Social media has become the new storefront, a new survey by Curalate indicates. Among US consumers, 76 percent reported buying items they first saw in a brand’s social media post, and 40 percent shop online at least once per week.

Additionally, young people are significantly more affected by social media. Curalate’s data found that among 18-to-34-year-olds, 52 percent shop online weekly, and were 3.3 times more likely to discover products on social media than average US consumers.

“With billions of people inhabiting social networks, the content they thumb through has the potential of setting in motion a journey that leads from discovery to purchase,” said Curalate CEO Apu Gupta. “Creating those moments of discovery represents a massive opportunity for e-commerce to go beyond search and to introduce people to their next great find.”

Marketers can take advantage of this information by incorporating existing payment platforms. Eighty-five percent of daily online shoppers say that one-click payment options would make them more likely to buy directly on social media.

A new study by Engagement Labs tracking quick-service restaurants points to increasing relevance for underdog fast-food chains at the expense of previously strong coffee providers. Chipotle, Taco Bell, Wendy’s and In-N-Out all made the study’s top 10 rankings in terms of both on- and offline consumer conversations, while Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts fell from their places of prestige.

“In the case of Dunkin’ Donuts, the company saw a decline in its sentiment scores, which is a concern because our predictive analytics show that sentiment is an important driver of future sales,” said Ed Keller, CEO of Engagement Labs. “Meanwhile, Starbucks dropped in the ranking due to a decline in its brand sharing scores, demonstrating that consumers are sharing less of the coffee chain’s content online, while also talking less about its marketing or advertising in offline conversations.”

TVision Insights has released its “Q3 2017 Eyes-on-Screen TV Attention Report,” tracking the best television content in terms of capturing and maintaining consumer attention.

This quarter, ABC’s Modern Family and AMC’s Turn: Washington Spies scored highest for watcher attention, while Land Rover and P&G’s Bounce had the most engaging ads, according to the study.

 

The Interactive Advertising Bureau released a new report on OTT co-viewing, indicating that watching video content with others significantly increases engagement with and conversation about brand content.

More than 50 percent of co-viewers report regularly talking about brands and products they see on OTT channels, and more than 90 percent of Americans ages 13-to-64 co-watch TV programming.

“Watching TV has always had an important social component, and this has absolutely continued as OTT platforms become ever-more important parts of people’s viewing rituals,” said Chris Kuist, senior vice president of research and impact at IAB. “This social aspect of biggest screen in the house is powerful and is being amplified on OTT platforms in ways that can greatly benefit marketers.”

Netflix, one of the largest OTT providers, released similar research about accidental co-viewing. According to its data, 67 percent of global smartphone users are willing to stream content out of the home, and 45 percent of that group have caught someone else “backseat binging,” peeking at what they’re watching on their phone.

This growing trend leads to more conversation and potential for brands. Of those who stream content in public, 27 percent have been interrupted by a stranger asking about what they’re watching.

Mid-sized companies are finally embracing the emerging technologies they need to thrive in digital marketplaces, according to a report by Deloitte. Among middle-market companies, 36 percent are now spending more than 5 percent of their revenue on technology, up from 26 percent last year. Only 14 percent are spending less than 1 percent on technology, with the rest falling in the middle.

Additionally, the vast majority of mid-market companies plan to tap into cutting-edge technologies in the near future, with 77 percent reporting intent to invest in blockchain and 64 percent in mixed reality.

McAfee released its third annual “Most Hackable Holiday Gifts” list, identifying the most glaring security flaws in common consumer electronics and public opinion on them. Of the people McAfee surveyed, just 22 percent agreed that connected toys and appliances need to be secure, as compared to 69 percent for laptops, tablets and smartphones.

“We continue to see connected devices high on holiday wish lists, but it’s clear consumers don’t always understand the importance of protecting devices at every point of connection and within products themselves,” said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee. “In many cases, consumers are simply unaware that their devices need to be protected or how to protect them.”

More than 90 percent of consumers agree that security is important, but only 53 percent have taken the necessary steps to protect themselves.

Canalys released its research on the wearable band market in Q3 2017, revealing that interest in smartwatches and other such devices is waning, if slightly. Overall, the wearable band market fell by 2 percent this quarter, reaching 17.3 million units sold. Among individual players, Apple took the lead with its Apple Watch Series 3, claiming 23 percent of total market share.

“Strong demand for the LTE-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 has dispelled service providers’ doubts about the cellular smartwatch not appealing to customers,” said Canalys analyst Jason Low.

(Editor’s Note: This post will be updated daily until Friday, November 17.)