Digiday+ Research roundup: Publishers’ revenue tactics and TikTok were 2024’s biggest topics

Digiday+ Research tracked it all throughout the year, with regular surveys of publisher, agency, brand and retailer professionals. Below, we round up the biggest trends of the year, based on the data that resonated the most with our readers.

Publishers tried out different tactics seeking revenue growth in 2024

After a rough 2023, publishers were hopeful they would see revenue growth in 2024 (half expected ad revenues to grow this year, a Q4 2023 survey found) — and, according to Digiday+ Research surveys conducted throughout the year, they took different approaches to different revenue sources to achieve that.

For example, after a Q1 survey indicated that publishers were moving away from subscriptions as a revenue source, they had changed their minds by Q3, when half of publishers said they would put a large or very large focus on building their subscriptions business in the next six months. Meanwhile, programmatic revenue continues to be an important piece of publishers’ revenue pies, but many have taken their foot off the gas pedal when it comes to events revenue.

Key stats:

• 50% of publishers said at the end of 2023 that they agreed their companies’ ad revenues would grow in 2024.
• 56% of publishers headed into 2024 with more ad product offerings than in 2023, with 58% adding branded content ad products, specifically.
• 44% of publisher pros told Digiday in Q1 of this year that they don’t get any revenue from subscriptions, up significantly from the 26% who said the same just six months prior.
• 83% of publishers said in Q3 that they’ll put at least a very small focus on building their subscriptions business in the next six months, up from just 67% in Q3 last year.
• 82% of publishers said in Q1 that they get at least a very small portion of their revenue from programmatic ads.
• 48% of publishers said in Q1 of this year that they’re not focused at all on building their events business in the next six months.

The charts that tell the story:

Read the stories:

• Publishers turn their focus away from subscriptions
• Subscriptions poised to make a comeback as publishers sort out revenue priorities for 2025
• Publishers continue to rely on programmatic revenue, despite recent issues
• Most publishers grew their ad offerings last year, with a focus on branded content
• Publishers’ revenues fell short of expectations in 2023, but most see growth ahead in 2024
• Publishers take their focus off events as revenue dips

Video captured the attention of marketers and publishers — especially on social

This year, TikTok took the lead over YouTube for marketers’ and publishers’ social media-based video efforts, while marketers invested more in TV ads (Amazon’s entry into that arena certainly helped there). About two-thirds of brands, retailers and publishers are now using TikTok, and more than half of marketers were investing in TV advertising, including streaming, at 2024’s halfway point. It will be interesting to track this story into 2025, as TikTok’s uncertain future in the U.S. (or lack of a U.S. future entirely) becomes more clear.

Key stats:

• 67% of brand and retailer pros said over the summer that their companies were using TikTok, followed by YouTube at 60%.
• 40% of brands and retailers said this year that they bought ads on TikTok, up from 35% in 2023 and 24% in 2022.
• 60% of brands and retailers said in 2024 that they used YouTube, down from 74% last year.
• 58% of brands, retailers and agencies said they were putting ad spend toward TV as of Q2.
• 42% of marketers said in Q2 they had purchased video ads on an Amazon streaming platforms, and 66% said they’re planning on doing so in the next six months.
• 67% of publishers said this year that their titles post content on TikTok, up from 61% last year and 51% the year before.
• 71% of publishers said they use YouTube, down from 73% last year and 83% in 2022.
• 61% of publishers said this year that TikTok is valuable for branding, up from 46% in 2023 and 44% in 2022.

The charts that tell the story:

Read the stories:

• TikTok moves ahead of YouTube for brands’ video-focused social media marketing
• Marketers ramp up their TV ad spend, with Amazon holding growth potential
• Deep dive: Are publishers shifting their social video efforts to focus on TikTok over YouTube?

Social media marketing held strong in 2024, but marketers shifted their strategies

Speaking of TikTok, marketers upped their ad spend on the platform this year, while they cut back on their ad spend on X in the midst of brand safety issues. Digiday checked in with marketers at the beginning of the year and put together a ranking of the marketing channels they were using, and social media claimed the top spot by far compared to other channels. In the first half of the year, Digiday’s survey data found that the percentage of brand marketers spending money on TikTok grew from just more than half to more than three-quarters over the period of a year. Meanwhile, marketers’ X usage was trailing far behind its social media competitors, and survey data showed marketing spend on the platform dropped dramatically.

Key stats:

• 98% of brands and retailers and 94% of agencies said they use social media as a marketing channel.
• 75% of brands and retailers and 72% of agencies said social media accounts for the highest percentage of their marketing budgets.
• 32% of agency pros said in Q1 that their clients were using X, and 27% of brand and retailers pros said their companies use X.
• 26% of brands and 24% of agency clients put marketing spend toward X as of Q1.
• 39% of marketers said brand safety concerns are their biggest challenge on X, making it the top-ranked challenge on the platform.
• 73% of brands and retailers were using TikTok as of Q1.
• 79% of brands and retailers said this year they spent some of their marketing budget on TikTok, up from 54% a year ago.
• Engagement is the main measurement of marketing success on TikTok for 41% of brands and retailers, making it the No. 1 measurement on the platform among brands.

The charts that tell the story:

Read the stories:

• Marketers cut way back on X spending as brand safety concerns persist
• A definitive ranking of brands’ and agencies’ marketing channels, where social reigns supreme
• Deep dive: TikTok is getting even more marketing spend from brands and retailers

Honorable mention: Publishers’ and marketers’ thoughts on cookies

For obvious reasons, we couldn’t publish a roundup of the year without talking about third-party cookies. In Q2 2024, a majority of publishers told Digiday that they thought cookies would still be around in 2025 and beyond — and they were right. By the summer, Google decided to keep cookies in its Chrome browser after all, ultimately leaving tracking via third-party cookies up to individual consumers. And while marketers seem to be taking the bait (the group is about evenly split on whether they’ll continue to rely on cookies in light of Google’s decision), publishers are ready to move on from cookies with or without Google.

Key stats:

• 62% of publisher pros said in Q2 of this year that they believed it would be Q2 2025 or afterward when Google would finally get rid of third-party cookies in the Chrome browser.
• 70% of publishers said in Q3 that their companies expected Google to change its cookie deprecation plans before the end of the year.
• But 80% of publishers also said they’re more likely to continue with plans to find alternatives to third-party cookies, even in light of Google’s new plans.
• 49% of marketers said in Q3 that they will continue to rely on third-party cookies, while 51% will continue with plans to find cookie alternatives.
• 44% of marketers overall agreed that they had a solid strategy for tracking consumers without third-party cookies as of Q3.

The charts that tell the story:

Read the stories:

• Are cookie concerns, MFAs holding back publishers’ digital revenue?
• Publishers expected Google to keep cookies, but they’re moving on anyway
• Agencies are ready to move on from third-party cookies, while brands lag behind