Social Media Remains the Top Choice for Advertising Channels Worldwide in 2025

Nielsen predicts that global marketers plan to reduce advertising spending this year. However, it appears many will maintain and even increase investment in digital channels, albeit at a slower pace.

Social media remains the top digital channel chosen by global marketers, with over 50% planning increased funding in the next 12 months. This channel was selected by 29% of global marketers.

Next are online/mobile video at 22%; online/mobile display at 21%; and search at 20%.

Nielsen explains that the ranking of social media, online video, online display, and search remains the same as last year. The difference is that fewer marketers now plan to significantly increase budgets for such digital channels in 2025.

Conversely, Nielsen observes more marketers planning to significantly increase—over 50%—their traditional media budgets compared to last year.

"Specifically, 16% of marketers plan to increase out-of-home advertising budgets by more than 50% this year, a 3-point increase from 2024," Nielsen wrote, as quoted on Sunday, July 20, 2025.

Nielsen adds that significant budgets are still allocated to digital channels, but not at the same rapid pace as in previous years.

The following marketing channels show significant planned funding increases (over 50%) in 2025:

1. Social Media: 29%

2. Online/Mobile Video: 22%

3. Online/Mobile Display: 21%

4. Search: 20%

5. OTT TV/Internet TV: 19%

6. Email: 16%

7. Podcasts: 16%

8. Direct Mail: 16%

9. Out-of-Home (billboards, etc.): 16%

10. Streaming Audio: 15%

11. Paid Content: 14%

12. Linear TV: 14%

13. Cinema: 14%

14. Print: 13%

15. AM/FM Radio: 11%

The 2025 Annual Marketing Report is the seventh marketing report published by Nielsen. This survey involved 1,400 marketers across various industries focusing on media strategy, technology, and measurement. The online survey was conducted between February 25 and March 6, 2025.

In terms of seniority, respondents were global brand marketers holding manager-level positions or higher. All respondents managed annual marketing budgets of at least US$1 million, and two-thirds had budgets exceeding US$10 million.

The following is the respondent distribution by region, to be considered when reading and interpreting the report's charts:

• APAC (Asia Pacific): 350 respondents
• EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa): 350 respondents
• North America: 350 respondents
• Latin America: 350 respondents.

(Read: Global Consumers' Product Purchases via Social Media in 2024)