Data: Social Media and Streaming Video Delivered Strong ROI for Marketers in 2025

New research shows social media investment declined as platform fragmentation, creative demands and regulatory uncertainty created challenges.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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New research from Keen Decision Systems analyzed data from over 400 brands and more than $42 billion of historical marketing investment across a diverse set of verticals to provide an overview of the advertising landscape in 2026. The report shows that while social media remained a core channel for advertisers in terms of ROI, investment declined as platform fragmentation, creative demands and regulatory uncertainty created real challenges for marketers. Search maintained the highest share of spending in 2025, accounting for 25% of all investments, while streaming video held steady at 17% and display saw investment increase by 4% to reach 15% in 2025.

Why it matters

This data provides valuable insights into how marketers are allocating their budgets and the evolving performance of different advertising channels. As the media landscape continues to shift, understanding these trends can help brands make more informed decisions about where to invest their marketing dollars to achieve the best return.

The details

The report shows that the share of social media spending dropped from 18% to 17% in 2025, with TikTok investment dropping by 8 percentage points after heavy increases in 2024. Meta bounced back to 60% of investment after dropping to 55% in 2024, as ROI improved amid declining costs. Streaming video increased as brands shifted budgets from linear TV towards ad-supported streaming apps, with CTV accounting for 59% of streaming budgets and online video making up 41% of spending. Within CTV, Amazon held the largest investment with steady performance, while the Trade Desk faced declining ROI despite heavy investment. Hulu/Disney improved ROI but costs surged significantly.

  • The report analyzed data from 2022 to 2025.

The players

Keen Decision Systems

A next-generation marketing mix SaaS company that helps marketers and agencies tie investment decisions to real business outcomes.

Justin Jefferson

Vice President, Strategy and Insights, at Keen Decision Systems.

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What they’re saying

“Channel allocations in 2025 reflected marketers' desire to lean into what's reliable, whether it was by holding commitments even as returns softened or hesitated on channels that haven't yet proven at scale. This pattern created efficiency gains in some areas while leaving significant untapped opportunities in others. In 2026, brands should prioritize a mix that balances legacy and emerging channels without losing ROI.”

— Justin Jefferson, Vice President, Strategy and Insights (businesswire.com)

“Based on these findings, we'd advise brands to start making a gradual shift from linear TV to streaming as a top-of-funnel tactic while maintaining proven performers like search where ROI justifies continued investment. By strategically allocating their investments across the funnel, including retail media, brands of all sizes can experience sustained brand building.”

— Justin Jefferson, Vice President, Strategy and Insights (businesswire.com)

What’s next

The report provides recommendations for brands to strategically allocate their marketing investments in 2026, including gradually shifting from linear TV to streaming video as a top-of-funnel tactic, maintaining investment in proven channels like search, and diversifying their retail media portfolio.

The takeaway

This data highlights the evolving marketing landscape, with social media and streaming video continuing to play a significant role for advertisers, but also facing challenges that are leading to shifts in budget allocation. By understanding these trends, brands can make more informed decisions about where to invest their marketing dollars to achieve the best return.