Google Will Now Tell You Exactly How Much It’s Crediting You For Invalid Traffic
Google Ads has added a new feature that shows advertisers the exact amount of spend credited back due to invalid traffic such as bots. This transparency lets marketers identify waste and reallocate funds toward higher‑performing placements.
Google Ads' enhanced disclosure of invalid traffic credits directly impacts the budget efficiency of our external delivery products like RPP-Ex and RPP-EXP, so we must closely monitor such transparency improvements from our external ad partners. Visualizing and reducing wasted budget is crucial for enhancing merchant ad spend ROI.
→ Read on AdExchanger
Custom Ad Algorithms Are Helping Schibsted Media Win Budgets Back From Meta
Schibsted Media deployed its own ad‑algorithm suite, leveraging first‑party data and machine‑learning to optimize bids and targeting, thereby recapturing spend that had migrated to Meta’s walled‑garden. The approach improves both CPC and conversion rates.
Schibsted Media's success in reclaiming ad budget from Meta by leveraging first-party data and machine learning for bidding optimization highlights the potential for maximizing ad effectiveness independently. We should further promote proprietary data utilization and algorithm development for products like RDA and TDA-EXP to enhance merchant ROI and secure ad budgets.
→ Read on AdExchanger
British Airways Parent IAG Bets Big on Advertising
IAG announced a new advertising network that unifies its media assets across airlines, loyalty programmes and travel services, offering deep audience targeting and programmatic buying. The solution provides a single buying interface and measurement tools, enabling agencies to purchase travel‑related media in one place.
IAG's launch of an integrated ad network leveraging its first-party media assets demonstrates how non-retail players are also moving towards commerce media monetization. We should consider offering an agency-friendly, unified purchase interface and measurement tools to attract brand budgets from niche markets like travel, thereby encouraging investment in our brand ad products, including RDA.
→ Read on Adweek
Agencies Lose Amazon’s Legacy DVA Fee Setting After January 31, 2027
Amazon will retire its legacy DVA fee structures for agencies after Jan 31 2027 and roll out five new fee methods across four tiers in beta. The old billing model will no longer apply, altering cost calculations for agency‑managed campaigns.
Amazon's overhaul of its agency fee structure will prompt changes in agencies' operational costs and revenue models. We need to evaluate the impact of Amazon's new fee model on our agency partnership strategy for acquiring brand budgets and consider our own partnership terms and product offerings to maintain a competitive advantage.
→ Read on PPC Land
Amazon’s 16 Benchmark Recommendations Never Suggest Cutting Budgets
Amazon’s benchmark tool advises advertisers with CPC or CPM below peer averages to increase bids rather than reduce spend, across 18 countries. This approach can drive higher media spend without necessarily improving ROI.
Amazon's benchmark tool tending to recommend bid increases without necessarily guaranteeing ROI improvement suggests a platform incentive for budget maximization. For ROAS-primary products like RPP-EXP and TDA-EXP, we must further enhance the quality of our metrics and advice to ensure our recommendations transparently lead to improved merchant ROI.
→ Read on PPC Land
Amazon Forces Prediction Markets Through Gambling Ad Verification
Amazon is mandating a prediction‑market‑based verification process for gambling ads, covering eight supply types such as Prime Video and Twitch, with country‑specific legality rules. Approval now depends on this new compliance step.
Amazon's mandatory prediction market-based certification for gambling ads highlights the heavy compliance responsibility ad platforms bear, especially in highly regulated categories. When considering future ad product expansion or new content types, we must evaluate the need for more robust content policies and certification systems to maintain customer trust.
→ Read on PPC Land
Zeta Global Raises 2026 Revenue Forecast to $1.855bn After 46% Q3 Jump
Data‑driven ad tech firm Zeta Global raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $1
The strong growth of data-driven ad tech company Zeta Global's AI-powered marketing platform underscores robust market demand for advanced automation and data utilization. As TDA is our primary AI product, we should review our strategy to further accelerate overall ad revenue growth through its enhanced functionality and adoption.
→ Read on PPC Land
LinkedIn takes job-role TV ad targeting to the UK, its third market
LinkedIn has launched its job‑role‑based TV ad targeting service in the United Kingdom, enabling B2B marketers to reach audiences filtered by professional role and expanding the offering after two prior markets. This adds a new upper‑funnel channel for mid‑market account acquisition.
LinkedIn's expansion of job-based TV ad targeting demonstrates how rich first-party data can create highly valuable audience segments in specific upper-funnel channels. We should explore the potential for new precision-targeting ad products aimed at capturing brand budgets (Axis 2) by combining our vast customer data with video content (Influencer × Video).
→ Read on ppc.land
Xbox cloud players face 3 minutes of ads for each free 30‑minute session
Microsoft plans to insert non‑skippable 16:9 video ads during loading screens for Xbox Cloud users without Game Pass, delivering about three minutes of ads per 30‑minute free session (≈6 minutes per hour). Advertisers gain exposure to a highly engaged gamer audience.
Microsoft's plan to insert unskippable video ads into free Xbox Cloud sessions highlights the trend of platforms maximizing ad revenue at the expense of user experience. In our Influencer × Video strategy, we must carefully consider the balance between ad frequency and user experience to optimize effective video ad placement and monetization.
→ Read on ppc.land
Tour aggregators gain a Google Search unit for EEA things‑to‑do queries
Google has introduced a new Search unit for travel aggregators in the EEA, requiring VSS approval and a POI feed, that places travel results in a dedicated slot separate from standard listings. This creates a fresh commerce‑media inventory for travel‑related searches.
Google's introduction of a specialized search unit for EEA travel aggregators, creating new commerce media inventory, demonstrates that profitable ad spaces can be built by combining deep product data and approval processes in specific verticals. We should explore opportunities to leverage our strengths in product data and services within existing search ad products like RPP to develop more specialized and value-added ad units.
→ Read on ppc.land
Pinterest Puts Similar Products’ Prices and Reviews Side by by in the US
Pinterest has begun an iOS‑only test in the United States that displays price and review information for similar products side‑by‑side on product pages. The feature lets shoppers compare options instantly within the platform, raising the stakes for advertisers to present competitive pricing and compelling reviews.
Pinterest's testing of a feature displaying similar product prices and reviews side-by-side suggests increasing importance of competitive pricing and customer reviews on visual platforms. We should enhance features supporting merchants in optimizing pricing and acquiring quality reviews to maximize the effectiveness of various ad products, including RDA and RPP-EXP.
→ Read on PPC Land
Samsung’s Gemini Glasses Go on Sale December 10 in the US – Advertising Targeting Restricted
Samsung’s new wearable “Gemini” glasses launch in the United States. The company states that images captured by the glasses’ camera cannot be used for ad targeting or AI training, and voice requests are similarly excluded, limiting granular audience segmentation based on visual data.
Samsung's policy of not using camera images or voice data from its Gemini glasses for ad targeting demonstrates that user privacy protection is a strong differentiator in new wearable technology. In future product development and partnerships, we must constantly consider the balance between advanced targeting and privacy protection to avoid compromising customer trust.
→ Read on PPC Land
Netflix Ad Tier Gains 800,000 UK Homes in a Quarter
Netflix’s ad‑supported tier now reaches 44% of its 18.3 million UK homes, adding 800 k households in the latest quarter. The expansion signals growing video‑ad inventory for marketers.
Netflix's rapid expansion of its ad-supported plan, significantly increasing video ad inventory in the UK, clearly indicates a booming premium video ad market. In our Influencer × Video strategy, we should fully leverage this trend by securing high-quality video ad inventory and accelerating collaborations with relevant external partners to strengthen brand budget acquisition (Axis 2).
→ Read on PPC Land
Google ad tags gain full IPs on January 11 unless sGTM owners build a fix
Google announced that from Jan 11 its ad tags for Ads, DV360, SA360 and CM360 will mask the last octet of the IPv4 address, limiting full‑IP collection unless publishers using server‑side GTM (sGTM) implement a fix. This change can affect geo‑targeting precision and consent handling, requiring advertisers to update their tag setups.
Google's change limiting full IPv4 address collection will affect geotargeting accuracy, so we must urgently verify technical tag settings and assess the impact on data collection for products using the Google ad ecosystem, such as RPP-Ex, RPP-EXP, and TDA-EXP. Accurate geotargeting is directly linked to merchant ad effectiveness, thus timely action is critical.
→ Read on ppc.land
EU adviser says court was wrong to scrap Google's €1.49bn AdSense fine
An EU adviser argued that the European Court’s decision overturning the €1.49 bn antitrust fine against Google’s AdSense program was mistaken, emphasizing ongoing concerns about Google’s market dominance and unfair terms for publishers. Regulatory pressure on Google’s ad network remains high.
The ongoing regulatory pressure on Google AdSense indicates continued high scrutiny over large platforms' market dominance and fairness in ad networks. In our partnerships with Google for external delivery products like RPP-Ex, RPP-EXP, and TDA-EXP, we must constantly assess the potential impact of regulatory trends on partnership terms and market conditions to manage risks effectively.
→ Read on ppc.land
Google’s €460m EU search fine left out the AI Mode it now pushes in Chrome
The EU imposed a €460 million fine on Google for search‑related practices, but the fine does not cover Chrome’s AI Mode. AI Mode, enabled in Chrome (68.8% market share), serves AI‑generated results only to users who search on Google, raising the possibility of regulatory scrutiny on this feature.
While the EU excluded Chrome's AI mode from Google's search fine, the potential for future regulatory intervention highlights the risk of AI-generated content in search becoming a new regulatory target. As we advance AI-generated ad products like TDA and AI initiatives in RPP, we must prioritize transparency for AI content and adapt to evolving regulatory trends.
→ Read on ppc.land
Ströer's digital billboard sales gain 11% as paper posters drop 4.4%
Programmatic screen sales jumped 21.1% after a 45% share in Q2, while German DOOH buyers see a slowdown. Q4 orders include the first from AI firms, raising questions about meeting the 2026 guidance.
Ströer's increased digital ad sales and decline in paper posters indicate accelerating digitalization and programmatic adoption in the OOH market, with AI's growing role evident from initial AI company orders. In our strategies for brand advertising like RDA and AI-related products like TDA, we must continuously consider digital transformation and AI adoption trends across diverse ad channels to evolve our offerings and seize new market opportunities.
→ Read on ppc.land
iHeartMedia cuts 2026 profit forecast by up to $250m as radio slides
Radio division profit fell 43% to $68 M, driven mainly by non‑cash marketing costs. The Q4 outlook adds another $100 M expense, while AudioGraph aims to generate $100 M of programmatic radio revenue.
iHeartMedia's declining radio business and focus on programmatic radio revenue highlight programmatic capabilities as key to sustaining revenue even in traditional media. We should reconfirm that strengthening programmatic capabilities across diverse channels, such as auto-optimized delivery to external media in RPP Evolution and TDA-EXP's Criteo and SmartNews integrations, is essential for our ad product growth.
→ Read on ppc.land
Gracenote and Magnite package US streaming TV ads by what is on screen
Buyers in the US can obtain Deal IDs built on Gracenote data covering 58 million titles, usable in ClearLine or any DSP. Pricing, fees and participating services remain undisclosed.
Gracenote and Magnite's move to package streaming TV ads based on screen content shows that precise video ad targeting aligned with content context is creating new value. In our Influencer × Video strategy and brand budget products like RDA, we should seek opportunities to enhance our appeal to brand advertisers by classifying video content finely and strengthening data-driven targeting.
→ Read on ppc.land
Google says CDN bot blocks can drop products from Shopping and ads
When sites migrate to a CDN, Googlebot may hit cold caches and origin servers, resulting in 429 or 503 errors for 1‑2 days. These errors can cause temporary removal of Shopping listings and ads.
Google's highlighted Googlebot access issues during CDN migration could lead to temporary removal of shopping listings and ads, directly impacting merchant RPP and RPP-EXP performance. We must proactively assess technical impacts when using CDNs in our ad systems and merchant site operations, taking measures to ensure continuous ad delivery.
→ Read on ppc.land
AI labels won’t save public figure impersonators from Google Ads suspension
Google announced that ads employing AI‑generated likenesses of celebrities will be suspended without prior warning, relying on image and text analysis to detect violations. Advertisers must therefore manage AI‑generated creative more cautiously to avoid account bans.
Google's strict prohibition on ads using AI-generated likenesses or voices of public figures suggests high ethical and legal risks in AI creative. For AI-generated ad products like TDA, we must establish extremely cautious operational frameworks, strengthening automated creative analysis and approval processes to avoid account suspension risks due to inappropriate content.
→ Read on PPC Land
Bing’s AI‑off switch for Chrome also makes Bing the default search engine
Bing introduced a “-ai” query parameter that hides AI answers and simultaneously set Bing as Chrome’s default search engine, potentially shifting a portion of Chrome traffic away from Google. The impact on ad placements and bidding remains unclear.
Bing's potential to become Chrome's default search engine could shift user flow in the search market, leading to traffic moving from Google to Bing. We must closely monitor how this trend impacts merchant search ad budget allocation when considering strategies for search-linked ad products like RPP and RPP-EXP.
→ Read on PPC Land
Eskimi & Broadsign Partner to Expand Global Programmatic DOOH Access Across 78 Countries
Eskimi (creative‑media tech) and Broadsign (OOH technology) have announced a partnership that will provide programmatic access to digital‑out‑of‑home inventory in 78 countries. Advertisers can now buy OOH inventory in real time and combine it with online media for true multi‑screen campaigns.
Eskimi and Broadsign's expanded programmatic DOOH access indicates that out-of-home advertising can now be purchased more data-driven and efficiently as part of integrated multi-screen campaigns. In our strategies for brand budget products like RDA and external-facing products like TDA-EXP, we should deeply evaluate the potential of programmatic multi-screen advertising and explore future channel integration opportunities.
→ Read on ExchangeWire
AdPlayer.Pro Announces Q3 2026 Video Advertising Technology SaaS Advances
AdPlayer.Pro released its Q3 2026 results, highlighting growth in its video‑ad SaaS platform, new feature roll‑outs and an expanding client base. The report underscores rising demand for scalable, data‑driven video advertising solutions.
AdPlayer.Pro's growth in its video ad SaaS platform affirms continued strong demand for scalable, data-driven video ad solutions. As we advance our Influencer × Video strategy, we should actively consider leveraging such specialized technologies and partnerships to strengthen our video ad offerings and maximize contributions to brand budget acquisition (Axis 2).
→ Read on ExchangeWire
Adnami Launches MCP Server in Beta to Simplify Campaign Workflows
Adnami released a beta Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that lets advertisers connect their Adnami accounts to AI assistants and manage campaign creation and optimization via API. The solution aims to cut manual operations and integrate with existing DSP/SSP stacks.
Adnami's release of a beta MCP server to simplify campaign creation and optimization via AI assistants indicates that automation and AI integration in ad workflows are becoming new industry standards. We must accelerate the adoption of AI-driven automation tools and their integration with existing systems to enhance campaign operational efficiency for dynamic ads like RPP-EXP and TDA-EXP, beyond just creative generation in TDA.
→ Read on ExchangeWire
AdPlayer.Pro Video Ad Tech Provider Announces Q3 2026 Progress
AdPlayer.Pro reported Q3 2026 revenue growth, new partnerships, and the rollout of additional video formats and programmatic integrations that expand its video inventory. The company positions video as a higher‑margin channel for brand advertisers.
AdPlayer.Pro positioning video advertising as a more profitable channel for brand advertisers underscores that diversified video formats and programmatic integrations are driving video ad market growth. We must further accelerate our Influencer × Video strategy, introducing new video ad formats and strengthening programmatic integrations with external platforms to vigorously pursue brand budget acquisition (Axis 2).
→ Read on ExchangeWire
Digest: TikTok’s Infinite Scroll Faces EU Regulatory Scrutiny; Reddit Tests AI‑Generated Product Reviews
The European Commission has preliminarily found TikTok’s infinite‑scroll UI potentially breaching the Digital Services Act, raising compliance risks for ad placements. Meanwhile, Reddit is testing AI‑generated product reviews that may soon blend with native advertising.
TikTok's infinite scroll UI facing EU regulatory scrutiny and Reddit testing AI-generated product reviews indicate that generative AI content and user experience are becoming new regulatory targets, making ad transparency more critical than ever. For AI-generated ad products and content like TDA, we must ensure clear AI disclosure and guideline adherence to reduce compliance risks and maintain consumer trust.
→ Read on ExchangeWire