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The news: News publishers are investing in social media presence that may not be creating meaningful referral traffic. Although publishers are working to meet audiences where they are鈥攐n social and video platforms鈥攖heir content is being watched, not clicked, per Digiday. Our take: Despite social media not converting engagement into referral traffic, news publishers have little option but to remain鈥攍eaving social platforms means losing user attention. Publishers may need to boost their efforts in community-driven channels like Substack and podcasts to foster engagement and reader loyalty.

The news: Small- and medium-size businesses (SMBs) are increasingly relying on social media as a key marketing tool鈥攂ut over half are struggling to keep up with the rapidly evolving landscape. Over three-quarters of small business leaders state that using social media has made a positive impact on their business鈥攂ut 56% find it difficult to prioritize social media use, and 54% struggle to produce enough content to support multiple social media channels. Our take: Keeping up with social media鈥檚 future requires SMBs to integrate it as a core business function rather than viewing social media as an afterthought.

The news: The 2025 NBA Finals drew just 10.2 million viewers on average, among the weakest results in two decades鈥攜et Game 7 peaked at 19.3 million, the highest since 2019. Traditional ratings miss the full picture, though: social views on NBA Finals content soared 215% year over year to 5 billion. Our take: Gen Z sports fans are watching differently鈥攙ia highlights, short clips, and mobile-first formats on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. TV still matters, but leagues like the NBA must master new distribution models. With streaming growth and a massive $76B media deal in place, the future is already digital.

96.3% of Gen Zers are digital video viewers, compared to 80.5% of the overall US population, per our May 2025 forecast.

The trend: Instagram is gaining momentum across Asia-Pacific, fueled by India鈥檚 2020 TikTok ban and a projected 10% user growth in that market for 2025. Japan鈥檚 forecast has also climbed, with 44.4 million users expected next year. Our take: Instagram鈥檚 rise isn鈥檛 just reactive鈥攊t鈥檚 a sign of strong localization and feature depth. With TikTok facing stricter laws in Australia and Southeast Asia, Instagram鈥檚 Reels and group-channel tools position it as the more stable, advertiser-friendly option. Brands targeting APAC should reevaluate platform strategies as Instagram captures more of the region鈥檚 fast-changing digital attention.

The news: TikTok tweens and teens who make popular 鈥淕et ready with me鈥� skincare routine videos may be harming their skin. The takeaway: Amid the closer social media scrutiny, skincare health brands should be clear about products that are not made for young skin. Social media teams need to be aware and proactive when interacting with tween and teen content creators.

India鈥檚 commerce landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, fueled by booming ecommerce, rising mobile shopping, and the growing influence of social media.

Reddit is suing Anthropic for unauthorized data scraping: The case highlights growing battles over content control in the AI era.

Tools like Smart+ and Content Suite help brands find trending creator content, predict ad success, and target more precisely.

XChat introduces file sharing, disappearing messages, and calls鈥攂ut user skepticism over privacy and vague 鈥淏itcoin-style鈥� encryption may hinder adoption.

It will rely on automated systems to approve algorithm updates and safety features, potentially sidelining privacy teams and risking half-baked feature launches.

TikTok shifts away from free traffic for US merchants: The change will require businesses to pay for ads for visibility, but TikTok remains a critical touchpoint.

Businesses could soon plug in budgets and products, and Meta will handle the rest鈥攖hreatening the role of agencies in the digital ad pipeline.

The news: Gander Social is an upcoming Canadian social platform built on the decentralized AT Protocol, similar to Bluesky. Gander rejects algorithmic feeds, ad surveillance, and dark UX patterns, per Metricool. As an alternative to networks like X, Meta鈥檚 Threads, and Bluesky, it offers user-controlled content, privacy by design, and community-first tools鈥攈osted entirely within Canada. It will be available as a closed beta in August. Our take: As algorithmic fatigue and platform distrust grow, demand is rising for community-driven, ad-light spaces. Marketers should watch Gander as a testbed for the next wave of privacy-first, hyper-local platforms.

Gen Z defines social winners in Asia-Pacific: Snapchat slows in India while TikTok expands in Indonesia and Singapore.

Fewer content removals signal better precision, but reduced proactivity could slow responses to hate speech and misinformation.

Post analytics and custom button tracking signal LinkedIn鈥檚 push to compete with TikTok and Instagram for creator attention.

Facebook is projected to lose users in several major markets: Meta may need to lean more heavily on its other platforms to sustain growth.

Discord facing lawsuit for allegedly harming minors: The case is far from the first time Discord and other platforms have faced similar scrutiny.

Reddit鈥檚 Dynamic Product Ads expands to all advertisers: The move highlights Reddit鈥檚 shift from a supplemental channel to a primary platform for advertisers.

Last month, Instagram rolled out its Testimonials feature, an ad format that allows brands to pay creators for sponsored content that includes comments.

While teens retain digital habits from childhood (such as a strong preference for YouTube), their newfound independence and desire to connect with peers has led them to new habits.

Increased time spent on CTV, social video鈥檚 shopping influence, and a larger share of working Gen Zers will give advertisers new opportunities for growth. Here are five charts to help your business understand these changes and kick-start the new year.

Meta pays creators for traffic, Spotify wins in-app freedom post-Epic ruling, and Amazon鈥檚 Zoox expands robotaxi testing despite software recalls.

OpenAI is floating a social app: The move would place the company in direct competition with X and Meta, but will require a unique value proposition to pay off.