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Meta CMO Alex Schultz posted on LinkedIn that the company 鈥渂elieves in the future of agencies,鈥� but CEO Mark Zuckerberg鈥檚 earlier comments鈥攃laiming brands would no longer need creative, targeting, or measurement鈥攈ave already shifted the tone.

Case in point: Starting February 28, 2026, Invest will be replaced with a new buy-side product just for the Microsoft Advertising Platform and inventory across the company鈥檚 ecosystem鈥攊ncluding Xbox, LinkedIn, Bing, and Windows. Why the change? Large tech companies like Microsoft and Meta have spent their vast fortunes acquiring and building platforms with broad audiences that they control access to.

Social media, especially LinkedIn, remains a leading platform for B2B marketing. Nearly two-thirds (65.4%) of marketers use LinkedIn most frequently for B2B marketing. 49% of B2B marketers worldwide identify social media advertising/promoted posts as the most effective paid channel, according to August 2024 data from MarketingProfs and the Content Marketing Institute.

Those are people who work so hard for you鈥攚ithout benefits, mind you鈥攁nd their jobs simply cannot be done by AI,鈥� one user said on Duolingo鈥檚 LinkedIn announcement. Quality control: Replacing human workers with AI may slow some processes and result in 鈥渙ccasional small hits鈥� to quality, von Ahn said.

The Minecraft launch underscores Walmart鈥檚 鈥済rowing commitment to the world of gaming,鈥� Justin Breton, head of brand marketing innovation, said on LinkedIn. Even if it doesn鈥檛 drive sales directly, it represents an opportunity to connect with consumers鈥攅specially younger audiences鈥攚ho are either gamers themselves, or consume gaming content on platforms like YouTube.

LinkedIn flexes B2B advertising鈥檚 strength. After hitting 1 billion global users thanks to strong growth abroad, LinkedIn looks to video to increase engagement and ad revenues. Sports drove streaming and CTV to a record quarter. The Olympics drove heavy ad spending and viewership for streaming services, which continue to make inroads with users. YouTube gives streamers a run for their money.

LinkedIn (38%). Instagram (31%). Key stat: Social media strategy (55%) was by far the top response given by marketers when asked about the factors driving their organization鈥檚 growth in the past year. One in six hypergrowth providers specifically called out influencer marketing.

Omnichannel advertising, for one,鈥� she wrote in a LinkedIn post. Marketers that want to connect consumer journeys across digital channels should invest in signal-agnostic identity solutions, minimizing the risk of disruption from additional regulation.

LinkedIn is one of Gen X鈥檚 top five platforms. Nearly 34% of Gen Xers are on LinkedIn, more than 10 percentage points higher than the general population鈥攁nd they hold a larger share of the platform than Gen Zers. Much like how Facebook helped supplant address books, LinkedIn has replaced the rolodex, and professional Gen Xers learned how to leverage their network connections quickly.

LinkedIn. Magna Global. McKinsey & Company.

Vice President Kamala Harris voters were more likely than Trump voters to be active on Threads, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn, per November 2024 CivicScience data. Trump voters were significantly more active on only one platform, X, putting the app in competition with Trump-owned Truth Social. Feelings about the TikTok ban are also divided on political lines.

The platform has gained steam as a social network in recent years, especially as it pushes into video: In its most recent earnings call, Microsoft said time spent watching videos on LinkedIn was up 36% YoY. Pinterest鈥檚 user base is growing as well. It will see growth tick up 3.0% YoY this year to 90.3 million.

It leans on its diversified business model that encompasses enterprise software, cloud, gaming, and LinkedIn, which all generate strong cash flows. Productivity tools like Microsoft 365 continue to deliver stable income. Our take: Investing in AI鈥檚 foundational infrastructure and critical technology partners like OpenAI will keep Microsoft at the forefront of business and consumer technology.

LinkedIn does not offer native editing tools. That means brands and creators making short video content for LinkedIn need to either cross-post uploads from TikTok or Instagram or use a third-party editing platform. Platform-owned external tools: The social platforms also offer tools that have more editing capabilities and are useful for cross-posting.

Its US user base will grow 4.7% this year, faster than Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. It鈥檚 a sign that January鈥檚 (short-lived) ban and continued uncertainty around the app haven鈥檛 had a major impact on usage. But Instagram is becoming a bigger threat. The app, which is already bigger than TikTok in terms of users, is also seeing bigger Gen Z gains.

LinkedIn introduces new marketing tools: Video ads and AI integration enhance B2B engagement and efficiency.

LinkedIn tests TikTok-like video feed: The strategic move would improve discovery and engagement with B2B short-form content.

LinkedIn debuts campaign-creation tool powered by generative AI: Platform is out to address unique challenges in reaching B2B decision-makers.

The company will integrate its technology with Shopify鈥檚 ecommerce platform, CEO Lance Riedel said in a LinkedIn post, 鈥渢o empower millions of merchants with smarter, more engaging product discovery.鈥�.

This may mean zeroing in on a specific vertical (e.g., gaming, sports) or a specific platform (e.g., TikTok, LinkedIn). These types of agencies speak to influencer marketing鈥檚 growth and subsequent fragmentation. Here are a few examples of specialized influencer marketing agencies:. Creator Authority, founded in 2023, is focused on LinkedIn influencer marketing.

LinkedIn isn't just for job updates. It has evolved into a platform with brand-safe engagement, sophisticated audiences, and a growing range of advertising tools. Here鈥檚 why you should be paying attention to LinkedIn.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the main ways that LinkedIn has changed, whether TikTok can steal significant Gen Z market share from them, and whether daily games is the right fit for the employment-focused social media platform. "In Other News," we talk about how marketers are preparing themselves for a potential TikTok ban and which of TikTok's new initiatives has the most potential. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Jasmine Enberg and Minda Smiley.