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.

As marketers look to increase audience reach and stay away from the whims of any singular platform, private social media networks offer another avenue.

Advertisers are ditching a tumultuous Twitter in the wake of Elon Musk’s erratic behavior, combined with an underwhelming (or downright concerning) earnings season for Big Tech.

Twitter chaos gives fuel to alternative app: Despite Mastodon’s recent gains, its limitations won’t bring widespread adoption.

Creators and influencers are looking for ways to diversify platforms in order to increase audience outreach, foster community, and assure they’re not at the whims of any single social media algorithm.

In Q2 2022, Meta’s Messenger attracted 52% of the top 10 US messaging apps’ daily active users, down 6 percentage points from the same quarter two years earlier. Discord increased its share by 7 percentage points over the same period, riding a pandemic surge that has not dropped off.

Podcast listening keeps making gains, and the medium is becoming a bigger part of marketers’ audio strategies.

US-based Mana’s perks like debit card points and special offers on subscriptions for gaming services are tailored toward its target affinity group.

Among US gamers, Facebook Gaming is the most popular destination for viewing live gameplay, with 42% watching esports and other gaming livestreams on the platform.