Our exclusive primary research survey reveals which platforms US social media users feel most comfortable buying on, and why trust is essential for the future growth of social commerce.

Marketers are taking data collection into their own hands: Recent privacy changes have led brands to use incentives like sweepstakes and discounts to gain consumer info instead of relying on Big Tech companies.

Every national market in the world will finish this year with more ad spending than in 2020. In most categories, worldwide growth records will be shattered. But 2021 was a very unusual year, following a very unusual 2020.

Our fifth annual primary research survey reveals the level of trust US social media users have in nine major social platforms, and the role trust plays in the willingness to engage with advertising on those platforms.

On today's episode, we discuss where augmented reality (AR) lands on the gimmick to utility scale, what AR looks like beyond fashion and beauty, and what the Carolina Panthers' new mixed-reality mascot might mean for marketers. We then talk about what authentic social commerce really means, why Stories never worked out for LinkedIn, and what we expect the reaction to Twitter's Super Follows will be. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer senior analyst at Insider Intelligence Jasmine Enberg.

B2B tech products and services, the largest sector of B2B advertising, saw a massive boost in the US as the pandemic increased demand across the tech industry.

LinkedIn had a very strong 2020, during which its total ad revenues grew 31.3%, driven by its Marketing Solutions as B2Bs focused on targeting audiences working from home.

Display ads like banners and graphics, which have historically been less of a priority than search ads for B2B marketers, took up a greater share of US ad spending than ever before in 2020.

According to our July 2021 forecast, 2023 will be a pivotal year for the US B2B digital ad market: Display will overtake search, mobile will surpass nonmobile, and the split between digital and traditional will near a tipping point just beyond our forecast period.

The explosion in vertical video is creating both opportunities and challenges for the Story format. Stories are evolving quickly on Instagram and remain a top venue for influencer activations. But Twitter’s decision to kill off Fleets shows they aren’t popular on all platforms.

Stories are hardly a new social media format—they are nearly 8 years old on Snapchat and almost 5 on Instagram. But they are still heavily used for social media marketing, even as short-video platforms like TikTok have taken off.

On today's episode, we discuss Twitter's post-election malaise, Reddit's growth engine, and LinkedIn's and Pinterest's pandemic pivots. We then talk about Nextdoor's ceiling, TikTok being allowed to stay in the US, and the implications of young creator burnout. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Debra Aho Williamson.

Social media usage gains from 2020 have largely ended. Facebook will have its lowest growth rate ever, Instagram’s user base is getting older, and Twitter is coming down with a case of post-election malaise. However, TikTok and Reddit are still attracting users at an accelerated pace.

Creators now have more ways than ever to make a living online. This report explores how brands should approach and engage creators for partnerships in the new monetization ecosystem.

On today's episode, we discuss how LinkedIn is evolving, how successful its creator initiative can be, whether its upcoming social audio platform can compete with Clubhouse, and how user growth and ad revenues are performing. We then talk about whether we can expect nearly all events this year to be virtual, making B2B events more appealing, and how robots can make our lives easier in the office. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Jillian Ryan.

Last year, China was the only market to see overall ad spending growth, although digital ad spending performed well almost everywhere. This year, every country will see growth in almost every category.