GroupM and Amazon Advertising India’s new search advertising playbook, ‘Decoding the shift in consumer behavior to win on search’, offers insights on how consumers are using e-commerce platforms for not just buying but product research as well. It shows that urban consumers are researching on at least two platforms before deciding and Amazon.in is a preferred platform for product research. Around 62 per cent of urban internet users research for products online before buying online or offline. It also finds that search ads account for 60 per cent of ad-influenced purchases.

New tools for Instagram and FB creators

Creators will be able to earn money through a new tool that Instagram is testing. The feature, called native affiliate tool, will allow creators to share products with their followers and earn a commission. “Creators have always used Instagram to share products they love, and people trust their favorite accounts for inspiration and new products. Today, select creators can tag products from the brands they work with or use Shops if they have their own product line. We want to give more creators access to our shopping tools and allow them to get rewarded for the purchases they drive,” Facebook said in a blog.

ZEE5 streams into the US

Video streaming service ZEE5, owned by Zee Entertainment, has announced it will launch in the US on June 22. The platform is currently beta testing in the market.

The US is a significant launch for the OTT service, which is already present in several international markets including the UK and West Asia. Given the 5.4-million diaspora audience with a deep cultural connect to this content, ZEE5 sees great potential in the US market. The ZEE5 annual pack, priced at $84, will be available across devices at a limited launch offer price of $49.99.

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