Internet Update

(2 minute read)

Curious about what’s going on in the world of technology today? Mary Meeker has just released her annual Internet Trends Report, considered the state of the union for technology. 

Below, we’ve highlighted 5 insights from Meeker’s 355 page report that speak of innovation and growth.

User (and influencer) generated content performs well as ads: Ads repurposed from content shared by users or social media influencers can perform much better (6.9x better on Facebook) than content created by brands themselves.

Gaming is gaining popularity: E-sports are exploding, with viewing time up 40% year over year. Gaming took in about $100 billion in revenue in 2016. 

Recorded music sees an increase in revenue: Recorded music revenue is growing for the first time in 16 years thanks to subscription streaming platforms like Spotify.

Netflix is creeping up on cable: In 10 years, Netflix went from zero to more than 30% of home entertainment revenue in the U.S. This is happening while TV viewership continues to decline.

Design matters: Enterprises are investing more in user interface and experience for their products, as demanded by end users.

Let us know your thoughts on these trends. Are any particularly surprising to you? What other trends from the report stand out?