Snapchat courts creators: A new study touts deeper fan ties and longer ad views, but influencer spending still trails rivals by billions.

This is the latest installment of our “UK Ad Spending Benchmarks” series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.​

TikTok tests paid ad-free model in UK: While ad revenues remain stable, creator deals could gain value if subscription adoption climbs.

Snap grows revenues faster than users: Sales rise 12% as North America DAUs fall 7% and Snap looks to prove it can sustain growth.

Snap turns chats into ad inventory: AI Sponsored Snaps put brand agents in Chat, betting 1B MAUs will buy via conversation.

Ad spending will surge in 2026 as AI-driven gains and a packed events calendar offset mounting economic strain. Social will lead the way as Meta overtakes Google in net revenues and the wider ad industry closes in on the half-trillion-dollar milestone.

Snapchat’s young audience and distinct ad products keep it relevant, even as usage slips and regulatory pressure builds. Marketers should use it with strategies built for messaging, creators, and commerce.

Social platforms want a bigger role in search ad budgets, but user habits lag behind. As search expands beyond traditional engines, these platforms must turn occasional behavior into intent-driven activity to grab ad dollars.

Digital media dominates daily consumption, but legacy formats still hold key moments. As streaming, audio, and social media surge, advertisers face a fragmented landscape where attention is growing—but harder to capture.

CSAM scanning halts as the ePrivacy Directive expires, complicating child safety as Greece and others eye youth social bans.

Sports content is one of the last bastions of live, appointment viewing. Key data shows who’s watching, which platforms they use, and how they engage with content between events.

New Snapchat ad formats and strong engagement aim to sway marketers despite a modest ad revenue share.

Black consumers are reshaping streaming, social, and shopping habits. They overindex on key platforms, embrace ad-supported CTV, and blend digital discovery with in-store buying—pushing brands to balance cultural relevance with performance-driven media.​

Uneven engagement and time spent on social platforms forces marketers to rethink scale-first social campaigns.

US adults will spend slightly more time on social networks this year, but social’s share of digital media time is slipping as streaming video surges.

Our exclusive survey data examines the path to purchase across six markets in Latin America as digital marketplaces, social commerce, and AI reshape shopping behavior.

Reddit has surged in recent years, fueled in part by Google search referrals. But the platform’s unique attributes mean marketers must take a more bespoke, labor-intensive approach.

The Supreme Court’s tariff relief offers incremental upside and could add billions to search and social spending.

Teens live on their phones, bouncing between short-form video, gaming, shopping, and AI. As social feeds become storefronts and AI doubles as a tool and companion, brands must rethink how they earn attention—and trust—in teen digital life.