蘑菇AV

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.

A young, culturally influential, and economically powerful group, Black consumers are shaping digital trends through high engagement with streaming and social media while shaping retail with their distinct shopping preferences.

The news: Direct messages (DMs) are becoming a key channel to reach consumers as follower growth, once the gold standard for social media success, declines. The average number of shares for brands on TikTok increased 60% quarter over quarter in Q1, per Dash Social鈥檚 2025 Social Media Trends report, showing a pivot toward private content distribution. At the same time, average monthly follower growth for brands on TikTok dropped 27% YoY. Our take: The rise of DMs as a preferred engagement channel signals a deeper shift in social media strategy鈥攆rom public broadcasting to private conversation鈥攖hat requires brands to prioritize intimacy to maintain trust and drive meaningful outcomes.

The news: Openvibe, an aggregator for social networks including Threads, Mastodon, and Bluesky, is broadening its scope, giving brands and publishers a fresh channel to build visibility without relying on algorithms or paid reach. The ad-free platform is adding support for RSS, a web standard that lets users subscribe to updates from blogs, news outlets, and other publishers in real time. This opens the door to tracking sources like Substack, Medium, and other independent media, all in one place. Our take: With no algorithm to boost weak or low-signal content, publishers should write strong and descriptive headlines to encourage engagement. Brands should consider publishing blog versions of social media and newsletter content to get on more RSS feeds and cross-post across social networks to maximize reach.

Tesla is officially in the restaurant business following the much-hyped opening of the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles. The futuristic concept could be the template for additional openings in the US as well as abroad, CEO Elon Musk said鈥攈elping the company boost brand awareness, engagement, and sales. The diner鈥檚 launch鈥攁nd the accompanying wave of press and social media posts鈥攃ould help reset consumers鈥� perceptions of the Tesla brand at a particularly tumultuous time for the company. But it could also, given the company鈥檚 increasingly polarized reputation, become a focal point for protests, which might deter would-be customers from stopping in.

The finding: Engagement with financial content on YouTube rose in Q1 2025, according to our industry KPI data provided by Pixability. What it means for banks: Not all financial YouTube content is created equal, and as people engage with it more, financial institutions (FIs) must step up their own social media game to combat potential misinformation. Content that educates, reassures, and empowers consumers to make smart financial decisions is more important than ever. FIs have different pathways to creating this content. Besides in-house production or working with a third-party agency, it鈥檚 a good time to consider a finfluencer partnership. They can help FIs tap new audiences who already trust those influencers鈥攊n turn driving traffic and engagement for the FI.

The news: Advertisers are prioritizing interactive video ads to capture users and boost engagement as social media and YouTube consume ad spend. 52% of advertisers expect to use interactive features in at least 26% of their ads this year, per Digiday and PadSquad鈥檚 2025 State of the Industry survey. Only 7% neither use and nor plan to use interactive video features in their ads. Our take: In a saturated media market, getting and keeping consumers鈥� attention is a difficult endeavor. Integrating gamified features and personalized media elements can help ensure that marketing campaigns are seen and not just scrolled past.

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.

Social media success was once defined by public stamps of approval, but now brands are recognizing that in-feed engagement is both an inaccurate and incomplete approach to measuring impact. Reaching consumers within their DMs has emerged as a growing strategy for many marketers.

The number of social network users in the US will tick up 1.7% YoY this year, while adult users will see almost 2% growth. But time spent on social networks among adult users will peak this year, meaning the battle for engagement is on.

AI-fueled gains kept Google, Meta, and Amazon atop Q2鈥檚 ad market, but slowing engagement, murky ROI, and macro risks leave the triopoly鈥檚 future growth story more complex than the headlines suggest.

The news: Instagram added a host of new features for connecting with friends. The offerings could expand brands鈥� peer-to-peer visibility and location-based content and boost their chances of going viral. Our take: Brands should lean into organic discovery by creating engaging, visual-driven content that encourages reposts and peer engagement. Prioritize geo-aware promotions to tap into Instagram鈥檚 shift toward real-time social discovery and exploration.

Reddit posted a standout Q2 2025, with revenues jumping 78% year-over-year to $500 million鈥攊ncluding $465 million in ad revenue, up 84%. Net income reached $89 million with strong EBITDA and free cash flow. Global DAUs grew 21% to 110.4 million, and US ARPU climbed 59% to $7.87, signaling improved monetization. Reddit is now a billion-dollar US ad business a year ahead of forecasts, driven by growth in AI ad tools. Yet challenges remain: Reddit still holds only 1.1% of US social ad spend and relies heavily on Google Search traffic. Sustaining growth means reshaping advertiser perception and boosting direct engagement.

The news: As newsletter platforms battle for creator loyalty, Substack is positioning itself as a social network, not just a writing platform. As more creators jump ship from platforms like Patreon, they鈥檙e pointing to Substack鈥檚 community tools and discovery features as drivers of subscribers and revenues, per Digiday. Our take: Substack isn鈥檛 just for sending emails anymore鈥攊t is quickly becoming a social network for writers and brands alike. Brands and creators should think of it less like a newsletter option and more like a growth channel for community: a crucial aspect of discovery and engagement.

The news: Brands are ramping up influencer investment and creator rates are skyrocketing following Unilever鈥檚 commitment to allocate half of its advertising budget on an 鈥渋nfluencer-first鈥� strategy. Numerous influencer and social agencies 鈥渦nanimously鈥� claimed a notable increase in client spend on influencer marketing since Unilever鈥檚 announcement, per sources cited by The Drum. Our take: Unilever has accelerated a trend that was already in motion, signaling the broader shift among advertisers toward influencer-led strategies that deliver consistent engagement and targeted reach among key demographics.

The insights: YouTube isn鈥檛 Google Search, and brands need to recognize it as a unique platform. Its algorithm prioritizes clicks, watch time, and retention over keywords. Brands and content marketers that rely on blog-style SEO risk getting buried as YouTube and Netflix battle for attention. Our take: Treating YouTube as a strategic content hub, not a recycling center, gives marketers and brands a competitive edge in reach, trust, and conversion potential. By mastering engagement levers鈥攃ompelling thumbnails, sharp hooks, and strong retention鈥攂rands can turn viewers into loyal subscribers and warm leads.

The news: Generative AI (genAI) is taking on a multifaceted role in users鈥� lives, as an influencer, a personal companion, and a consumer proxy. 87% of genAI users would consider asking the technology for social or relationship advice, per Accenture鈥檚 Me, My Brand and AI: The New World of Consumer Engagement survey. Our take: Embedding AI tools like chatbots, agents, and recommendation engines into brand websites can help users shop faster and discover new content. Offering transparency around data use and building opt-out features could help users trust the tools more and give them the peace of mind to hand over personal information in exchange for assistance and recommendations.

On today's episode, we discuss how social media engagement is changing, whether TikTok is the new Google for young people, if the "deinfluencing" trend is here to stay, whether YouTube Music can compete with Spotify and Apple Music, what the road to electric vehicles looks like, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha, director of forecasting Oscar Orozco, and analyst Max Willens.

The uncertain future of TikTok and the changing social media landscape has made complicated partnerships and engagement measurement in the creator economy. But creators are ready.

The impact: The campaign generated 16.7 billion earned impressions, nearly 1,000 media placements, and over 500 million social engagements. It also prompted a 220% increase in Asistente Inteligente usage and boosted U.S. Bank's brand awareness by 13 points and consideration by 10 points.