Spending on sponsored content will rise 3.5 times faster than social ad spending will this year. Social ad spending, including YouTube, still dwarfs influencer marketing spending, at $83.72 billion versus $5.14 billion in 2023, per our forecasts. But the different spending patterns are a clear indication that creators aren’t tied to social media. The trend holds true on every platform, as marketers continue to shift more budget into influencer marketing, particularly video.
On today's podcast episode, our vice president of Briefings Stephanie Taglianetti hosts a mock-debate-style analyst showdown on Meta versus TikTok. Analyst Debra Aho Williamson and director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman go head to head, advocating on behalf of Meta (Debra) and TikTok (Jeremy) to prove which social platform is the bigger threat in three areas: getting people to spend time on each app, meeting advertisers’ needs, and AI innovation.
While Meta, Google, Apple, and programmatic display are all investment areas for M&C Saatchi Performance, the agency is shaking up some approaches for 2024. “We’re investing in all the tried-and-true performance basics,” said Jonathan Yantz, managing partner at M&C Saatchi Performance. “But we’re most excited about the CTV [connected TV] and influencer/creator spaces, since both are so dynamic now.”
Key stat: US influencer marketing spend will grow more than three times faster than social ad spend in 2023, and it will remain ahead through 2025, according to our forecast.
Competition in the VR/XR ecosystem is heating up, and strategic hardware-software alliances could accelerate competition for Apple's premium products.
Effect House by TikTok rolls out: As TikTok broadens its AR horizon, creator incentives play a pivotal role in its evolving digital strategy.
Meta's strategy to bolster Threads: Given Threads' declining user base, Instagram's promotional push could be a double-edged sword in the engagement game.
Meta mulls over ad-free options in Europe: Marketers need to brace for potential changes in audience targeting and ad costs.
Brooklinen is putting an emphasis on authenticity and relatable, real-world experiences in its paid social creative.
Is social media dead? Not exactly. But it has become “less social and more media,” as Insider reported.
Reels' next frontier: Instagram's strategic play against TikTok's and YouTube's video offerings, maximizing advertising opportunities.
Social commerce and livestream shopping are playing a larger role on TikTok as the platform builds out its ecommerce business, though influencers still have a lot of sway in purchase decisions, especially among Gen Z. To be successful on TikTok, marketers need to lean into discovery and put content at the heart of their strategy.
On today's podcast episode, we discuss the quick adaptation and rejection of Threads by Instagram users, the complicated costs of bundling streaming services, where TikTok falls on the list of most influential social media apps, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha and analysts Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf and Max Willens.
Affiliate marketing is maturing into a multidimensional, full-funnel channel. But not everyone is convinced of its potential, said Alexandra Forsch, president of Awin Americas. For senior decision-makers, affiliate marketing is “considered a very tactical channel and not a strategic one, and as such, it’s not as attractive,” Forsch said on a “Behind the Numbers” podcast episode.
Some 65% of TikTokers prefer content from brands that feature original sounds, according to 2021 MRC Data. TikTok sounds allow users to attach posts to songs and other audio which can then drive an association between the song and the brand. TikTok already has a Commercial Music Library of royalty-free tracks, but brands can push social campaigns a step further by creating their own viral songs.
TikTok will beat Facebook in time spent in 2025, with US adults spending over 5.19 billion total minutes per day on the platform, while they will spend a total of 5.02 billion total minutes per day on Facebook, according to our forecast.
Key stat: Nearly 60% of TikTok viewers are more likely to trust a brand after hearing about it from a creator compared with hearing about it from a standard, in-feed ad, said Sam Kimmel, global creator partnerships lead at TikTok, during a CreatorIQ webinar.
Key stat: ĢAV 98% of creators use Instagram feed posts, Instagram Stories, and Instagram Reels, putting the platform above TikTok, Facebook, and other popular social networks for creator use, according to Mavrck.
Brands can capitalize on social trends with real-world products and programs, but they have to be able to act at the speed of TikTok. That means giving creators autonomy, having a strong brand identity, and keeping a close eye on trends.
The Digital Services Act enforces new rules on 19 large platforms, affecting content moderation and ads. Noncompliance could result in hefty fines or bans.