Amazon lifts the veil over its advertising business: The retailer’s 2021 ad revenues outpaced YouTube’s and are poised for continued growth.

As retail’s digital dominance grows, Google successfully captures retail ad dollars: Its investments in social commerce on YouTube and improvements to Google Shopping appear to have paid off.

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.

In Southeast Asia, total media ad spending snapped back to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 and will continue rising strongly this year. The growth in digital ad spending, though tamer in 2022, will again outpace that of the overall ad market.

Creator funds see mixed success: Social platforms offer more monetization tools than ever, but many content providers still struggle to get paid.

Fueled by connected TV, programmatic video has expanded significantly. However, there remain concerns over difficulties with cross-platform measurement, ad fraud, and the lack of uniform standards.

Instagram introduces subscriptions as it vies for control of the creator economy: As Instagram’s cachet diminishes among younger audiences, it hopes monetization tools will keep creators from turning to other platforms.

US marketers' interest in TikTok for influencer marketing has skyrocketed since early 2020, as the app has transformed from a novelty to a social media mainstay. Nearly two-thirds of US influencer marketers plan to use the video sharing app in 2022.

TikTok's success has renewed social platforms' interest in algorithms: Instagram, Snap, YouTube, and Twitter have all begun implementing algorithmically-recommended content over the past year.

On today's episode, we discuss some very specific 2022 predictions: Why Amazon is looking to expand into sports media, why TikTok will force YouTube to do something reckless, why Clubhouse might not last the year as a standalone company, how Disney might reposition Hulu, how Apple will re-enter the streaming wars, and more. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analysts at Insider Intelligence Debra Aho Williamson, Paul Verna, and Andrew Lipsman.

Connected TV and programmatic video ad spending continues to exceed expectations in the US.

Hulu’s 2021 ad revenue outpaces competitors, but troubles loom: The streamer’s reliance on partners like NBCUniversal to provide content could hamstring further growth.

Social commerce is one of the biggest trends in social media in 2021. The major platforms are all pushing commerce to the forefront of their business strategies, introducing new features aimed at convincing consumers to go from inspiration to purchase with a click of a button or a tap on a mobile screen.

Among US gamers, Facebook Gaming is the most popular destination for viewing live gameplay, with 42% watching esports and other gaming livestreams on the platform.

Our exclusive primary research survey reveals which platforms US social media users feel most comfortable buying on, and why trust is essential for the future growth of social commerce.

Our annual lookahead for Canada highlights some growth areas for brand marketers as well as the mediascape that’s evolving to serve them.

Move over, millennials: The new kids in town, Gen Z, have claimed the crown as most sought-after demographic for brands. With their deep digital nativity and social influence, this generation is making its mark on society and brand strategy.

Older generations rely more heavily on family, friends, and TV ads to learn about new products. Personal recommendations are the most powerful purchase drivers for Gen Z as well, but social media—which includes ads, videos, and online influencers—is increasingly important to product discovery.

Brand suitability tools give advertisers some power back as targeting restrictions tighten: They are no substitute for true targeting tools, but they offer marketers a bit more control over the context of their ad placements.

About two-thirds of the US population are monthly connected TV (CTV) users. Young people are more likely to use CTV than older people. Four in 10 US senior citizens are CTV users—whereas CTV usage is about double that, more than 80%, among those ages 25 to 54.