Content ads will soon be as big a segment as video, display and social advertising. At least that’s what Zemanta’s Todd Sawicki told attendees of the Digiday Publishing Summit. The reason for this upsurge? Content ads are set to be the primary ad format for mobile.
But what is a content ad? Put simply, it’s any ad that uses content as the creative. It includes things like promoted recommendations, sponsored content, and native ads (all examples of content formatted to be consistent with the publisher site). Unlike other types of ads, content ads do not require standard formats, but do require standard components. These components are used to seamlessly incorporate the ads into a variety of different publisher environments.
For these ads to see the growth Sawicki predicts, they need to be both scalable and engaging. Fortunately, supply-side platforms are beginning to support content ads.
Full video of Sawicki’s talk is available below.
Tech Talk with Zemanta: How Content Ads Will Come to Dominant Publishers Advertising Efforts from Digiday on Vimeo.
More from Digiday
Amazon, Disney and NBC Sports are among this year’s Digiday Streaming and Video Awards finalists
The 2025 Digiday Streaming and Video Awards finalists reflect a clear trend: brands and agencies are prioritizing measurable results, personalization and creative collaborations to deliver high-impact campaigns. From AI-enhanced contextual targeting to personalized content powered by data, the work honored this year showcases how emerging technology and smart partnerships are redefining marketing success. Amazon joined […]
Critical Mass, Wondery, Publicis Imagine and Hulu are 2025 Digiday Media Buying and Planning Awards winners
This year’s Digiday Media Buying and Planning Awards winners demonstrated a trend toward personalized, inclusive campaigns that leveraged high-impact creative and cross-channel integration to drive impactful results. Brands and agencies are also increasingly leaning on strategic partnerships and influencer marketing to amplify brand messaging and foster brand loyalty. Critical Mass showcased the value of personalized […]
Maybe this time, they’ll get lucky: Why marketers believe in mascots again
Amidst the culture wars and economic uncertainty, more brands are turning to mascots to stand out in a crowded marketplace.