TikTok aims to generate $20 billion in sales via TikTok Shop, and is expected to launch its own US ecommerce store soon. The platform is also leveraging new search features to become a hub for retail ecommerce. TikTok is also pushing new AI ad tools, and getting involved in a host of new media ventures. Here’s what the platform has been up to over the past month.

Google continues to lose ground to Amazon: Amazon is holding steady as shoppers’ search engine of choice for products, even as TikTok and other social platforms attract Gen Z consumers.

Cosmetics and beauty make up a nearly $100 billion industry in the US, and next year more than one-fifth of those sales will come from ecommerce, according to our forecasts. In order to win over beauty shoppers, and Gen Z ones in particular, brands need to pay close attention to where their digital ad dollars go. Here are five charts to help you out.

TikTok aggressively courts sellers: The company aims to grow its social commerce sales by offering merchants free listings and shipping, along with zero commissions.

There will be 3.86 billion monthly social network users this year, equal to almost half (48.3%) of the world’s population. Despite concerns about content moderation and data privacy that have plagued Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok—to name just a few—the social audience is still on the rise.

TikTok launches Creative Challenge: It’s a potential win-win for creators and brands seeking innovative advertising content.

The B2B social media landscape is rapidly evolving thanks to younger buyers and AI. To adapt, marketers need to lean into influencer marketing, have a multichannel approach, and embrace generative AI.

Our latest forecast for social network users around the world highlights the top platforms and key regional distinctions.

Social platforms are already great vehicles for introducing consumers to products and brands they may want to purchase. Advertisers should lean into that strength and:

Key stat: In the US, 71% of Gen Z adults say they are likely to make a purchase directly via Instagram, according to Jungle Scout. Just 40% of adults overall say the same, with the caveat that older generations are less likely to buy from social networks in general.

TikTok doggedly pursues ecommerce expansion: The platform inked several deals to help grow its merchant base, but it faces significant obstacles in its path to growth.

Every marketer wants to know: What do Gen Z consumers care about? How do they shop? What motivates them to make a purchase?

As Facebook loses relevance with younger audiences, D2C ad budgets for CPG brands are diversifying into emerging channels.

TikTok and Meta continue to diverge on social commerce strategies, Pinterest teams up with Wayfair on a data clean room test, and YouTube introduces unskippable ads.

Search is pivoting toward AI chat. Google has its Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Bard. Microsoft has its new Bing and a partnership with OpenAI. These fundamental changes to search will change user behavior and monetization. Here’s how the new era of search will affect advertising for brands, retailers, and publishers.

Social search is growing, fueled by consumer behavior and AI—and so are the search ad opportunities on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and others. But search on social media isn’t the same as traditional search. Here’s what advertisers should know.

On today's episode, we discuss some predictions for 2023 that are too specific to be 100% certain but could still come true, including: why Microsoft would want to buy Roku, whether TikTok will make a splash in search advertising, who will be the runaway retailer of the year, if Instagram's new Twitter competitor app will be a hit, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Debra Aho Williamson, Andrew Lipsman, and Paul Verna.

Reaching consumers starts with knowing who they are. That means understanding consumer demographics, media and search behaviors, and ad consumption habits. Here are five charts to help you get to know your customers.

ChatGPT fever has hit social media. Advertisers need to pay close attention, but generative AI social media chatbots still have a lot to prove—and challenges to overcome.

TikTok aims to quadruple the size of its global ecommerce business in 2023. But TikTok Shop’s US rollout has been complicated—and that could have implications for the company’s aggressive goal.