Are you in the midst of mapping out your 2026 digital advertising and marketing technique?
This may assist.
Digital analytics supplier DoubleVerify has printed its newest collection of “International Insights” reviews, which includes responses from over 22k customers, and nearly 2k entrepreneurs, sharing their experiences with social media, AI, on-line purchasing, and extra, which might assist to information your pondering as to which platforms and approaches needs to be your focus.
You possibly can obtain DV’s full International Insights reviews right here (with e mail sign-up), however on this publish, we’ll check out a few of the key notes.
First off, the report seems to be at the most well-liked social media platforms amongst respondents:
As you may see, YouTube, Fb and Instagram paved the way in general utilization, with TikTok, X, LinkedIn and Pinterest decrease down the record. This largely displays the identical discovering that Pew Analysis lately printed when it comes to general social media utilization, although I do suppose {that a} key variance that’s not captured in these shopper surveys is time spent. As a result of whereas all of us in all probability open Fb to verify in on what family and friends have posted, I believe that we’re all additionally spending rather more time in different apps.
That nuance isn’t lined in a binary “Which social media platforms do you utilize?” question.
(Observe: Threads and Bluesky had been additionally not included as an choice on DV’s record of social platform choices.)
The report additionally seems to be at how customers use social media for information consumption, which may impression the stream of data, and affect voting behaviors.
Youthful customers prioritize social media, however older customers nonetheless put TV information and devoted information web sites greater of their priorities. So subsequent time you’re questioning why that previous celeb is fronting some new TV present, know that the viewers watching TV can be older.
The report additionally seems to be at how folks use social platforms for product analysis, and their high sources within the pre-purchase part.
Observe that the query right here pertains to product analysis, not discovery, so it’s not shocking that social media is additional down the record. However I believe that when it comes to consciousness, if the query associated to when customers first found a product, social can be greater.
The report additionally seems to be on the rising affect of social media influencers, and the way they assist information buy choices.
As per the report:
“Over 58% of surveyed customers said that they work together (observe, like, share, remark) with influencers, particularly micro influencers (24%). The lower-funnel energy of those interactions can be excessive – 54% of customers reported that social media influencers impression their buy choices.”
So influencers are driving extra response and exercise over time, with extra folks turning to influencers to be taught extra about related merchandise, or studying about merchandise from influencer content material. A worthy observe.
The report additionally seems to be on the rise of social commerce, which is steadily gaining traction around the globe:
Although as you may see, adoption of social commerce is greater in Asian markets, with Western customers nonetheless largely sticking to completely different apps and instruments for various capabilities, versus built-in social media purchasing experiences.
Why is that? I don’t know, nobody does. Evidently Asian customers simply have a desire for maximizing in-app utility that Western customers don’t, although there’s additionally a broader query of belief in social commerce, and ranging regulatory approaches.
The report additionally contains insights into how entrepreneurs are making use of social apps, and which platforms present one of the best ends in completely different classes.
There are additionally insights into AI adoption amongst customers and entrepreneurs, with an increasing number of folks now encountering AI-generated content material, blurring the traces between what’s actual and what’s not.
There are some fascinating notes right here, not as in-depth as I would really like, extra skimming the floor on a few of these tendencies. However fascinating nonetheless, which might inform your digital advertising and marketing planning for 2026.
You possibly can obtain DoubleVerify’s full International Insights reviews right here (with e mail sign-up).
