X poised for ad sales growth for the first time under Musk: While we forecast sales being up 17.5% this year, the platform still has a long way to go.

When Southwest Airlines announced they were charging for bags, Amtrak posted on X, “Guess we’re the only ones doing free baggage now.” The post, followed by more info on Amtrak’s baggage policy, is an example of what Amtrak senior manager of social media Nicolle Lopez calls its infotainment strategy, designed to educate and entertain at the same time.

X is still a destination for news: Our Industry KPI data shows engagement varying dramatically throughout the year

Threads tests feature allowing users to select interests: The move could help the platform address its retention problem and draw creators.

Senators urge DOJ probe into X’s advertising efforts: The group of five Democratic senators allege that Elon Musk leverages his political power to bully advertisers into returning.

Top-line time spent with media will grow very little in the US going forward, making it essential to identify which formats and platforms are winning the newly zero-sum competition for consumer attention.

X adds automated, AI-generated ad creation: The move is another attempt for X to win back brands the platform lost.

The solution will let the network capitalize on the quickly expanding creator economy

Latin America’s digital revolution is marching full steam ahead, with consumers spending more than a third of their day online. As social commerce and retail media propel the region’s digital economy to new heights, the runway for growth remains long.​

X plans first marketing campaign under Musk, but ad revenues will still drop: While brands like Apple are resuming advertising, but it has more to do with politics than ROAS.

Why Amazon is returning to X: Elon Musk’s growing political importance is attracting spenders back to the platform.

With new feed-customization and business tools, it’s primed for deeper user engagement. But as ads roll out, brand safety worries could stall advertiser interest.

Working with Visa will bring the future P2P platform added trust and security—as well as real-time payment capabilities

X hopes video can reverse declines: A video tab is part of the company’s bet to attract users and advertisers.

Not everyone gets news from creators and influencers. But alternative voices, especially podcasters, hold a lot of sway over key demographics, including Gen Z, men, and consumers who feel marginalized by mainstream media.

Bluesky’s funding round contrasts with Meta: The smaller social platform is gaining ground, but its ad model remains a question.

But the social media platform may struggle to get its users on board unless it can differentiate the P2P service from its peers

On today’s podcast episode, our analyst Bill Fisher asks Principal Forecasting Writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, Senior Forecasting Analyst Zach Goldner, and Senior Forecasting Director Oscar Orozco about the most interesting eMarketer international forecasts of the past year, as well as what we can expect for 2025.

As social media strengthens its grip on consumers’ digital lives in 2025, political polarization, regulation, and a desire for deeper personalization will shake up the landscape.

Bluesky, the microblogging alternative to X, has found impressive growth and public interest following the US elections, adding 1 million new users in a single day. However, its murky monetization plans have left its value for marketers unclear.