YouTube is toying with its ad strategy. The platform is beefing up Shorts by including ads; it tested users’ ad tolerance by running as many as 10 unskippable ads before videos. The experiment has been a headache for users, but the central question isn't new: How many ads and ad breaks will users put up with?

Amid TikTok’s meteoric rise, many marketers may be wondering whether YouTube is still relevant. The short answer is yes. But YouTube will need to carve its own niche in creators, commerce, and short video to stay relevant in 2022 and beyond.

On today's episode, we discuss what the next, most important initiatives will be for TikTok. We then talk about what YouTube plans to do with its short-form video format "Shorts" and whether LinkedIn's audio events will work out. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Debra Aho Williamson.

TikTok will surpass 1.5 billion users in 2022: Despite challenges, TikTok has proven resilient and will likely command marketers’ attention and ad spend.

The short-video landscape is bigger than just TikTok. Marketers must develop a strategy to make the most of this form of marketing across multiple venues.

This report explores the latest developments in the social media landscape, including a look at TikTok Global, Instagram’s launch of Reels, and new election-related moves from Facebook and Twitter.