Debra Aho Williamson Email & Phone Number

Sonata Insights is a custom research and advisory service for businesses across the marketing, media, adtech and investor sectors that want to bust myths, break new ground and lead industry conversations about the transformative impact of AI on marketing and consumer behavior, and the continuing impact of social media on marketing strategies. Services include:- white papers- webinars- custom presentations- educational sessionsRecent client engagements:- A custom white paper on the power of creating personal and cultural relevance in marketing (for WARC Advisory and its client TikTok)- A custom white paper and webinar analyzing exclusive data on consumer search behaviors in the age of AI (for Datos, a clickstream data firm) - A trend report highlighting digital media trends in APAC that could affect marketing in Western markets (for M7 Innovations, a marketing consultancy)- A white paper and presentation on AI for creative production/optimization (for Ascendant Network and Yieldmo)- A white paper and presentation on the creator opportunity in retail media (for Ascendant Network and Inmar)

New York, Ny, Us

Through my leadership, my research about social media marketing and my extensive media presence across TV, digital, print and radio, I played a significant role in positioning Insider Intelligence/eMarketer as a leading insights provider. Insider Intelligence was formed in 2020 from the merger of eMarketer and Business Insider Intelligence (as of March 2024, the company has rebranded as EMARKETER). As principal analyst and desk lead (2021-2023), I managed a three-person analyst team focused on social media and business-to-business (B2B) marketing. I also managed the four-person international analyst team from 2021-2022. From 2011-2020 I served as principal analyst leading all social media research. Three of my 2023 reports -- "Time Spent on TikTok," "Worldwide Social Media Outlook 2023" and "Social Search Is Taking Off" – were among the top reports read by Insider Intelligence clients in 2023. I also delivered innovative insights on Gen Z social media activities, utilizing my analytical skills for primary research project management, survey design, data interpretation and visualization.In addition to my day to day responsibilities I took on ad-hoc mentoring roles with junior analysts and researchers. I helped them improve their data analysis, writing, public speaking and media presence.

New York, Ny, Us

In 2006, I became one of the first analysts to pinpoint the social media marketing trend. I created eMarketer's original forecasting model to project social network ad revenues and ad revenues at Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. I was frequently quoted for my expertise in The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Reuters, USAToday, Bloomberg, BusinessWeek and other national and international media, and was a regular guest on the Bloomberg Technology TV show.I began my career with eMarketer as a demographics analyst. I served as a contributing analyst (independent contractor) from 2004-2008 and became a full-time employee in 2009.

After leaving fulltime journalism I created my own business and did research, writing and editing projects for clients including eMarketer, The Industry Standard, MSNBC.com, AT&T Wireless and Advertising Age.

I was the founding executive editor of the first newsweekly for the Internet economy. I helped write the business plan for the magazine before we got funding, and then helped manage the editorial staff as we grew and grew. For a brief shining moment, The Industry Standard was the biggest magazine in ad pages in the entire industry, bigger than bridal magazines. And then it went bankrupt as the dotcom boom collapsed.

New York, Ny, Us

I broke news and led a team of four journalists covering online marketing, internet marketing and interactive television for Advertising Age's groundbreaking weekly news section. I was a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events and provided thought leadership to other news publications.

New York, Ny, Us

I was promoted from the copy desk to help our managing editor launch one of the first news sources for the emerging interactive/internet marketing space. I wrote articles chronicling the rise of internet advertising, webpages, email marketing and more. I also assigned and edited articles written by other journalists.

New York, Ny, Us