Advertising Technology Blog

TikTok's Streaming Ads, powered by Smart+, are a catalog-fueled performance solution for streaming services to drive subscriber acquisition. Key formats include Multi-Show Experience, Media Card, and Singular Media Card. Early tests show 80% of campaigns outperformed non-Streaming Ads. The New Title Launch solution helps turn tentpole moments into efficient conversions. A limited-time offer provides ad credits up to $1500 plus expert support for new advertisers.

Whiteout Survival led global mobile game revenue in June 2026, driven by strategic live-ops events. Key revenue drivers include themed updates, IP collaborations (e.g., MONOPOLY GO! with Simpsons), and real-world sports tie-ins (FIFA World Cup). Downloads were led by ROBLOX and Free Fire, with directional puzzle games gaining traction. For ad ops, targeting during event-driven spikes and leveraging cultural moments can optimize campaign performance. Note that third-party Android data is excluded.

Mobile app measurement has solved the single-channel problems that plague other digital channels—independent attribution (neutral third-party verification), privacy regulation (survived iOS 14.5 with new methods), signal governance (provenance, chain of custody), fraud detection (15% fraudulent installs, 275% fake installs in some channels), and cross-platform fragmentation. These capabilities, built under duress, now form the foundation for omnichannel measurement. Ad ops must apply mobile-grade rigor per channel first, then connect via CUID, unified attribution logic, and real-time data governance to build a trusted cross-platform framework.

Digital retail maturity shifts focus from downloads to omnichannel experiences, engagement, and ecosystems. Key data: 8.7B app downloads, 400B web visits, mobile 59% of web visits in Q1 2026. Competitive advantage comes from quick commerce, loyalty, content-led discovery, and connected in-store. For ad ops, prioritize engagement and frequency over acquisition; mobile is dominant; ecosystem expansion is critical.

Sports publishers face unique monetization challenges due to event-driven traffic spikes. AI-native SDKs like Moloco optimize ad revenue in real-time without harming user experience. By connecting publishers to premium demand and leveraging machine learning, these tools help maximize yield during high-engagement moments. Key publishers (LiveScore, Sofascore, etc.) adopt Moloco to balance revenue growth with fan retention. The trend reflects a broader shift toward transparent, automated monetization across the app ecosystem.

Adjust Ignite 2026 returns as a global conference series for app marketers, covering mobile measurement, attribution, deep linking, AI, and evolving user behavior. Partnering with Sensor Tower, the first event is in San Francisco on July 9, followed by Tokyo, São Paulo, Istanbul, Guangzhou, and Cyprus. Sessions focus on practical, real-world experiences rather than theory, addressing privacy-first measurement, AI integration in marketing workflows, and strategies for acquisition, engagement, and long-term value. Attendees gain actionable insights and networking opportunities with industry peers.

Shopee's affiliate program has grown to 36 million affiliates globally, with active affiliates doubling YoY. Creator-led content via Reels and live formats drives product discovery, while Meta's Advantage+ catalogue ads reduced cost per acquisition by 43%. Peggy Zhu advises marketers to treat AI as core to operations, not a side project.

Global eCommerce web traffic hit record highs in Q4 2025, with visits up 9% YoY and unique visitors up 21%. Mobile growth stabilizes, making web a critical acquisition channel. India leads with 58B visits (+28% YoY). Temu ranks #2 cross-platform; SHEIN's web visitors surged 70% YoY. Fashion eCommerce web visits rose 54% YoY. Nykaa's net profit surged 183% as it shifts ad spend from Tier-1 to Tier-2/3 cities and leverages content-driven referrals. Ad ops should prioritize web channel optimization and emerging market expansion.

The advertising model is shifting from deterministic identity to probabilistic prediction, as cookies become less reliable. Advertisers can now find high-intent audiences in non-obvious contexts (e.g., insurance buyers in puzzle games) using SDK-based platforms that directly integrate with supply. These platforms predict outcomes like installs and purchases better than legacy systems, which rely on intermediaries and suffer from weaker signals. For ad ops, adopting predictive, outcome-driven platforms with direct supply access is key to efficient growth.

TikTok launches Agentic Hub, a marketplace for AI-powered advertising solutions built on TikTok for Business MCP. It connects AI agents to advertisers' tools, enabling automated campaign creation, management, analysis, and optimization. The ecosystem includes first-party and third-party AI skills from partners like HubSpot and Wix. Advertisers can reduce manual work, gain insights, and make data-driven decisions. A limited promotion offers ad credits for new SMB accounts spending $100-$1500 within 30 days, with restrictions on eligibility.

New features for YouTube Video Reach and Video View campaigns include automatic inclusion of Shorts Ad Actions in budget optimization and reporting, driving 15% more brand consideration and 20% more favorability when ads exceed 10 seconds watch time and receive likes. Additionally, Attributed Branded Searches is now a global Google Ads metric, tracking searches triggered by ads, with each extra branded search generating $31 in sales on average. These tools bridge brand and performance metrics, enabling better ROI measurement for ad ops decision-makers.

Most fintechs (80%) use AI but only 29% see results due to data fragmentation and unclear priorities. Successful teams start with one workflow using existing attribution data. Examples: GCash used Agent Hub for anomaly detection, saving 3+ hours/week; Flip automated reporting via AppsFlyer MCP for a team of three. Key insight: connect clean, existing data to AI tools, don't wait for perfection. AppsFlyer provides a starter kit with prompts and a 30-day plan.

Slay the Spire II generated $140M revenue in 3 months, with 1.7M DAU and 5M MAU. The sequel outperformed the original by 2.5x revenue and sold 3M more copies. A discounted bundle drove 4M purchases in the first week, boosting both titles. The co-op mode (up to 4 players) adds unique mechanics, attracting multiplayer audiences. Despite early access, it is Steam's top seller for 2026, proving small indie hits can compete with major titles. For ad ops, this signals the growing value of franchise bundling and co-op features in driving user acquisition and retention.

Pet supplies emerged as a dominant retail media category in 2025, with three of the top six advertisers being pet brands. Purina led with 6B impressions across 18 RMNs. Facebook was the preferred channel for over half of top brands, but strategies varied: Freshpet and Basepaws used Amazon OnSite Display heavily, while Nexgard focused on OTT. Chewy and Amazon captured the largest impression share. At Walmart, pet supply impressions hit a 3-year high in April 2026, driven by Delectables' on-site display and Walmart's own Facebook campaign using Blue Buffalo. The fragmented landscape highlights the need for multi-platform strategies.

The 2026 GCC app growth report reveals a shift from acquisition to monetization, with IAP revenue surging 41% (4.5x faster than 9% download growth). Seasonality remains critical but engagement is diverging from installs: OTT downloads rose 48% during Ramadan 2026, yet time spent declined. Shopping's peak windows drive nearly 20% of annual downloads. Marketers must recalibrate strategies, focusing on durable engagement rather than peak-driven installs.

AI is reshaping digital advertising as platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini become new discovery channels. Key findings: ChatGPT ad impressions surged 7x since March 2026, and AI-related ad spend tripled in Q1 2026. Early advertisers are concentrated in Shopping, Software, Travel, and Financial Services. AI assistants drive referral traffic to retailers, with Walmart and Target exceeding 1.5% GenAI share. Competition among AI platforms is intensifying, with Claude gaining professional users. For ad ops, integrating AI into media plans and optimizing for AI-driven discovery is critical.

Gen AI apps have become the primary growth engine of the non-gaming market, with revenue surging 232% YoY to $6.1 billion between Q2 2025 and Q1 2026. The US leads with 38% of global revenue, while Japan and Korea emerge as key growth markets. AI Assistants are increasingly concentrated, with ChatGPT dominating, but vertical segments like AI Companions, AI Agents, and AI Image & Video offer fragmented, high-growth opportunities. Lessons from Plaud highlight success through vertical focus, deep localization, and precision advertising. For ad ops, targeting vertical AI segments and localized user acquisition strategies present significant opportunities.

Short drama apps are reshaping mobile entertainment, surpassing 850M downloads in Q1 2026 (up 140% YoY) with IAP revenue reaching $750M. Growth is concentrated in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and India, where these apps outpace traditional OTT in user acquisition. Engagement is surging: daily time spent grew 85% to 25 minutes globally, nearing OTT levels in Southeast Asia. For ad ops, the shift toward ad monetization in addition to IAP opens new inventory opportunities. Key players like FreeReels, NetShort, and Melolo are scaling via localized content and paid acquisition, creating competitive ad markets.

Mobile wallets are evolving beyond payments into platforms for rewards, commerce, and financial services. The report highlights rising engagement through daily sessions, ecosystem integration as a competitive edge, and increased investment in digital advertising focusing on lifestyle and merchant partnerships. For ad ops, the key takeaway is the growing importance of cross-channel acquisition and localized creative strategies to capture high-frequency utility-driven users.

Ad monetization dominates mobile gaming downloads, with puzzle titles driving over half of ad revenue across major networks. Hybrid-casual has split into two models: ads-first and IAP-first, with IAP-driven titles significantly outperforming in total earnings. Success requires aligning game design, network choice, and regional strategy. The report emphasizes that ad strategy is now foundational, not secondary, for player acquisition and monetization.