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The Top Three

🏆 THE INDUSTRY’S MOST IMPORTANT STORIES TODAY

🥇 ZUCK CONFIRMS USAGE DECLINE

$META ( ▲ 3.22% ) CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently admitted that time spent on Facebook and Instagram has “gone down meaningfully.” This comes as the company defends itself in an FTC antitrust case over its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, with Zuckerberg undergoing days of questioning in federal court. He said that users are shifting direct interactions with friends to messaging apps, a trend Meta has avoided addressing until now. While the company once flexed daily user engagement, reporting 50+ minutes per day across its apps in 2016, it stopped sharing those numbers soon after. That silence now seems telling, especially as TikTok usage continues to rise. more

• Recent data shows that American TikTok users now spend an average of 108 minutes per day on the app.

• Facebook users average 63 minutes per day.

• Instagram’s average has dropped to 48 minutes.

🥈 MORE BENEFITS = MORE SALES

Research shows that products with multiple related benefits generate 40% more sales than those with just one. The study recommends presenting benefits that are closely related — for example, a cream that hydrates and softens your skin. Consumers are more likely to choose and recommend products with multiple related benefits, rather than those with a single benefit (like a cream that only hydrates) or with unrelated benefits (like a cream that both tans and fights acne). more

• The researchers suggest that when we see a product with multiple related benefits we see the benefits as connected and reinforcing one another.

• This leads us to believe the product will be more effective at achieving its main goal (e.g. healthier skin) than a product focused on a single benefit (e.g. removing dirt and oil).

• On the other hand, when a product offers multiple unrelated benefits, we tend to think its effectiveness is diluted, as it attempts to address different needs.

🥉 PODCAST ADS BREAK $2B

🐕️ The digital underdog rising: Podcast ad revenues in the U.S. surpassed $2 billion last year, increasing 26% YoY, per a new IAB report. This is a significant jump compared to 2023, where podcast ad revenues grew by only 5%. This growth comes despite broader ad industry pullbacks, with total digital ad revenues rising 15% YoY. Although podcasts represent just 0.9% of total digital ad revenues, their consistent growth stands out in a market affected by geopolitical shifts, interest rate changes, and economic uncertainty. As time spent with social networks flatlines, eMarketer forecasts podcasts will continue to thrive.

• 90% of listeners have taken action after hearing a podcast ad.

• Time spent with podcasts continues to grow, and companies are tapping into the trend.

  • YouTube $GOOGL ( ▲ 2.74% ) is excelling as listeners’ preferred podcast platform

  • Netflix $NFLX ( ▲ 5.36% ) is reportedly exploring video podcasts.

  • Spotify $SPOT ( ▲ 5.96% ) has expanded its Partner Program to stay competitive.

Today’s Other News

📰 EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MATTERS

Advertising 📣

• 🍪 Holy sh!t: In a major u-turn, Google announced today that it will keep supporting third-party cookies in Chrome and won’t roll out a new standalone prompt for them, meaning ad tech companies can still use targeting tech in the world’s most popular browser. more

  • While this marks a shift in Chrome’s cookie deprecation strategy, the Privacy Sandbox project will continue, with upcoming initiatives like IP Protection for Incognito users slated for Q3.

• Search ads surged nearly 16% in 2024, reaching $103 billion, more than three times the 5% growth seen in 2023, according to the IAB and PwC’s annual Internet Advertising Revenue Report. Search ads now represent nearly 40% of total internet ad spending. more

• Google Ads has updated its policy to now allow the same advertiser to appear in both top and bottom ad slots on a search results page. This means users scrolling down may see another relevant ad from the same brand, though not necessarily the exact same creative they saw at the top. more

• Performance Max updates:

  • Longer Descriptions: All PMax campaign descriptions can now be up to 90 characters. Previously, short descriptions were limited to 60 characters.

  • Age Exclusions: Google seems to be rolling out a long-awaited feature that lets advertisers exclude specific age brackets directly within campaign settings. Previously, age exclusions were limited to a single range at the Asset Group level.

• Meta is stepping up its game to capture a bigger slice of the $62 billion retail media pie. As competition heats up across social, CTV, and DSPs, sources say the tech giant is quietly adding new tools and data-sharing features aimed squarely at retailers. Adweek reports on 3 Ways Meta Is Going After Retail Media Budgets:

  1. An API for marketplaces

  2. More open data sharing

  3. Ads that direct shoppers in-store

Social Media 📱

• Instagram is working on a new feature called “Storylines,” which lets users collaborate on Stories with their connections. With Storylines, friends you follow back can add related content to your Story, creating a larger, shared narrative. more

  • For example, if you host a brand event, your connections can contribute their content to build on your original Story. These Stories can be seen by your followers, and if posted publicly, others can also add to the chain.

• Bluesky is bringing back the OG Twitter-style blue checkmarks. The platform has launched its new official verification process, which combines platform-issued badges with a decentralized option for trusted organizations. The rollout will be gradual, with a public request form coming soon. For now, priority goes to government officials, journalists, news orgs, and celebs. more

• 🤖 Bots with clout: YouTube has a new report looking at the rise of virtual influencers. In 2024, a sample of just 300 Virtual Creators racked up more than 15 billion views, with 1 billion from the U.S. alone. YouTube says these characters will only become more common, advising brands and marketers to consider them in their influencer strategies. more

Commerce 🛒 

• E-commerce giants Temu and Shein have confirmed price hikes for American shoppers starting this week due to President Trump's tariffs, with China now facing tariffs up to 245%. Shein has urged customers to "shop now at today’s rates" to secure the best deals before the price increases, which will start on April 25 due to rising operating costs. more

  • Both companies will also be hit by the removal of the “de minimis” exemption on May 2, which previously allowed shipments under $800 to enter duty-free, exposing them to 90% tariffs. Starting June 1, retailers will also reportedly have to pay $150 tariffs on each package.

The Ticker

📈 HOW DIGITAL MARKETING STOCKS ARE DOING

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