Products

EMARKETER delivers leading-edge research to clients in a variety of forms, including full-length reports and data visualizations to equip you with actionable takeaways for better business decisions.
PRO+
New data sets, deeper insights, and flexible data visualizations.
Learn More
Reports
In-depth analysis, benchmarks and shorter spotlights on digital trends.
Learn More
Forecasts
Interactive projections with 10k+ metrics on market trends, & consumer behavior.
Learn More
Charts
Proprietary data and over 3,000 third-party sources about the most important topics.
Learn More
Industry KPIs
Industry benchmarks for the most important KPIs in digital marketing, advertising, retail and ecommerce.
Learn More
Briefings
Client-only email newsletters with analysis and takeaways from the daily news.
Learn More
Analyst Access Program
Exclusive time with the thought leaders who craft our research.
Learn More

About EMARKETER

Our goal is to unlock digital opportunities for our clients with the world’s most trusted forecasts, analysis, and benchmarks. Spanning five core coverage areas and dozens of industries, our research on digital transformation is exhaustive.
Our Story
Learn more about our mission and how EMARKETER came to be.
Learn More
Methodology
Rigorous proprietary data vetting strips biases and produces superior insights.
Learn More
Our People
Take a look into our corporate culture and view our open roles.
Join the Team
Contact Us
Speak to a member of our team to learn more about EMARKETER.
Contact Us
Newsroom
See our latest press releases, news articles or download our press kit.
Learn More
Advertising & Sponsorship Opportunities
Reach an engaged audience of decision-makers.
Learn More
Events
Browse our upcoming and past events, recent podcasts, and other featured resources.
Learn More
Podcasts
Tune in to EMARKETER's daily, weekly, and monthly podcasts.
Learn More

US Social Trends for 2021

eMarketer’s Predictions for the Year Ahead

Download
Share
About This Report
From the growth of TikTok and of social commerce to the challenges of brand safety and the cookieless future, 2021 will be another year of big stories for social media.
Table of Contents

Executive Summary

After a tumultuous year that included a divisive US election, a pandemic, and racial justice protests, will 2021 be quieter for social media? It’s not likely. Here’s what we expect to happen.

What one word is at the heart of three of the biggest trends in social media in 2021?

That word is “video.” From user-generated short videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Snapchat Spotlight to livestream commerce to the evolution of social media Stories, we’re expecting video of one form or another to be central to the next generation of social media content.

Will there be another social media ad boycott?

Brand safety will remain top of mind for social media advertisers, and we think at least one major marketer will let their money do the talking by cutting ad spending on some platforms (even as others, such as Unilever, return). But completely abandoning a platform like Facebook will be difficult, especially as the cookieless future draws near.

What will happen in social commerce?

We’re expecting lots of developments as the social platforms evolve their commerce offerings. But we don’t expect many consumers to complete transactions directly within social media.

How will influencer marketing evolve?

In our inaugural forecast on the topic, we expect that more than two-thirds of marketers will use influencer marketing in 2021. Influencers will play a strong role in marketers’ livestream commerce activities and will continue to be go-to partners for user-generated content (UGC) marketing initiatives.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report features our 10 predictions for social media in 2021.

KEY STAT: As the social entertainment trend takes root, more than one-third of US social network users will use TikTok this year.

authors

Debra Aho Williamson

Contributors

Blake Droesch
Junior Analyst
Jasmine Enberg
Senior Analyst
Andrew Lipsman
Principal Analyst
Natalie McGranahan
Senior Researcher and Taxonomy Manager
Rini Mukhopadhyay
Forecasting Analyst
Nicole Perrin
Principal Analyst
Peter Vahle
Forecasting Analyst
Already have a subscription?Sign In

Access All Charts and Data

Gain access to reliable data presented in clear and intelligible displays for quick understanding and decision making on the most important topics related to your industry

Become a Client