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Still, in terms of total users, Reddit will trail only Facebook (181.5 million users) this year. That鈥檚 notable considering we expect Reddit to capture only 1.1% of US social network ad spend in 2025. (All Reddit users see ads, regardless of whether they have an account.). Reddit鈥檚 recent reliance on Google is a double-edged sword.

齿鈥檚 ad business is beginning to recover. But the return to growth is complicated, and there鈥檚 still a long road ahead for 齿鈥檚 ad revenues to reach pre-Elon Musk levels.

Turbulence in trade relations is changing how China鈥檚 ecommerce platforms do business in the US, with spillover effects on US retail and advertising.

Plus, some TikTok users have said that their algorithm changed for the worse following the app鈥檚 short-lived ban in January, which could also be driving Gen Zers to join the Meta-owned app. And in June, Instagram rolled out its most expensive ad campaign ever in a bid to win over Gen Z. And Instagram has emerged as the most likely replacement for TikTok among younger demographics.

The news: TikTok announced updates to its ad capabilities focused on the evolving creator ecosystem at its fifth annual TikTok World event. Updates included an analytics tool for audience insights at different stages of the buying cycle, promotions targeting audiences likely to take action, and multiple changes to TikTok One. Our take: TikTok鈥檚 new offerings are key to reassuring advertisers and creators that the platform鈥檚 influencer tools still outperform rivals. The features will convince advertisers that TikTok is essential to connect with relevant creators, while showing creators that TikTok remains the best place to make partnerships.

Advertisers battle economic difficulties as they head into upfront negotiations.

Retail media will reach $60.81 billion in 2025鈥攁dding more new dollars than Meta and Alphabet combined鈥攁nd brands now rank incrementality as a top KPI. In this interview, Tinuiti鈥檚 Elizabeth Marsten lays out how to prove incremental sales, pick smarter tools, and keep measurement future-ready.

The news: Microsoft is planning a major round of layoffs next week in its Xbox division as part of broader corporate restructuring, per Bloomberg. This marks Microsoft鈥檚 fourth major job cut in 18 months and follows mounting pressure to raise margins after buying Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. Our take:For advertisers and marketers, this signals that the future of Xbox isn鈥檛 hardware but an ecosystem. Aligning campaigns with emerging touchpoints like cloud gaming, mobile access, and VR could help brands stay in front of where players are headed.

Snapchat鈥檚 bet: Snap is competing in a battle for digital ad dollars, with platforms like Google and Meta accounting for the majority of spending. And as overall time spent on Snapchat is falling while user growth slows, the platform could use this partnership to draw in new users and convince them to increase time鈥攁nd money鈥攕pent on the app.

The news: US adults are increasingly dependent on digital platforms for news, with social media and video overtaking traditional news outlets for the first time. 54% of US adults get their news from social media, per the Reuters Institute鈥檚 2025 Digital News Report, compared with 50% from TV news and 48% from news websites and apps. Our take: Linear platforms could offer personalized news digests and mobile- and social- friendly content to reengage younger users, while advertisers should diversify their campaigns across social media platforms to follow fragmented user engagement.

The news: Snap announced its sixth-generation AR smart glasses at the 2025 Augmented World Expo (AWE). The wearables will be available to the public for the first time since 2016, potentially unlocking a new revenue stream beyond ads. The lightweight consumer smart glasses, called Specs, will launch in 2026 and include an 鈥渦ltra-powerful wearable computer.鈥� Our take: Snap鈥檚 next-gen smart glasses could diversify its revenue streams and show off its AR prowess. But unless the price tag is affordable and competitive, users may continue to just use Snapchat鈥檚 AR filters on their phones.

Why it matters: Ninety-two percent of consumers trust recommendations from individuals like friends and family members over brands, per Nielsen鈥攁nd smaller influencers are often seen as peers rather than celebrities or advertisers. These influencers provide targeted reach that allows brands to connect with niche audiences more likely to relate to specific offerings.

As the complex sector becomes a staple of advertising budgets, holding companies and other players will continue stepping in to offer brands simplified pathways to influencers.

The news: With scams on the rise, advertisers and brands need to be thoughtful with their communications to keep it out of junk folders. 96% of US adults get at least one scam email, phone call, or text message each week, per CNET. Our take: To stop volume fatigue, brands should avoid inundating users鈥� phones and inboxes with constant messaging. Social media could offer a less-saturated space where short-form content can exemplify brand personality and where users are more likely to expect engagement.

Microsoft鈥檚 pilot used its own emulation system鈥擬icrosoft AI Diagnostic Orchestrator鈥攁long with existing AI including OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic, Grok, and Gemini. The experiment cut costs by 20% by recommending fewer expensive tests and procedures.

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.

Meta. Snap Inc.

Meta and Apple receive first fines for DMA violation: The landmark decision marks the biggest effort to date to curb the market power of Big Tech.

Threads recently expanded ads to the global market in a strategic move against X, which has long struggled to attract advertisers due to concerns over brand safety and the platform鈥檚 polarizing reputation. The platform also added new tools to its web app.

The growing availability of display-based, streaming, and off-site ad inventory will entice advertisers to shift spending toward more branding-focused campaigns. Retail media鈥檚 success will lay the foundation for commerce media to flourish.