With user penetration nearly complete and time spent starting to plateau or decline on many platforms, social networks have run out of easy paths to incremental budget among their advertisers.
With user growth slowing and measurement limitations proving intractable, social networks are in the middle of a pivot they hope will support a new phase of growth. While the industry shifts, US ad spending growth in 2023 will be some of the slowest we’ve recorded for the channel.
Key Question: How is social network ad spending changing? Which ad formats are gaining traction?
KEY STAT: Social network ad spending this year will grow at the slowest rate we’ve ever recorded.
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Table of Contents
Report Snapshot
Single-digit growth will define social’s next few years.
Social ad spending’s near-term prognosis has gotten worse, not better.
Short-form video is still hindering social ad spend growth.
TikTok: Advertisers keep spending, despite more ban talk and growing pains.
Meta: Cheap and cheerful.
Facebook: A notable revision to our forecast.
Instagram: The app is ‘reeling’ advertisers in.
Platform trends: The rise of the machines.
Platform trends: Social platforms want to ride retail media’s coattails.
User trends: Societal scrutiny of social is at an all-time high.
Senior Vice President and Director, Paid Social Media
Interviewed April 17, 2023
Kieley Taylor
GroupM
Global Head of Partnerships, Managing Partner
Interviewed April 26, 2023
Philip Ware
Thrive Digital
Vice President, Product and Partnerships
Interviewed April 28, 2023
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With user penetration nearly complete and time spent starting to plateau or decline on many platforms, social networks have run out of easy paths to incremental budget among their advertisers.