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Ads on social media are exceptionally good at getting us to click "buy"

"In the past, we've studied social media ads as if they're just like a billboard or a print magazine ad when they're not," said advertising professor Matthew Pittman. "You're seeing an ad from any number of sources."
On Instagram or in other social media feeds, "you're seeing an ad from any number of sources right after you might see a video or a post from your ex from high school or a new celebrity training fitness routine," said the University of Tennessee's Matthew Pittman.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

As film gets more popular, Los Angeles photographer finds it's also getting pricier

May 2, 2023
Dave Montejano talks about the rising cost of his passion and building a film photography community online.
In March, Kodak increased the prices of its 35 mm and 120 mm films, making the stocks unaffordable for many film photographers.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Fast food menu hacks are taking over TikTok

Apr 5, 2023
They create both chaos and money-making opportunities for businesses.
The rise of social media and digital ordering has spawned a slew of menu hacks and complex orders.
Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images

Trying to explain the bank runs? The "takeconomy" might deserve some of the blame.

Mar 21, 2023
Many factors led to Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse, but content creator Kyla Scanlon says "social media risk" accelerated the slide.
Credit Suisse Chair Axel Lehmann blamed his bank's failure partly on a "social media storm." Content creator Kyla Scanlon highlights the role of social media in the instability that has jolted global finance.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

How does a water bottle go viral — and stay viral?

Feb 21, 2023
Stanley, the popular drinkware brand, has transitioned from venerable camping staple to TikTok sensation.
A woman with a Stanley tumbler in hand. Short-form social media has accelerated the trend cycle of various products, says marketing professor Justin Huang.
Courtesy Stanley

Extreme couponing is back. But it's on TikTok this time.

Feb 1, 2023
Clipping coupons may be largely digital now, but the deals are still out there. Kayla Burk is teaching a younger generation how to use them.
Kayla Burk, a full-time extreme couponer, makes TikTok explainer videos on how to get discounts.
Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

As our online behavior changes, companies spend less ad money on Google and Meta

Jan 4, 2023
Part of the reason: Social media platforms like TikTok are changing the way we shop online.
While Google is still a big part of the ad business, people are turning to sites like Amazon "as a product search engine instead," said Sucharita Kodali, a retail analyst at Forrester.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Social media platforms are adapting to compete with TikTok. Are their efforts working?

The competition with TikTok may be less about dethroning the app and more about becoming its replacement, says Axios reporter Sara Fischer.
The TikTok logo is displayed outside a TikTok office on Aug. 27, 2020 in Culver City, California.
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images

The buzz behind TikTok's viral beekeeping and bee removal business

Sep 16, 2022
Erika Thompson owns Texas Bee Works, a beekeeping and bee removal company. Like other small businesses, inflation is adding new challenges.
"I had a [TikTok] video of me doing a bee removal that went viral," says beekeeper Erika Thompson. "And that was the first time my life sort of changed."
Aimee Aubin