What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? This month, Amy Rumpler, SVP of Search & Social Media Services, compiled all the latest news, trends, and resources for easy access.

Holiday Shopping Insights: Keep Up With Deal-Seeking Shoppers [:04]

New insights from Google show that deal-seeking for holiday shopping happens throughout October and November—so position your brand by extending the shopping window, starting now! Google also found that holiday shoppers are less impulsive than you might think: They do their research early, watch for sales to begin, and care more about delivering a thoughtful gift than finding the best deal.

A large group of people rushing to get inside a retail store as soon as the gate opens, likely on Black Friday.
Must be a new Furby.

Meta Releases New Ad Tools for the Holidays [:02]

Speaking of holiday shopping, Meta is adding new ad optimization tools to its Business Manager suite, aimed at giving better control to advertisers looking to maximize performance in Q4. For example, a new time-based budget scheduling option was announced, which lets advertisers automatically increase spending for specific dates and time periods such as Black Friday, rather than having to manually adjust budgets or schedule separate campaigns and risk interrupting overall optimization learnings.

What’s Happening with TikTok Shop? [:06]

As TikTok Shop was introduced to users across the US this month, the platform has taken steps to educate marketers, brand representatives, and agencies on their ability to drive sales directly through the app. TikTok’s foray into retail is heating up in advance of Black Friday and the holiday shopping season, and stands to make big waves in the coming years: eMarketer forecasts that m-commerce will account for half of US e-commerce sales in 2027, driven by social commerce and, in particular, TikTok’s Shoppable Ads.

TikTok Launches First-Party Measurement for Advertisers [:01]

TikTok’s new Attribution Analytics is meant to help marketers understand the bottom line impact of TikTok advertising. Users on the platform are often inspired by content on TikTok but don’t always act to purchase until much later—an estimated 79% of TikTok-influenced conversions are missing from last-click attribution models. Attribution Analytics gives marketers an understanding of conversions across different time windows, view-through conversions, and other granular insights that a singular click-based lens doesn’t account for.

Study Finds Billions Spent on Social Media ‘Impulse' Buys [:01]

Nearly two in five social media users admit they’ve made an impulse purchase of a product they saw on social media in the last year, with the average shopper spending $754 on those purchases. Millennials spent even more, averaging a little over $1,000 in purchases. Sadly, over half of those shoppers regretted at least one of their impulse purchases afterward, indicating it’s not just the first purchase but what brands do to win and retain customer loyalty that matters (assuming, of course, that maximizing lifetime customer value is your endgame).

A young lady, possibly a Jenner or Kardashian, snapping her fingers in celebration, with the words "Add to cart" appearing on the screen.
Impulse buy, retail therapy… YOLO, right?!

Google Launches New AI Tool to Improve YouTube Ad Optimization [:03]

YouTube's new AI feature evaluates best practices in creative, such as logo usage, video duration, voiceovers, and aspect ratios, and then recommends "ideas to try." The feature will fully launch as part of a new Google Ads experience in 2024.

2023 YouTube Culture & Trends Report [:14]

YouTube’s annual report discusses how changes in technology, content creation, and consumption have impacted both creators and viewers across the platform this year. For example, trends like fan-remixed content and AI-enhanced video have taken hold, leading to new levels of creativity. In fact, more than 82% of people online between the ages of 18 and 44 have posted videos in the last year, showing that content creation is for everyone, not just large, popular channels.

Why Creator Influence is Primed to Grow [:03]

The Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes this year brought Hollywood to a halt, creating new opportunities for social media influencers to fill the content and entertainment void. eMarketer has projected that influencer marketing will grow 3.5 times faster this year than conventional social spending, but we’re now seeing some influencers branch out beyond social content distribution to create their own multi-channel media brands—and ad dollars could follow.

8 New and Updated Pinterest Products for Advertisers [:05]

Pinterest shared quite a few updates and announcements at their annual Pinterest Presents summit this month. Most notable to advertisers are a slew of features designed to help connect better with audiences across their entire Pinterest experience. While not all features are available yet globally, many are now rolling out across the US. Also announced at the summit: new ad formats, integrations, and content tools.

What the ‘Death’ of Social Media Means for Advertisers [:02]

While social media users appear to be posting less original content, engagement with stories and most platforms continues to grow, creating an opportunity for advertisers. In fact, research shows people spend more time on social media platforms than ever before, although time spent has shifted toward checking feeds, viewing influencer content, engaging in DMs, and interacting with short-form videos.

Managing the Reputational Risk of Autocomplete on Google [:06]

Ever wondered how Google generates autocomplete options when users enter a search query? This piece offers a useful overview of the AI that fuels the engine. Spoiler alert: It isn't perfect, but there is a way for brands to report a negative or false keyword.

The phrase "corgis in" being autocompleted by a search engine to "corgis in space," with animated corgis flying through space on the screen below.
Sometimes Google has an even better idea than what you were planning to ask…

Want a monthly digest of all the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Basis Scout newsletter!

What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? Basis’ Senior Vice President of Paid Search and Social, Amy Rumpler, compiles all the latest news, trends, and resources each month for easy access.

Meta Outlines Its Evolving AI Ad Targeting Process [:03]

Meta recently announced its new machine learning-based ad delivery process, Meta Lattice. It utilizes knowledge-sharing across Meta’s different surfaces (e.g. News Feed, Stories, Reels) to expand its map of potential user interest and activity. The goal: to better predict likely user behaviors and deliver more relevant ads while using less personal data (important, given how Meta was affected by Apple’s iOS 14 update).

A Look at Google’s AI Search Future [:02]

This video provides a glimpse at how generative AI will further evolve search in the coming months. People in the US can join the waitlist for Google’s new Search Generative Experience (SGE) by tapping the Labs icon in the latest version of the Google app or Chrome desktop.

Amazon Builds AI Search Experience [:02]

Amazon is reportedly “reimagining search with an interactive conversational experience.” Job postings also show they’re ramping up the hiring of engineers in an effort to become an AI powerhouse “that helps you find answers to product questions, perform product comparisons, receive personalized product suggestions, and so much more.”    

Three artificial intelligence articles? AI AI AI caramba!

Highlights from YouTube Brandcast: 2023 [:04]

During this year’s upfronts, YouTube shared a slew of new stats related to the rise of their app on home TV sets. Company leaders also showed how shifts in content consumption are driving innovation and unveiled a few new ad formats, the most notable being a 30-second non-skippable format for YouTube Select on CTV, which replaces two 15-second ads with one 30-second spot.

TikTok World 2023 Centers on Education, Automation [:01]

Among the rollouts at TikTok World 2023 was the new Smart Creative toolset, which automates parts of the content creation process for advertisers who find difficulty in developing native TikTok ad creative. Smart Creative is the content-side complement to Smart Performance campaigns, TikTok’s fully automated ad-buying capability.

Upfronts and expos and ads, oh my!

Pinterest to Partner with Amazon for Third-Party Ad Demand [:01]­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Pinterest has announced they are rolling out third-party ad demand via a partnership with Amazon, starting later this year. As user engagement with shoppable Pinterest content continues to grow, Amazon was selected as the platform's first partner for third-party ads. The partnership will bring more relevant brands and products to Pinterest, combined with a seamless Amazon buying experience for consumers and strong performance for advertisers.

Elon Musk Announces New Twitter CEO, Hints at Aspirations [:01]

Elon Musk announced Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter, stating she “will focus primarily on business operations,” while Musk “focus[es] on product design & new technology.” His focus could include evolving Twitter into an all-purpose app, titled simply “X.” Musk’s description of the app is reminiscent of the popular Chinese platform WeChat, which supports actions like payments, ridesharing, food delivery, appointment-setting, and more, all in one place. 

Yep, “X” may indeed give it to ya, if “it” means “basically everything,” and “ya” means “Elon’s app users.”

Meta to Launch Twitter Competitor Next Month [:03]

Meta’s new app, tentatively titled “Barcelona,” features a chat-based feed—kind of like a large group chat that anyone can join, a la Twitter. The interface follows the current Instagram trend of conversations happening more in DMs than public spaces on the app. Messages will carry a 500-character limit and can include links, photos, or videos up to five minutes in length. And Instagram’s billions of daily active users will be able to sign up using their existing IG handle, which could create fast growth.

More Users Are Trying Bing, But Not Permanently [:01]

Similarweb recently measured shifts in consumer behavior among search platforms, and while it showed Bing has acquired more traffic over the last few months, the growth hasn’t been consistent. Similarly, while Google lost a bit of traffic, they still hold the lion’s share of the search market. ChatGPT itself, however, is earning a lot more traffic and should continue to grow, according to eMarketer predictions. These insights also fueled eMarketer’s H1 Search Ad Spending Forecast, where they expect Microsoft to capture 9% of the non-retail search ad market this year. 

Google, watching web users try Bing…for now.

Want a monthly digest of all the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Basis Scout newsletter!

What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? Basis’ Senior Vice President of Paid Search and Social, Amy Rumpler, compiles all the latest news, trends, and resources each month for easy access.

Facebook Tests AI Generated Stories Based on Previously Shared Images [:02]

The new feature, called “Advanced Stories,” creates stories for marketers based on images and videos they’ve previously uploaded to the app, layering thematic templates to create eye-catching content. For advertisers struggling to generate a sufficient volume of content, this feature could help fill in gaps using brand-approved messages and visuals.

Yeah, reuse those images!

Walmart Closes In on Amazon’s Retail Search Lead [:01]

Consumers are increasingly turning to platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Walmart to start their online shopping searches. Walmart’s recent app and site redesign is one contributing factor, although their overall search ad revenues are still only projected to reach around 7% of the total e-commerce search ad spending marketing this year.

Snapchat Announces Partnership with Rockerbox to Provide Marketing Performance Insights [:02]

Snapchat’s integration with Rockerbox is poised to show advertisers exactly how many of their conversions and how much of their revenue can be attributed to Snap ads compared to other search, social, display, and traditional channels. It also includes a variety of attribution methodologies, media mix modeling, and messaging resonance throughout a customer’s journey.

Google Launches “Ad Transparency Center” to Share Info on Campaigns [:01]

This new resource is a “searchable hub” that shows the ads brands are putting into market, which ads are being shown in certain regions, and the last date and format in which those ads ran. The article suggests this “could also function as a handy research element for digital marketers” looking for competitive intel.

I mean, if Zac Efron and The Rock want to know…

How Pinterest Plans to Use AI, Shoppable Media to Become a “Digital Bazaar” [:02]

On their Q4 earnings call and in subsequent interviews, Pinterest’s CEO made it clear the platform hopes to be a central place for users to get inspired, discover new brands, and shop without leaving the app. Integrating shoppable features is an obvious step in that direction, but, according to eMarketer, Pinterest is also exploring ways to integrate artificial intelligence in a way that’s additive, not addictive. 

AI-Powered Search Really is the Next Big Thing [:06]

Search Engine Land explores why AI in search is the real deal, and how the flurry of activity around AI from some of the industry’s top media providers further illustrates its importance. Experts interviewed agreed, “We’re looking at a shift that’s going to define this industry in dollars-and-cents terms for the foreseeable future,” and “It’s as disruptive as social was when first introduced, maybe [more so].”

Businesses Ready to Double Down on TikTok Spend [:02]

A Capterra survey revealed that 3 in 4 advertisers using TikTok today plan to increase spending on the platform over the next 12 months, assuming a ban doesn’t take effect in that time (which, most agree, seems unlikely). In fact, 87% of respondents believe TikTok is a viable platform for long-term marketing success. TikTok remains the most downloaded app in the US, and, according to Statista, TikTok users are less likely to be bothered by ads than on other platforms. P.S. Want to learn more, straight from TikTok? Check out our webinar, Seizing the TikTok Advertising Opportunity!

Should Marketers Consider ByteDance’s Instagram-Like App Lemon8? [:01]

In case you’re not familiar with Lemon8, it’s an app focused on photo-sharing around interests in food, beauty, wellness, and travel, a la Instagram.

No, no, not “Lemonade”…

Available in select Asian countries since 2020, it’s now available for download in the US and uses the same recommendation engine that made TikTok popular. So far, brand involvement is limited to partnering with early platform adopters and influencers, as it’s still focused on growing content—and gaining a following.

Cute, but still not it.

The Hunt for the Next Twitter [:18]

The Verge summarizes some of the alternative social media platforms users are considering turning to as the “next Twitter.” Among the candidates discussed are Mastadon, Post, Substack Notes, T2, and Bluesky.

Want a monthly digest of all the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Basis Scout newsletter!

What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? Basis’ Senior Vice President of Paid Search and Social Amy Rumpler compiles all the latest news, trends, and resources each month for easy access.

If TikTok is Banned, Where Does Brand Ad Spend Go? [:01]

According to eMarketer, YouTube Shorts and Retail Media are well-positioned to benefit from a TikTok ban, along with Instagram, Netflix, and BeReal (although BeReal has yet to monetize its app). No matter what happens, social video ad budgets are forecast to weather the downturn in ad spending better than nonvideo formats.

Is Snapchat Having a Renaissance? [:08]

While CPMs on some platforms (TikTok, for example) may be a steal, depth of engagement comes easier on platforms with innovative new offerings. Topping the list of boundary-pushers is Snapchat, but there’s plenty of potential for other platforms to innovate in the AR-driven e-commerce space as well.

Cat with googly eyes from an augmented reality app filter

One of the many joys of AR: Putting googly eyes on your cat.

Why Brands Should Be Paying Attention to Livestreaming Right Now [:02]

Whereas in the UK and US people still view social networks as, well, social, in China they’re already synonymous with commerce, with nearly 40% of internet users also engaging in livestream shopping. Livestreaming is the next logical frontier for growth, especially for brands that cater to shoppers’ motivations and evolving habits.

Instagram Adds Reminder Ads and Promoted Results in Search [:02]

Two new ad options are coming to the IG feed. The first, Reminder Ads, is designed to let users opt into alerts about specific events in the app, which helps brands build awareness, anticipation, and consideration for upcoming events. The second, in Instagram Search, allows ads to appear ahead of organic search results. 

Reddit Announces New Watch Feed [:02]

While it’s not a new concept in social media overall, “Watch mode”, which will provide a continuous feed of vertical video content, is certainly new to Reddit. Sound familiar? With more users spending more time on platforms like TikTok, it makes sense that Reddit is aligning with this trend.

Level Up Your Game Launch on Reddit [:03]

This insights report discusses how leaned-in gaming audiences have headed to Reddit as their number-one source of information and recommendations. Reddit’s latest research shows that game launches aren’t the only hot topic: DLCs (that’s “downloadable characters,” for the n00bs out there), microtransactions, and subscriptions are also incredibly popular with the Reddit community. At every stage of the funnel, marketers have an opportunity to maximize retention and recognition with this niche, highly engaged audience.

Screen recording of Super Mario Bros

Plus, Redditors know where to find all the hidden stuff in Super Mario Bros.

The Latest Pinterest Pin Tips [:04]

To help advertisers connect with users at every stage of the purchase journey, Pinterest shared some key tips and tricks that include how to align media objectives, measurement considerations, and more. One standout to take note of: “Video is the hero format for full-funnel impact…the average campaign should allocate 50-60% of budget toward video formats.”

More Social Media Discussion is Moving to Messaging [:03]

According to Social Media Today, more users are opting to share updates via intimate circles and within DMs than ever before, due in part to the amount of divisive content in public feeds. That doesn’t mean social feeds aren’t still incredibly valuable placements for reaching audiences, but brands should consider how to leverage messaging to provide more ways to connect with customers directly.

LinkedIn Report: 17 Predictions on the Future of Recruiting [:09]

This report covers a handful of key themes that all recruiting pros should take note of: how the role of recruiters continues to evolve, how the microeconomic picture will impact the workforce, the continued move for recruiters to focus on skills over pedigree, and key themes around employee learning and development. They also discuss what employees really want and how companies can convey that through culture.

Clip from the Spice Girls video "Wannabe" with the caption "So tell me what you want, what you really, really want"

Weirdest. Job interview. Ever.

Meta’s Developing a Decentralized Twitter Alternative, According to Reports [:04]

As reported by a few sources now, Meta’s new platform (“P92”) will focus on text updates and incorporate decentralized user data usage and experiences. While this might help them avoid perceived issues around censorship, the real benefit could be in allowing different communities to set their own rules, and letting users take their data with them from one community to another. The complexity of a system like this might be a hard sell, however.

AI in Search and Social: A Roundup of Latest News (This subhead was written by Bard.)

Lastly, there’s so much going on right now in the search and social space related to AI, I could literally have written an entirely separate post on the topic! Instead, here’s a list of links to catch you up on the latest:

Want a monthly digest of all the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Basis Scout newsletter!

What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? Basis’ Senior Vice President of Paid Search and Social Amy Rumpler compiles all the latest news, trends, and resources each month for easy access.

Twitter Becomes First Social Media Platform to Allow Cannabis Ads in U.S. [:02]

Twitter recently relaxed its advertising policies, allowing cannabis companies to advertise in the 21 states where the sale of recreational cannabis is legal. To get into the weeds: Advertisers must be licensed by the appropriate government bodies, can only target jurisdictions where they are licensed to advertise, must be pre-authorized by Twitter, and cannot target people under the age of 21, among other standard advertising policies. Also, creative cannot specifically promote sales, so messaging should remain focused on awareness and branding.

Two young businesspeople patiently monitoring Twitter’s advertising policies.

Twitter Rolls out Search Keywords Ads [:02]

Twitter’s new feature is exactly what it sounds like. As part of an effort to generate more revenue while creating ad units with high perceived ease and value, brands can now pay for their tweets to appear in search results for specific keywords on Twitter. It’s similar to promoted tweets that appear in users’ timelines, but with the added benefit of appearing in search results.

Super Bowl Ad Spend Shifted Away from Twitter, Toward TikTok and Reddit [:03]

According to data from Sensor Tower, top brands spent a total of 400% more in 2023 to advertise on TikTok between January 1 and the Super Bowl, compared to the same time frame in 2022. Meanwhile, top advertisers spent 43% less on Twitter during this same time frame when compared to the year prior (well, hello, Search Keywords Ads…) Given that Twitter has long billed itself as the top second screen platform during the big game, AdWeek believes this shift in momentum is notable.

Meta Starts a New Chapter: Doubling Down on AI [:07]

The company’s vice president of global business spoke with The Drum recently about what lies ahead for the year, including a continued focus on becoming a stronger and more nimble organization. At the same time, the company is leaning more heavily into AI through features like Advantage+, which allows advertisers to reach and convert audiences with less setup time and better efficiency. In a separate but related Digiday article, GroupM predicted 90% of digital ad campaigns will be influenced by AI by 2027.

ChatGPT for PPC Marketers: 15 Strategies to Use Today [:10]

Speaking of AI, Search Engine Land compiled a list of top use cases for ChatGPT that search marketers can test today. Topping the list: creating strategic ads and assets, including multiple variations, in minutes; optimizing landing pages; analyzing and researching competitors; and investigating performance changes along with possible causes. Perhaps ChatGPT can help potential Twitter advertisers brainstorm a list of biddable search keywords…

Google Launched Bard, Its Answer to ChatGPT. Which is the Better AI Chatbot? [:04]

Digital Trends put together a helpful comparison of Google’s Bard and ChatGPT, based on currently available information (Bard is in Beta testing; ChatGPT offers both a free and paid version). The main differences seem to be their intended use cases, with ChatGPT supplying direct answers to direct questions, and Bard being designed mainly to augment Google Search. For all the plusses of both platforms, they’ve also faced challenges: Internal Google documentation shows that employees are still tinkering to ensure Bard gets answers to questions right, and ChatGPT returned incorrect and problematic answers in early demos. Regardless, most media outlets and industry experts seem to agree that AI is driving the “next generation of search.”

Spoiler alert: The mom leaves her AI android son in the woods to, um, power down.

US Social Media Outlook, 2023 [:10]

If 2022 was a year of crisis in social media, 2023 is poised to be a year of opportunity. eMarketer’s predictive report for the coming year discusses how the rise of BeReal and other new apps might impact Meta, Snapchat, and TikTok; plus, what could happen to TikTok amid governmental regulations; and which platforms stand to benefit most from Twitter’s user and advertiser decline. The silver lining lies in the platforms’ abilities to develop new ad formats (hello again, Search Keywords Ads…) and technologies to engage users and brands alike.

Pinterest Announces Video Partnership with Conde Naste [:01]

This new partnership will allow Conde Naste Entertainment to produce and share exclusive content via Pinterest, aligned with key seasonal moments and events. With video content continuing to dominate in engagement, the addition of high-end publisher content could help drive more discovery, interest, and usage of the app throughout 2023—usage which advertisers can benefit from as well.

Instagram Announces Removal of Live Stream Shopping [:02]

It looks like Meta is taking a step back in its ambitions for social commerce domination and is pausing its push for live shopping features on Instagram, after doing the same on Facebook last year. While increasingly popular in China and among younger audiences, the tactic didn’t seem to catch on with the masses in 2022. The timing is interesting, as elsewhere it’s being reported that Amazon, TikTok, and YouTube are doing the opposite and leaning more heavily into live shopping this year.


Hey, those heather gray slant-pocket joggers aren’t gonna buy themselves.

Instagram Founders Launch New Social App [:02]

The new Artifact app combines articles, facts, and artificial intelligence into a curated news experience based on user interests and engagement. As users tap on articles that interest them, Artifact will learn and determine what new articles to serve them in the future (similar to TikTok’s approach with video). This article includes a link to join the Artifact waitlist.

Q1 2023 Paid Social Forecasts and Trends [:10]

The first quarterly eMarketer report of 2023 addresses predictions for how social network ad spending will change this year, as well as the key trends that are likely to influence user behavior and engagement. TikTok remains a standout in the space, as short-form video continues to dominate. In fact, video now accounts for more than half of all social ad revenues, and by 2026 it will capture more than 12% of overall media ad spend in the US.

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Want a monthly digest of all the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Basis Scout newsletter!

What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? Basis’ Senior Vice President of Paid Search and Social Amy Rumpler compiles all the latest news, trends, and resources each month for easy access.

Social Media Update: Q4 2022 [:16]

As a result of the full-contact spectator sport that was (and continues to be) Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, the platform is likely to lose more than 30 million users by 2024. However, several bright spots remain across social media: New product and ad features abound, and better automation tools aim to drive performance. This report from eMarketer also features predictions for each platform in the calendar year.

Introducing LinkedIn’s Big Ideas for 2023 [:07]

Anyone else spending more time on LinkedIn than ever before? Here, Tomer Cohen, LinkedIn’s Chief Product Officer, shares some new and innovative plans on the platform’s 2023 roadmap. These include efforts to make the platform more accessible (cheers to that!), ways for users to explore career opportunities more “casually,” Product Pages to help business professionals make smarter purchasing decisions, and the ability to schedule posts in advance.

3 PPC Trends to Keep an Eye On in 2023 [:05]

With the 2023 advertising environment shaping up to be, let’s say, “tricky” to navigate, Search Engine Land compiled a few quick tips to help guide 2023 search strategies. In summary: take a heightened and deeper look at performance relative to campaigns and tactics, balance the power of automation with other data inputs, and consider alternative platforms outside of Google that can help increase market share.

Snap and Amazon Create New AR Shopping Experience [:02]

Snap’s new “Virtual Try-on” partnership with Amazon gives its 363 million daily active users the ability to try on products from eyewear brands including Maui Jim, Person, and Oakley, all from the comfort of their own homes. The partnership pairs Amazon-powered 3D Asset technology and Snap’s Lenses to dynamically update shoppers with real-time product details, availability, and try-on experiences. Both companies plan to expand the partnership into additional categories, in hopes of tapping into the $142 billion AR and VR technology market.

AR and the Path to Frictionless Shopping [:03]

Speaking of AR: A new Meta-commissioned study with GWI recently found that 64% of early e-commerce adopters still prefer the in-store experience, saying that finding the right product online is time-consuming, and reviews aren’t a great substitute for experiencing a product live and in person. (We feel you, half-size shoe wearers.) Fortunately, AR is helping brands meld online convenience with in-store experiences in a way that’s shaping e-commerce for the better. Brands like Walmart, Wendy’s, and Coachella have embraced this technology and seen impressive results.

Pinterest, LiveRamp Team Up on Clean Rooms [:02]

As the ad industry migrates away from third-party cookies, advertisers like Albertsons are exploring ways to bring their own first-party data and Pinterest platform data together in a secure (i.e. private and anonymized) environment. Neither party’s personally identifiable sales and campaign data are visible to the other, but crucial metrics like Return on Ad Spend can still be monitored and reported on. This is the first partnership in a program that Pinterest says will expand to other Retail Media Networks in the future.

Social Media Top Beneficiary of Shifting Ad Budgets [:02]

Based on recent survey results from more than 300 marketers and agency executives, Marketing Dive says 49% of advertisers are looking to work with more social platforms in 2023. More than half of respondents also said they increased their social media budgets in Q4 as a result of the macroeconomic environment. Only 15% paused or reduced spending on the channel—an improvement over Q3 when 29% reported pausing or reducing social spending. Also among the top platforms on marketers’ radars in 2023: BeReal.

For Apps like BeReal… It’s Only the Beginning [:06]

Speaking of BeReal, the app garnered more than 72.1 million downloads in 2022, according to Sensory Tower. This opinion piece discusses what led BeReal to gain so much attention last year, and how its effort to reinforce more authentic connections (by, you know, being real) may reshape social media in 2023. Side note: In case you missed it, Instagram released a new feature called “Candid Stories” to compete with BeReal.

The Creator Economy at CES [:03]

Here, eMarketer covers key trends on creator marketing from 2023’s CES event. Top themes include the influence of AI in augmenting creator-led content, what tools and technologies will help brands and creators to build stronger connections, and the importance of sharing data with creators to help them craft more impactful stories that connect with consumers. “The world of the creator economy is just the new economy,” said creator Samir Chaundry, reflecting on the stat that 1 in every 4 U.S. consumers aged 16-25 say they plan to be a social media influencer in the future.

Brand Safety a Focus for Pinterest and Reddit at CES [:02]

Also showing up in a big way at this year’s CES event were Pinterest and Reddit, with both companies sharing their stances on content moderation and the role their users play in keeping these platforms out of controversy. With Meta and TikTok facing challenges surrounding privacy and brand safety, eMarketer believes these other platforms have room to gain market share.

TikTok’s Lower CPMs Helping it Take Market Share [:02]

Here’s some tea with GaryVee: 2022 data from VaynerMedia shows that CPMs on TikTok video advertising are almost half that of Instagram Reels, a third less than Twitter, and 62% less than Snapchat. Engagement rates and other KPIs aside, with CPMs on other platforms rising or comparatively higher, it makes sense that advertisers are looking more seriously at TikTok as part of their 2023 plans. 

What Instagram’s Shop Tab Removal Means for Social Media [:03]

With many analysts still pointing to social commerce as an opportunity in 2023, Instagram’s recent announcement that the Shop tab will be removed from its main navigation bar in February seems surprising. After all, Meta leaned heavily into social commerce in 2022, with several new feature releases and ad units aimed at making it easier for users to discover and purchase products within the app. But, with revenue on the decline in recent quarters, this may mean that Meta will focus on monetizing its more mature offerings.

Time Spent with Social Apps Rose to New Heights in 2022 [:03]

The latest annual wrap report from App Annie reveals key trends across social apps last year. BeReal was specifically called out (again!) as a “popular social sensation,” although it didn’t crack the list of top downloads overall in most regions. And TikTok was highlighted in 2022 as having generated the most in-app revenue of all major platforms covered. Most of that revenue came from in-app coins, which lets users donate money to buy items in-stream and to support creators.

Microsoft Adds ChatGPT Features to Bing Search [:03]

ChatGPT has been all over the news for a variety of reasons, but when it comes to search, analysts say there’s a very good chance Microsoft will soon get a return on its $1 billion investment in ChatGPT’s parent company OpenAI by integrating it into its search queries engine. In essence, ChatGPT would return actual responses to search queries instead of showing users a list of links where answers might be found. Also of note: Google is reportedly exploring development of an AI engine of its own (Instagram’s BeReal-ish Candid Stories, Google’s own AI engine… what’s next, music on the radio?!).

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Want a monthly digest of all the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Basis Scout newsletter!

What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? Basis’ Senior Vice President of Paid Search and Social compiles all the latest news, trends, and resources each month for easy access.

Social Media Is Now a Destination for Holiday Shopping [:07]

The latest research on 2022 holiday shopping shows that close to 60% of Gen Z and Millennials will do at least some of their shopping on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other social apps—and Gen X and boomers are warming up to the trend too. Even when shoppers don’t turn to social platforms to buy, social is influencing purchases by exposing users to products of interest.

Why Your Brand Needs to Invest in TikTok in 5 Charts [:01]

Time spent on TikTok by US adults continues to rise, now beating out all other social platforms, including YouTube. Its audience of social buyers is also still on the rise, overtaking other platforms like Pinterest. Bonus content: TikTok released findings from several studies showing how the platform works to drive business results.

Here are 12 New Products from Microsoft [:03]

Microsoft recently announced a slew of new ad products, including “credit card ads,” better ways to monitor and troubleshoot pixel/tag activity, RSA import tools, customer match first party audience targeting, “similar audience” lookalike segments, and in-market audience targeting for soccer fans.

Google Launches New Search, Shopping and Maps Features [:03]

While technically announced a few months ago at the Search On event, more details are becoming available around new ad products that let you search for food near you through Google Lens, translate text on complex backgrounds, shop through AR, and search and explore neighborhoods in Google Maps. Bonus content: YouTube recently announced the launch of Target Frequency for YouTube, giving advertisers more control over how often viewers see their ads.

Snap Uses the World Cup to Promote AR Products [:01]

Snapchat unveiled new ad placements and partnerships with brands including Adidas, Samsung, and Chevrolet for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This comes after several other recent large partnership announcements, including ads powered by Kroger retail data and Amazon-powered AR shopping lenses. eMarketer thinks the timing could very well lead to an increase in usership of Snapchat's AR products, and therefore of commerce conversions tied to them. To bolster interest, Snap released a new report highlighting the rising potential of AR for marketing.

Pinterest Algorithm Improvements Have Boosted Pin Engagement [:03]

Pinterest's latest performance update showed increases in both users and advertising revenue, after three periods of declines in both areas. In a recently published technical overview of their algorithm, their engineering team shared that they’re now taking in more recent user actions in the app to fuel how they surface and recommend relevant pins. 

A B2B Marketer’s Guide to Every LinkedIn Ad Type [:14]

For advertisers who are new to LinkedIn or are looking to expand beyond sponsored content, this guide is a helpful recap of all ad types, objective optimizations, and content best practices.

Why Influencer Marketing Seems Recession-Proof [:03]

According to eMarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg, “brands continue to spend on influencer partnerships, particularly with long-term creator partners, throughout this volatile economic environment… it’s one of the better-growing digital marketing tactics.” Brands are spending more on partnerships with “micro- and nano-influencers” specifically, and increases in TikTok usage are generating a natural headwind for creator/brand partnerships.

5 Charts to Help You Rethink Twitter Marketing Budgets [:02]

Here, eMarketer summarizes advertiser attitudes toward Twitter in the wake of Elon Musk’s takeover. Plus, they've compiled some useful data points for those considering investing or divesting in Twitter. Bonus content: This chart shows how the $2.6 billion in ad spend Twitter captured this year compares to other major social networks. One particularly interesting nugget: TikTok's 2022 ad revenues are double those of Twitter.

Best Practices for Advertising on Reddit [:08]

With advertisers jumping ship from Twitter, many are landing on Reddit as a next frontier of social advertising testing. To help with the influx of new advertisers coming to their platform, Reddit shared these tips to help brands connect with the platform's community. There are some great best practices here around video length and content, the importance of headlines and messaging tone, and how to leverage their in-house creative strategy team for support.

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What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? Basis’ Senior Vice President of Paid Search and Social compiles all the latest news, trends, and resources each month for easy access.

D2C Brands Spent 231% More on TikTok in Q2 [:03]

TikTok’s Q2 2022 ad spend surpassed both Snapchat and Twitter—combined! eMarketer says the explosion was driven primarily by brands with revenues of $1M to $5M, showing the app’s power to help median brands connect with niche consumers in authentic ways.

New Report Confirms Search Advertising is Thriving Amid Economic Uncertainty [:03]

New forecasts from eMarketer show that search ad spending shows no sign of slowing, even in the context of economic upheaval. Google’s growth continues to outpace competitors, with Microsoft as their top search challenger. This article also references the news that TikTok is growing as an alternative search engine, especially with Gen Z.

Social Media Update: Q3 2022 [:15]

eMarketer's latest quarterly break-down of social media updates includes YouTube news for the first time, discusses how BeReal competitors stack up, and explores how marketers can navigate the most important recent industry changes. Bonus: this companion piece dives even further into how all the social platforms stack up against each other, as similar feature sets surrounding video and e-commerce become more comparable between them.

10 Biggest Announcements from Google Search On 2022 [:04]

Search Engine Land recaps the major announcements from Google's recent Search On event, touching on Google Search, News, Shopping and more. The updates around Google's plans for more visual search results listings are particularly interesting, as well as the highlighted “discussions and forums” listings (Reddit stands to benefit greatly.) Also covered at Search On: 9 updates specific to Google Shopping.

TikTok Plans to Build U.S. Fulfillment Centers [:02]

According to recent jobs posted to LinkedIn, TikTok may be taking on warehousing, delivery, and customer service returns through new fulfillment centers in a bid to grow native shopping in the platform. Clues point to Seattle as a possible location for this, although they may be working with other vendors nationwide to transport goods. This positions TikTok as not only a threat to other social platforms, but also possible competitor to Amazon, Google, and other retail networks.

An Analyst’s Take: Is BeReal for Real? [:06]

The short answer is… maybe? Here, eMarketer breaks down the app’s opportunities and challenges in detail before coming to the conclusion that while it has a long way to go to compete with the big guys, its functionality and ease of use make BeReal a clear a hit with consumers. While the app's uniqueness is likely to wear off (especially as those same features are copied by other social platforms), it provides a good testing ground for marketers while it is still around.

Social Media and News Fact Sheet [:02]

Pew Research Study released new findings around the crucial role social media plays in news consumption today. There are some powerful statistics in this report, showing that while certain platforms are used regularly by large percentages of the US population, those aren’t necessarily the same platforms they’re turning to for up-to-the-minute news. This report also breaks down the demographics and political partisan leanings of news consumers across platforms.

Reddit Report: Key Engagement and Brand Opportunities [:12]

Based on interviews with more than 2,000 regular users, Reddit shared insights on how people use their platform to connect, as well as the important role it plays in engaging communities around topics they’re passionate about. They also pointed out that Reddit users are excited to welcome brands into their communities and sub-groups, but want to build meaningful connections with them in addition to just seeing ads.

Report: Influencer Marketing in 2022 [:16]

Contrary to other reports, eMarketer does not believe the influencer industry has taken a hit this year due to microeconomic conditions. With the industry now worth more than 5 billion in the US, they predict production budget cuts will continue to lead to growth in creator-led ad content.

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Want a monthly digest of all the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Basis Scout newsletter

What’s new in the realms of paid search and social media? Basis’ Senior Vice President of Paid Search and Social compiles all the latest news, trends, and resources each month for easy access.

Report: US Search Ad Spending 2022 [:18]

This report from eMarketer shows search ad spend increasing in 2023 to more than $111.80 billion—almost twice what was spent in 2019. Search will account for 28.6% of total media spend this year, with Google capturing the dominant percentage. Amazon and other e-commerce-focused search ads continue to see steadily increased spend as well.

Microsoft Announces Multimedia Ads [:02]

Shown at the top of search results in Bing, Windows 11, and Microsoft Start, Microsoft's new ad formats are infographic-inspired. The collages of videos and images (reminiscent of Instant Experience ads on Facebook) can expand into fuller screen, interactive units. This article contains more details, best practices, and a link to Microsoft-supplied case studies.

Facebook is the Leader in Social Commerce (Report) [:02]

With a large number of Facebook buyers shopping on Marketplace, the platform has exceeded Instagram and TikTok in the number of users who have completed at least one purchase in the last year through their network. The disproportionately high number of consumer-to-consumer sales accounting for their annual sales figure, however, makes it hard to know how successful Facebook is at achieving actual business-to-consumer social sales.

Snap Study: Recognizing Augmented Reality’s Full Potential [:15]

Snap partnered with Ipsos to survey over 25,000 people with the goal of better understanding what consumers and brands really think about augmented reality (AR). Their research revealed that while the majority of brands feel AR is primarily used for fun, consumer interest is around learning in immersive ways, traveling and exploring the world, and more. Plus, 70% of those surveyed believe that AR helps make the shopping experience easier and more enjoyable.

YouTube Experiments with New Insights to Help Guide Content Strategy [:02]

A recent Creator Insider sneak peak video revealed some new analytics coming to Creator Studio. The new features will provide greater insight into what audiences are interested in based on their search behavior and engagement on YouTube. They can also help with planning by giving a deeper look at what people are watching and how they move from video to video based on recommendations from the platform.

TikTok Adds Regional Trend Insights to Data Tool [:01]

As previously promised, TikTok has increased the data available through their Insights tool to provide new filters and cards marketers can download for use in presentations. Trends can be analyzed across different demographic audiences, industries, seasonal time periods, and regions.

Understanding Video Distribution on Facebook [:06]

With a wide variety of ways for users to consume video across the Facebook ecosystem (Reels, Stories, Live, In-feed, Watch), Meta shared some details on how their algorithm determines what to show users, and where. This article explains the signals that have the greatest influence on video distribution: originality, ability to capture and retain attention, people returning to view more videos, and other types of engagement.

Google Announces New Features for Merchants [:05]

Four new features from Google are coming just in time for the holiday season. This summary (which is also full of general tips and best practices on how to reach consumers across Google’s network) details the new offerings, which include "product-specific insights," the ability to include estimated delivery dates and return policies in shopping ads, content API updates to seamless sales and promotion management, and more.

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