Social commerce has yet to reach its potential in the UK. Social buying is still on the rise—and there is plenty of headroom to grow spend.

Marketers may be obsessed with reaching younger consumers, but that doesn’t mean that baby boomers aren’t worth their time. Next year, 11.3 million consumers ages 55 to 64 and 10.8 million consumers 65 and older will make a purchase via social media, per our forecast.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the likelihood that news influencers will replace traditional media, whether in-store sampling can make a comeback, how many ads are enough ads, what the science says about social media being addictive, why more brands don't encourage consumers to recycle, where daylight savings time actually comes from, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our vice president of content Suzy Davidkhanian and analysts Bill Fisher and Carina Perkins.

Problematic creator funds are a thing of the past: TikTok is sunsetting its creator fund one year after YouTube changed the game with a revenue-sharing model.

Gen Z is redefining family, community, and what’s expected from the shopping journey. Brands will need to meet these driven, digital natives where they are with dynamic media experiences to capture and retain loyalty.

Social commerce sales are continuing to rise steadily, reaching $82.82 billion in the US next year, per our forecast. But it’s getting harder to convert new buyers. Here’s how retailers can encourage more social media purchases and boost their social commerce sales.

TikTok is extending its video content to an array of public screens, including those at airports, gas stations, and movie rental machines. The expansion into out-of-home (OOH) advertising marks TikTok’s ambitions to go beyond its roots as a mobile app.

Half of shoppers worldwide have used social media to discover products, per Salesforce, but even more (59%) have used it to purchase something.

By sticking to its values, Trader Joe’s has maintained the feeling of a neighborhood store while scaling across the country, while H-E-B’s commitment to caring for its community has won it the heart of Texas. Erewhon has taken a different approach, leveraging its famous clientele and access to lifestyle brands to become a pop culture icon.

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.

Grocery shoppers are omnichannel shoppers, our analyst Blake Droesch said on a recent “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. That means consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands should employ a mix of digital and in-store advertising strategies to engage customers where they shop.

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.

A multidimensional influencer strategy calls for the integration of affiliates and ambassadors. However, it also begs the question: How can marketers effectively work with influencers in the affiliate channel?

The Hollywood strikes are revealing the full power of creators. They’re accelerating the diversification of platforms and revenue streams, and they will lead to more TV-like content and creator-owned media. Here’s how marketers, social platforms, and media companies should respond.

Affiliate marketing is maturing into a multidimensional, full-funnel channel. But not everyone is convinced of its potential, said Alexandra Forsch, president of Awin Americas. For senior decision-makers, affiliate marketing is “considered a very tactical channel and not a strategic one, and as such, it’s not as attractive,” Forsch said on a “Behind the Numbers” podcast episode.

TikTok’s rapid ascent in social commerce is drawing comparisons to Amazon’s flywheel strategy. The platform is taking multiple steps to achieve its goal of quadrupling its global ecommerce business to a potential $20 billion in annual merchandise sales through TikTok Shop. Here’s what’s working, what isn’t, and what has yet to be seen.

The definitive guide to finfluencers: The quieter summer news cycle gave us time to do a deep dive into how and why “finfluencers” came into the world, what’s the secret behind their appeal to the TikTok generation, why investment advisors kind of hate them—and what financial services marketing teams can learn from them.

Gen Z women trust beauty influencers: Roughly eight in 10 Gen Z women shop for creators’ beauty and personal care recommendations.

Most consumers use online marketplaces to find products, but the number who are browsing in-store or on social media is growing. Retailer websites are where customers go for product research. And when it comes to purchasing, price and delivery options are the most important factors.