TikTok’s magic is no longer in its mystery. The illusion of TikTok content being personalized for users through an all-powerful algorithm is fading. Two weeks ago, Forbes reported TikTok’s use of a secret “heating” tool. But TikTok’s heating controversy doesn’t mean marketers should immediately retreat to Instagram Reels. Rather, they should think of TikTok and Reels as two different tools.

Facing signal loss and challenging macroeconomic conditions, advertisers are pumping the brakes on social network ad spending. But social video is shining through the gloom.

Though Meta’s sheer size makes it a platform that advertisers can’t afford to ignore, the titan of advertising’s throne has never sat on shakier ground.

Our outlook for social ad spending in 2022 has deteriorated significantly since March. This report breaks down what went wrong in the past nine months, and what’s ahead in the next two years.

Meta succeeds against US regulators but takes a major blow in the EU: Meta insists that news isn’t part of its business model, but its pivot to Reels hits a major roadblock.

Meta shares its earnings with creators: New Reels ads expand choices for brands and revenue opportunities for influencers.

Ahead of its third-quarter earnings, Meta has expanded its ad offerings for Instagram, Messenger, and Reels.

Reels, Reels, and more Reels: Facebook released an API for Reels, allowing users to share short-form videos to the app from outside platforms.

TikTok’s rapid entry onto the social scene in Canada makes it a prime venue for marketers to increase investment. Brands of all stripes should test new ad formats, work with creators to engage audiences, and aim to trigger social commerce transactions from TikTok.

Instagram has its priorities in focus: Platform looks to draw advertisers to Reels, sees shopping wins in home goods and electronics as well as fashion and beauty, executive says.

Meta’s going back to basics: The social giant is one of many major companies tasked with focusing on key priorities in the second half of the year.

In this report, we look at the most important updates among the leading social platforms in Q2 and how those changes will impact marketers.

US social network user growth has slowed to a crawl, and that means the social platforms will compete fiercely for users and engagement. Marketers should optimize their spending to take advantage of shifting consumer behaviors.

US adults are spending more time watching YouTube on connected TVs and less time watching it on mobile devices. This year, for the first time since we began our forecast, less than half of time spent with YouTube will be on mobile, as viewers pivot to watching these videos on the same screen as their TV programming, separate from their TikToks and Instagram Reels.

TikTok kills two birds with one stone: The platform needs to court advertisers and become the most creator-friendly social platform. Its new initiative could do both.

On today's episode, we discuss what to make of Meta's turnaround user growth and slowing ad sales. "In Other News," we talk about the most important thing to pay attention to when it comes to influencers this year and whether Reels is Facebook's future. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Jasmine Enberg.

Meta juggles its Facebook present and metaverse future: The social network gains users, but recent losses could mean less money for metaverse R&D, giving VR platform competitors an opening.

Meta earnings didn’t quite disappoint: After a particularly challenging prior quarter, Meta didn’t quite right the ship, but it did staunch the bleeding.

Jane Ko tried to avoid TikTok. The blogger and creator’s platform of choice is Instagram, where her @atasteofkoko account has about 118,000 followers, and she felt she wasn’t the right fit for an app that burst on the scene with singing and dancing—things she says she isn’t good at.

The “TikTok effect” on influencer marketing is palpable, but Instagram and YouTube are still highly relevant venues for creator video.