Inside the cost of social fragmentation

As brands and agencies navigate the fragmented social terrain to find users, placing bets to be rewarded as first movers, it can be expensive and time consuming with no guarantee of said reward. This article is part of a series that explores a fragmented social media landscape. Explore the full series here.

Additional coverage:

• This week's Digiday+ Future of TV Briefing looks at the measurement principles YouTube released on Tuesday and how the Google-owned video platform fits into the broader measurement overhaul.
• The Washington Post and Headspace are offering a subscription bundle, as part of the Post's efforts to market its wellness coverage and target non-hard news readers.
• Fluctuating budgets, conflicting goals and volatile consumer behavior are all creating new challenges to old problems for buyers and brands. Read more from the Digiday Media Buying Summit.
• Social fragmentation special series: Marketers have had to diversify their spend — and content — to reach different audiences with different needs. At the same time, those audiences have only become more siloed across social media channels.
• Podcasters view YouTube's latest announcement to soon add podcasts to its YouTube Music app as an opportunity to find more listeners at a time when listenership has slowed.
• More than 60% of publishers told Digiday+ Research they get at least some revenue from affiliate commerce, and 70% said they will focus at least a little on building this part of their business in the coming months. The growth potential is even bigger among small publishers.
• Independent agency Tombras is bulking up with a technology investment in the millions of dollars, with the goal to take on holding company agencies in pitching larger national brands.