“Consumer acquisition costs have gone up. Data is harder and harder to access. It’s trickier to figure out how to target our consumer in the right way.” That’s Kendra Scott’s CMO Michelle Peterson, summarizing the state of marketing right now. The jeweler has found success both online and in-store by leveraging its D2C roots, pushing a viral TikTok presence, and working with the right influencers.

US consumers are increasingly turning to Walmart.com, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to start their online shopping searches, according to Jungle Scout. Amazon, search engines, and Facebook have lost share since Q1 2022.

Summer is on the way, and the advertising landscape has already changed significantly since the start of the year. We checked in on data surrounding the biggest trends, including AI search (which is happening whether consumers want it or not), a TikTok ban (no one knows but be prepared), retail media (it’s exploding), and more.

Social media newcomer Lemon8 racked up about 64,000 US downloads per day, on average, in recent weeks, according to Apptopia. The platform, which comes from TikTok owner ByteDance, capitalizes on the shopability of photos and short videos with its Pinterest-meets-Instagram format.

Influencers may be an attractive option for brands looking to broaden their reach, but if a creator isn’t able to promote the service or product, it can come off as inauthentic and turn consumers away. Brands looking for a way to promote their products should look to longer-term brand ambassadorships. Here are three reasons why.

TikTok eclipsed Twitter, Pinterest, and Snapchat in US users within just a few years, according to our estimates, and now it’s chasing Instagram. After years of exceptional growth, TikTok will boast more than 100 million US monthly users in 2023—unless lawmakers stand in its way.

On today's episode, we discuss why advertisers aren't returning to Twitter, what the impact of the new blue check mark will be, and whether folks actually want to pay for social media. "In Other News," we talk about the potential of TikTok's sister app Lemon8 and what to make of TikTok's new "Series" feature. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Jasmine Enberg.

After TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s grilling in the US Congress, the app is facing more scrutiny around the world. Marketers in many countries need to be prepared in case lawmakers follow in the US’s footsteps.

Latin America social network shifts to aid Instagram, TikTok, and Snap: Video-centric platforms are winning young users.

A ban isn’t swaying brands from spending on TikTok: Apple, Pepsi, and DoorDash are among brands increasing ad spend despite hefty political problems.

Few US merchants are selling goods on TikTok Shop: Many are reluctant to invest time and resources in the platform given the widespread speculation that it will be banned or sold.

While retail sales growth is expected to slow this year, ecommerce sales will grow by double digits to reach $1.148 trillion, buoyed by online grocery, health and personal care, and online resale. Here are five charts on the categories, retailers, and channels driving ecommerce growth

Over the past month, we’ve seen ad updates from all the major players, from Meta’s generative AI ads to Google’s attempts to decrease clutter. Here’s what they mean for advertisers.

Gen Zers make up about 20% of the US population, and they’re growing up. The digitally native generation has unique shopping habits after going through the pandemic during their formative years. From TikTok to the creator economy to payments trends, here’s how our analysts predict Gen Z will change shopping.

Online fashion resale remains a fast-growing retail channel despite ongoing economic headwinds—and Gen Z is the driving force. How can brands and retailers venturing into fashion resale find success amid pullbacks on discretionary spending?

From the explosion of ChatGPT to confusing economic indicators, the first quarter of 2023 has proven to be a mixed bag for retail. We break down major developments from the past few months and what they mean for the year ahead.

The influencer landscape is more crowded than ever, even as creator funding dries up. Leveraging smaller influencers will help your brand focus a limited budget toward a targeted audience. “We’ve had sleeper hits [with] micro-influencers,” said Fernish CMO Evelyn Krasnow, speaking at eTail West 2023 in March. Finding the right influencers is “going to be trial and error,” said Krasnow. Here are tips for finding smaller influencers who can reach niche, targeted audiences.

Gen Zs are more likely to start their shopping journey on TikTok than Google: They’re also less likely to cut back on discretionary spending, despite inflation.

Short-form video is the hot topic of 2023 Newfronts: TikTok, Meta, and YouTube are all presenting as the dominant short-form app faces existential threats.

On today's episode, we discuss why Apple and Amazon will be the two most consequential advertising companies for the rest of the decade, the ceiling on their streaming ambitions, and how their tech and health investments stack up. "In Other News," we talk about whether TikTok has been able to reassure advertisers after its recent government hearing and the Federal Trade Commission outlining how companies should communicate their environmental claims. Tune in to the discussion with our director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman.