蘑菇AV

Following TikTok trends is vital for staying relevant when working with influencers, creating content on owned channels, or developing paid social ads. But trending content on the platform also reveals greater patterns of what works (and what doesn鈥檛) with Gen Zers, 71.1% of whom will be on TikTok next year, according to our May 2023 forecast.

US government intensifies stance against TikTok: A permanent ban from government devices could push the public sector to further remove TikTok from devices. But some fear the service is too big to fail.

ByteDance is dead set on building up TikTok Shop in the US: Its aggressive moves to build a robust shopping service could lead to a $500 million loss this year.

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

We look at 2022鈥檚 biggest tech flexes that changed the landscape of business or left us scratching our heads. The year saw Tesla鈥檚 CEO buying Twitter, Google exiting games, Amazon bringing back the dead, and TikTok expanding into various other segments.

US beauty demand is normalizing as price sensitivities creep into purchasing behavior: That鈥檚 good news for e.l.f. Beauty but an added struggle for Coty and Est茅e Lauder, for which China remains a hurdle.

Google defends against DOJ claims of ad monopoly: The giant emphasizes publisher choice and competitive ad exchanges amid trial scrutiny.

TikTok Shop is entering its second holiday season, when it will rely on big brands and livestream commerce to maintain the momentum it's gathered since launching a little over a year ago.

The definitive guide to finfluencers: The quieter summer news cycle gave us time to do a deep dive into how and why 鈥渇influencers鈥� came into the world, what鈥檚 the secret behind their appeal to the TikTok generation, why investment advisors kind of hate them鈥攁nd what financial services marketing teams can learn from them.

The news: TikTok is facing unprecedented global regulatory challenges, notably in Canada, Australia, and the United States. The Canadian government ordered ByteDance to shut down its Canadian subsidiary, citing national security concerns. However, the TikTok app鈥攚hich has 10 million users in Canada, per our forecast鈥攊s still accessible in Canada.

Time spent on social media by US users is set to plateau in 2025. But there are substantial differences in how different age groups spend time on social platforms.

Nearly three-quarters of US TikTok users will also use Instagram this year, making it the most popular alternative to the social video app, per our forecast. That鈥檚 good news for Instagram Reels, which is positioning itself as a viable successor in the event of a US TikTok ban.

Instagram, on the other hand, has been more than making up for those losses, adding around 6 million people a year in the US over that same timeframe. And then I just pulled up our WhatsApp users in the US. That's basically flat. Well, it's actually increasing a little bit by a few hundred thousand each of the next couple of years. And also same with Messenger.

As the largest social media company in the US and owner of Instagram, the second most-used platform among US adults ages 18 and up, Meta faces significant pressure to tighten safety protocols. Its challenges and policies will likely influence the social media sector. Will it work?

TikTok parent ByteDance has until January 19, 2025, to sell the company or face a US ban. The company is suing to avoid the ban, but if the platform goes away, marketers need to know how to reach TikTok users on other platforms. From Gen Z to niche communities, here are five key stats showing the places marketers should be able to reach TikTok users.

US-TikTok negotiations restart after ultimatum: A potential agreement could grant government unmatched oversight, altering app's autonomy.

Social buyer penetration is climbing rapidly at TikTok. In the US, the app has already outpaced Pinterest by this metric, per our forecast. By the end of 2023, it will beat Instagram and tie with Facebook.

On today鈥檚 episode, host Bill Fisher is joined by our analysts Paul Briggs and Man-Chung Cheung and forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood to talk about the TikTok bans currently in place around the world. They consider if the pressure building on TikTok in the US could fan out to other countries.

On today's episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss the opportunity for China-based companies like Shein, Temu, and TikTok in the US, and how they can compete with Amazon. Then for "Red-Hot Retail," our analysts give us some spicy predictions about how fashion retail will change in the US as a direct result of Chinese manufacturers. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analysts Sky Canaves and researcher and Asia-Pacific lead Man-Chung Cheung.

YouTube is positioned to be an advertising powerhouse. It鈥檚 one of the original digital video players, courting advertisers at a time when connected TV advertising is climbing. The platform鈥檚 Google ties offer it a more trustworthy reputation in the US than TikTok. And use is already extremely high. But YouTube鈥檚 high standing also makes growth difficult. Here are five charts summarizing YouTube鈥檚 position and potential.

Lemon8 makes a splash in US as lawmakers mull TikTok ban: New app quickly gains followers, but Chinese ownership could raise concern.

Retailers hold firm on live shopping despite sluggish US adoption: TikTok Shop made the format a cornerstone of its ecommerce strategy, while Macy鈥檚 and Poshmark see early progress.