Publisher Ad Monetization 2023

How the Open Web’s Rules Are Beginning to Change—Again

Report by Max Willens  | Jul 25, 2023
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Table of Contents
Report Snapshot
Setting the scene
Web publishers are fighting over a pie that is barely growing.
Even though advertisers’ preference for video keeps growing, most publishers remain heavily reliant on banner ads.
Revised industry definitions of video ads are squeezing the sell side.
Supply path optimization has begun to reshape (some) publishers’ behavior.
Sustainability is no longer just a topic for conferences.
Significant percentages of ad-buyers have moved on from third-party cookies for targeting.
Google opens up its Sandbox.
What to do next
Insider Intelligence Interviews
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Amid near-nonexistent growth in some key markets, web publishers are being forced to consider radical changes to the way they sell their ads on the open web.
Topics
Programmatic Advertising
Programmatic Ad Spending
US
Table of Contents
Report Snapshot
Setting the scene
Web publishers are fighting over a pie that is barely growing.
Even though advertisers’ preference for video keeps growing, most publishers remain heavily reliant on banner ads.
Revised industry definitions of video ads are squeezing the sell side.
Supply path optimization has begun to reshape (some) publishers’ behavior.
Sustainability is no longer just a topic for conferences.
Significant percentages of ad-buyers have moved on from third-party cookies for targeting.
Google opens up its Sandbox.
What to do next
Insider Intelligence Interviews
Sources
Media Gallery

Report Snapshot

Programmatic non-video display, a vital ad market for web publishers, is experiencing near-nonexistent growth. We examine the latest updates to that ecosystem’s key trends, including the embrace of supply path optimization and the deprecation of third-party cookies.

KEY QUESTIONS:

  1. How is the US programmatic display market growing—and not growing?
  2. Which identifiers and post-cookie targeting strategies are working?
  3. How is supply-path optimization affecting the number of partners publishers use?

KEY STAT: Even after non-video programmatic digital display ad spending returns to double-digit growth in 2024 and 2025, the growth we estimate for those years will be some of the weakest we’ve charted over the past 12 years.

Here’s what’s in the full report

2files

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2charts

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15expert perspectives

Insights from industry and company leaders.

    Table of Contents

    1. Report Snapshot
    2. Setting the scene
    3. Web publishers are fighting over a pie that is barely growing.
    4. Even though advertisers’ preference for video keeps growing, most publishers remain heavily reliant on banner ads.
    5. Revised industry definitions of video ads are squeezing the sell side.
    1. Supply path optimization has begun to reshape (some) publishers’ behavior.
    2. Sustainability is no longer just a topic for conferences.
    3. Significant percentages of ad-buyers have moved on from third-party cookies for targeting.
    4. Google opens up its Sandbox.
    5. What to do next
    1. Insider Intelligence Interviews
    2. Sources
    3. Media Gallery

    Charts in This Report

    US Non-Video Programmatic Digital Display Ad Spending, 2021-2025 (billions and % change)The average number of middlemen involved in a publisher's ad sales is going up, not down

    Interviewed for This Report

    Rob Beeler
    Beeler.Tech
    Founder and CEO
    Interviewed June 12, 2023
    Bruce Biegel
    Winterberry Group
    Senior Managing Partner
    Interviewed June 21, 2023
    Tyler Bishop
    Ezoic
    Chief Marketing Officer
    Interviewed July 7, 2023
    Sean Buckley
    Magnite
    Chief Revenue Officer
    Interviewed June 30, 2023
    Peter Cunha
    Sovrn
    Managing Director
    Interviewed June 12, 2023
    Tina Iannacchino
    Seedtag
    Senior Publishing Director, US
    Interviewed June 14, 2023
    Jaan Janes
    PubMatic
    Vice President, Publisher Partnerships
    Interviewed June 15, 2023
    Chris Kane
    Jounce Media
    Founder
    Interviewed June 13, 2023
    Jana Meron
    Lioness Strategies
    Founder
    Interviewed June 12, 2023
    Ian Meyers
    Sincera
    Co-founder
    Interviewed June 27, 2023
    Brian O’Kelley
    Scope3
    Co-founder, CEO
    Interviewed June 14, 2023
    Mike O’Sullivan
    Sincera
    Co-founder
    Interviewed June 27, 2023
    Lior Shvo
    Sellers.Guide
    Managing Director
    Interviewed July 3, 2023
    Ratko Vidakovic
    AdProfs
    Founder
    Interviewed June 14, 2023
    Lauren Williams
    33Across
    Vice President, Publisher Development
    Interviewed June 6, 2023

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    authors

    Max Willens

    Contributors

    Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf
    Senior Analyst, Digital Advertising & Media
    Tracy Tang
    Senior Researcher
    Paul Verna
    Principal Analyst