Global advertising spend on social media is set to overtake newspapers in the next four years, according to a study by Ad agency Zenith. Social media advertising is growing at 20 percent a year and by 2019 it will be worth $50.2 billion compared to $50.7 billion for newspapers, it says.

The study reveals that social media platforms have benefited from the rapid adoption of mobile technology, using it to embed themselves into their users’ daily lives. Social media is a significant part of social lives as well as main source of news for many users. As a result, social media ads blend seamlessly into the news feed, and are therefore more effective than interruptive banner formats, especially on mobile devices.

Here’s a look at some of the major players:

  • Users on social media platform, Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) can tune into broadcasts live from readings to interviews using the newest “Live Audio feature”. This brand new feature comes as Facebook continues to expand its streaming platform, which includes the Live 360, a stunning and captivating way for publishers and content creators to share immersive stories, places and experiences with their fans. Facebook had also propelled a live broadcasting feature on its online mobile social platform, Instagram. “We know that sometimes publishers want to tell a story on Facebook with words and not video,” Facebook wrote in a blog post late yesterday. “…Just as with live video on Facebook, listeners can discover live audio content in News Feed, ask questions and leave reactions in real time during the broadcast, and easily share with their friends.”
  • Twitter Inc. (NYSE: TWTR) CEO Jack Dorsey recently made slight changes to the microblogging platform’s management team and core services, in order to try and boost user growth and engagement, along with advertisement revenue. The company’s Chief Technology Officer will be replaced with Product Chief, Ed Ho. Twitter also updated the way the platform displays its tweets on its search engine by having best tweets to be top priority than what’s new. When users type into the search bar, they’ll be provided with relevance-ordered tweets from across the social media outlet first.
  • Users on YY Inc. (NASDAQ: YY) engages via social media platform activities through voice, video and text on personal computers and mobile devices. The company’s divisions consist of YY IVAS and others, Huya broadcasting, and 100 Education. The company’s core product is YY client, which allows users to engage in live interactions online; and provides access to user-created online social activities groups. It also offers web-based YY that enables users to conduct real-time interactions on the web browsers without any downloads or installations and Mobile YY, a mobile application that provides users access to the company’s music and entertainment content.
  • Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) provides Internet search services in China and internationally. It operates through Search Services, Transaction Services, and IQiyi segments. It offers Chinese language search platform on its Baidu.com Website that enables users to find relevant information online, including Web pages, news, images, documents, and multimedia files through links provided on its Website and transaction platform, including Nuomi.com to connect online and offline services provided by third-parties. The company also provides transaction services, such as Baidu Nuomi, Baidu Takeout Delivery, Baidu Maps, Baidu Connect, Baidu Wallet, and others; and iQiyi, an online video platform with a content library that includes licensed movies, television series, cartoons, shows, and other programs.