. The resurgence is due to trends like community-building and social search that are helping brands resonate with audiences.

Brands and marketers have an increasingly prominent presence at the annual technology, arts, and culture festival in Austin, Texas, which this year took place from March 8 to 16. We break down the key topics that drew the most attention from attendees.

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.

Instagram and TikTok are both popular among Gen Z, but this generation shows a preference for one over the other for certain social activities, like viewing Stories and direct messaging.

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.

ChatGPT fever has hit social media. Advertisers need to pay close attention, but generative AI social media chatbots still have a lot to prove—and challenges to overcome.

Social listening is considered by nearly 61% of US businesses to be part of their social media marketing strategy, according to a May 2022 report from Social Media Today and Meltwater. But many aren’t using the technique to its full potential. Here’s how marketers can avoid four common misconceptions.

In March, 37% of US teens called TikTok their favorite social media app, up from 30% the same month two years ago, according to Piper Sandler. Snapchat dropped to second place, falling to 27% from 31% during that period. In the No. 3 spot is Instagram, which 23% of teens named their top choice.

Marketers are on the prowl for the next big social media platform. They’re eyeing names like BeReal, Lemon8, and Zigazoo, but so far, no platform has gained users the way TikTok did. “Understanding why certain apps surge and why some ultimately fizzle is vital to keep up with changing social user trends and behaviors,” said our analyst Jasmine Enberg. We took a closer look at what marketers are watching.

Pentagon breach is a new low for social media: A classified document leak on Discord, Telegram, and Twitter has serious geopolitical implications. If platforms don’t take action, public sentiment might flatline.

Musk gave advertisers a reason to leave Twitter. He exacerbated long-standing issues and created new ones. Six months into Musk-era Twitter, most brands aren’t ready to resume spending, largely because they don’t trust the man in charge.

Recent attacks plaguing US companies have become increasingly aggressive, with hackers using phone calls, emails, and other methods. The FBI might have answers.

Meta gained a strong hold over the US social media app rankings last year, with Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook all boasting the highest numbers of downloads, according to Apptopia. Messaging app Telegram broke into the top 10 this year, as did relative newcomer BeReal.

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.

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.