2025 has been a tough year for publishers, as disruptive technologies challenge traditional approaches to user acquisition and retention. Meanwhile, the AdTech landscape becomes more saturated and competitive than ever.
As we are about to enter a new year, publishers are eager to know how they should tailor their growth strategies and maximize ad revenue.
In this article, Geniee’s Demand-Side Expert, Boy Satria, has an in-depth discussion about how publishers can boost their digital earnings. His insights include:
- Where programmatic ad spend will likely flow to?
- What are the top priorities in 2026’s programmatic advertising?
- How can publishers be prepared for the holiday seasons of 2026?
Where will programmatic ad spend be in 2026?
Emerging ad channels
In 2026, traditional display advertising is projected to reach a point of saturation, which signals a general slowdown in expansion across standard inventory.
Conversely, advertisers are turning their attention to other segments including Connected TV (CTV), Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH), and audio advertising. These channels prove to be potentially more effective in conveying personalization and immersiveness. These two factors are essential for building a strong connection with audiences and enhancing brand recall.
DOOH, in particular, is forecasted by Boy to experience year-over-year growth of around 10-15%. This increase is largely driven by new digital screen installations and improved measurement technologies, which are opening fresh revenue streams for both advertisers and media owners.
Mobile-first is the new norm
Another equally important factor is optimizing for the mobile-first experience. As of October 2025, more than 70% of the world’s population are mobile users and this share is expected to continue growing in 2026.
As a result, publishers must ensure that creative assets, websites, and ad inventories are fully optimized for mobile devices. Nowadays, mobile responsiveness directly impacts engagement, performance, and ultimately ad revenue.
Privacy and trackability are driving 2026’s revenue growth
In 2026, publishers should consider investing in first-party data infrastructure and privacy-safe tracking tools.
As user privacy standards become stricter, publishers must make sure their sites can deliver accurate targeting while protecting user information.
On the other hand, advertisers will also prioritize partners that can provide transparent and insightful reports. They want to monitor the impacts of their investments via clear metrics, such as impressions, click-throughs, and conversions.
Therefore, for publishers, privacy and trackability are the new differentiators. These factors help them deliver verifiable impacts without compromising on users’ privacy concerns, thus making them stand out to buyers.
Key reminders for 2026 holiday campaigns
Seasonal campaigns such as Black Friday, Christmas, and Lunar New Year offer some of the biggest chances of the year to increase ad revenue. However, success depends on timing, budgeting, and creative strategy.
Starting early
Publishers should begin planning at least one week before campaigns go live. Early coordination allows them to optimize ad placements, refresh site layouts, test player performance, and ensure their inventory is available for high-demand periods.
Budgeting wisely
During high-traffic season, it is recommended that publishers allocate impressions strategically across direct deals, programmatic auctions, and preferred partners.
In addition, they can avoid undervaluing premium placements by setting pricing floors based on demand signals.
Creating relevant and engaging ad experiences
Holiday campaigns perform best when paired with contextually relevant and high-impact ad experiences.
Therefore, to best capitalize on the holiday season, publishers must refresh their content and player environments to align with seasonal interests. This drives stronger engagement, which in turn improves viewability, CTR, and overall revenue performance.
Publishing relevant seasonal content for special occasions
During the holiday season, audiences are often looking for fresh ideas and inspiration for their activities. This creates a great opportunity for publishers to produce engaging seasonal content that attracts traffic and also generates additional revenue from their inventory. Popular topics include:
- Promotion and discount campaigns in local areas
- Updates regarding upcoming festive events
- Gift recommendations
Such content naturally draws in organic visitors who are searching for timely information. Therefore, publishers attract new users while keeping existing audiences engaged.
Continuously monitoring
Continuous performance tracking and A/B testing are also critical tasks during the peak season.
Publishers can make timely adjustments after evaluating which ad formats, placement density, and page speed delivers the best results.
Takeaways: Future-proofing your ad revenue strategy in 2026
In the coming year, ad revenue strategy must go beyond short-term gains. It must be driven by adaptability and innovation, as the AdTech landscape anticipates more rapid and significant shifts.
Ultimately, long-term success for publishers relies on publishers’ ability to deliver:
- Engaging user experience
- Proven impacts and measurable performance for buyers
- Timely responses to changes in market preferences.
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