Influencers may be an attractive option for brands looking to broaden their reach, but if a creator isn’t able to promote the service or product, it can come off as inauthentic and turn consumers away. Brands looking for a way to promote their products should look to longer-term brand ambassadorships. Here are three reasons why.

TikTok eclipsed Twitter, Pinterest, and Snapchat in US users within just a few years, according to our estimates, and now it’s chasing Instagram. After years of exceptional growth, TikTok will boast more than 100 million US monthly users in 2023—unless lawmakers stand in its way.

On today's episode, we discuss why advertisers aren't returning to Twitter, what the impact of the new blue check mark will be, and whether folks actually want to pay for social media. "In Other News," we talk about the potential of TikTok's sister app Lemon8 and what to make of TikTok's new "Series" feature. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Jasmine Enberg.

After TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s grilling in the US Congress, the app is facing more scrutiny around the world. Marketers in many countries need to be prepared in case lawmakers follow in the US’s footsteps.

Latin America social network shifts to aid Instagram, TikTok, and Snap: Video-centric platforms are winning young users.

A ban isn’t swaying brands from spending on TikTok: Apple, Pepsi, and DoorDash are among brands increasing ad spend despite hefty political problems.

Few US merchants are selling goods on TikTok Shop: Many are reluctant to invest time and resources in the platform given the widespread speculation that it will be banned or sold.

While retail sales growth is expected to slow this year, ecommerce sales will grow by double digits to reach $1.148 trillion, buoyed by online grocery, health and personal care, and online resale. Here are five charts on the categories, retailers, and channels driving ecommerce growth

Over the past month, we’ve seen ad updates from all the major players, from Meta’s generative AI ads to Google’s attempts to decrease clutter. Here’s what they mean for advertisers.

Gen Zers make up about 20% of the US population, and they’re growing up. The digitally native generation has unique shopping habits after going through the pandemic during their formative years. From TikTok to the creator economy to payments trends, here’s how our analysts predict Gen Z will change shopping.

Online fashion resale remains a fast-growing retail channel despite ongoing economic headwinds—and Gen Z is the driving force. How can brands and retailers venturing into fashion resale find success amid pullbacks on discretionary spending?

From the explosion of ChatGPT to confusing economic indicators, the first quarter of 2023 has proven to be a mixed bag for retail. We break down major developments from the past few months and what they mean for the year ahead.

The influencer landscape is more crowded than ever, even as creator funding dries up. Leveraging smaller influencers will help your brand focus a limited budget toward a targeted audience. “We’ve had sleeper hits [with] micro-influencers,” said Fernish CMO Evelyn Krasnow, speaking at eTail West 2023 in March. Finding the right influencers is “going to be trial and error,” said Krasnow. Here are tips for finding smaller influencers who can reach niche, targeted audiences.

Gen Zs are more likely to start their shopping journey on TikTok than Google: They’re also less likely to cut back on discretionary spending, despite inflation.

Short-form video is the hot topic of 2023 Newfronts: TikTok, Meta, and YouTube are all presenting as the dominant short-form app faces existential threats.

On today's episode, we discuss why Apple and Amazon will be the two most consequential advertising companies for the rest of the decade, the ceiling on their streaming ambitions, and how their tech and health investments stack up. "In Other News," we talk about whether TikTok has been able to reassure advertisers after its recent government hearing and the Federal Trade Commission outlining how companies should communicate their environmental claims. Tune in to the discussion with our director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman.

While social commerce is on the rise in the US, livestream commerce has yet to take off. In addition, advances in technology (like ChatGPT) may help jumpstart voice commerce adoption. Here’s what marketers need to know to take advantage of the increase in physical and digital shopping channels.

Social media ad spend declined in the second half of 2022, and the category will make up a shrinking slice of total digital ad spend in the US this year, according to our forecast. But brands still need a social media presence. That’s where AI and ChatGPT can help. Here are six uses for generative AI in organic social campaigns.

As Bing makes inroads into Google’s lead, it experiments with AI ads: Disney and Roku layoffs and pivots by Twitter and ByteDance dominated headlines this past week.

The threat of a TikTok ban is enough to make waves: ByteDance, Meta, and Chinese competitor Kuaishou are all taking steps to anticipate a ban.