In March, 37% of US teens called TikTok their favorite social media app, up from 30% the same month two years ago, according to Piper Sandler. Snapchat dropped to second place, falling to 27% from 31% during that period. In the No. 3 spot is Instagram, which 23% of teens named their top choice.

Marketers are on the prowl for the next big social media platform. They’re eyeing names like BeReal, Lemon8, and Zigazoo, but so far, no platform has gained users the way TikTok did. “Understanding why certain apps surge and why some ultimately fizzle is vital to keep up with changing social user trends and behaviors,” said our analyst Jasmine Enberg. We took a closer look at what marketers are watching.

Elon’s X dreams will suffer from Twitter’s trust problem: Piecemeal partnerships, like its latest with eToro, won’t drive the earth-shattering change the social media platform needs.

A big cloud services drought could amount to involuntary AI slowdown: Cloud server chips and energy supplies buckle under the weight of generative AI demands, adding to monopoly likelihood.

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.

Pentagon breach is a new low for social media: A classified document leak on Discord, Telegram, and Twitter has serious geopolitical implications. If platforms don’t take action, public sentiment might flatline.

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.

We expect Twitter’s worldwide ad revenues to plummet by 27.9% this year as advertisers continue to pull back spending.

Last October, we projected that Twitter’s 2023 ad revenues would reach $4.74 billion worldwide. Since Elon Musk’s takeover, we’ve cut our projection by nearly $2 billion, to just $2.98 billion, as the app grapples with brand safety issues, confusing policies, and broken technology.

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

Musk gave advertisers a reason to leave Twitter. He exacerbated long-standing issues and created new ones. Six months into Musk-era Twitter, most brands aren’t ready to resume spending, largely because they don’t trust the man in charge.

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.

TikTok looks strong in Asia as it faces bans elsewhere: Countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand fuel the app's growth in its home region.

On today's episode, we discuss why the US is considering a TikTok ban; where influencers, users, and advertisers will go if there is one; and how marketers can prepare. "In Other News," we talk about what Meta's latest job cuts say about the company and what its plans look like for a Twitter rival. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Jasmine Enberg.

TikTok will see 11.6% global user growth this year, according to our forecast. That’s about double Snapchat’s and Instagram’s expected growth. The ByteDance-owned app will boast more than 900 million monthly users this year—if it manages to stay in the US, its biggest country.

Creator economy features have stopped working on Twitter: Whether they’re being abandoned or are broken due to missing personnel is anyone’s guess.

Consumers lost $1.2 billion to social media scams, FTC says: Have shrinking ad revenues, crypto, and automation led to lower standards for vetting digital advertisements?

Fear perpetuated by social media led customers to withdraw uninsured deposits in droves. But the bank will be saved with aid from the largest banks in the US.

Amid privacy changes and macroeconomic headwinds, social media will be the channel hurt most by the digital advertising downturn. For 2023, we have reduced our US social network ad spending forecast by $16.21 billion.

Consumer device and behavior trends are affecting payment providers’ strategies across retail, P2P, B2B, disbursement, and cross-border channels. Here’s what that means for the payments ecosystem.