TikTok advertising works differently than the platforms it competes with: its impact builds slowly, peaks late, and persists after campaigns end. Combined with TikTok Shop's commerce engine and new event-driven surfaces, the platform rewards advertisers who plan for demand-building rather than instant conversion. This FAQ covers TikTok's ad effectiveness evidence, the ownership-transition trust question, and how to buy the platform well in 2026.
Streaming churn fragments advertiser reach: More consumers cancel after watching, making content adjacency useful for reaching audiences wherever they go.
YouTube requirements double: New creators need more views or watch time to be eligible for payouts, concentrating advertising value in larger channels.
Disney+ and Hulu add iHeartMedia video podcasts: The deal could give marketers premium inventory with audiences primed to act on ads.
45% of US Gen Z digital audio listeners play video games while they listen, compared with 28% of listeners overall, according to a March survey from The Harris Poll and EMARKETER.
Premium video raises advertiser risk: CTV impressions surged across every tracked region, while global fraud variants jumped 140% in Q1.
Roku beats expectations in record Q2: The results reinforce its long-term CTV position, while a Fox deal could expand its advertiser appeal.
WBD’s Q2 exposes weak spots: Streaming gains couldn’t offset TV declines, making the Paramount deal more consequential than ever.
Disney turns streaming into an ad engine: FYQ3 results show SVOD, sports, and parks combining to keep advertisers invested despite broader subscription churn.
Paramount’s Q2—no merger, and no growth: Ad prices might soften as the company’s mega-merger.
The NFL’s fan base is broadening, and advertisers now have a more diverse audience to reach over live digital channels. The upcoming season, which kicks off with its first preseason game August 6, will have more international games than ever as the league continues to grow a global audience. US digital live sports viewership will reach 122.7 million, up 6.1% YoY, according to EMARKETER’s forecast. The NFL’s current media rights agreements include two streaming-exclusive deals (Netflix and Prime Video), and four deals with broadcasters that include linear retransmission on streamers (ESPN, Paramount+, Peacock, and Fox One).
Fox is acquiring streaming platform Roku for $22 billion, creating what analysts call the third-largest player in US streaming by share of viewing. The deal gives Fox direct access to Roku's 100 million households worldwide and positions the combined entity to dominate the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) market. "For Fox it really jumpstarts their digital ad revenues," said our analyst Ross Benes on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers." "Fox is still mostly a legacy company, and what they do have for streaming has largely been acquired, such as Tubi."
Live sports remain advertising's last reliable mass-reach environment, and 2026 is proving the point: the NBA Finals shattered viewership benchmarks, the FIFA World Cup is reaching US audiences across every screen, and leagues are moving content onto streaming channels. This FAQ covers how sports audiences are changing, where the ad dollars flow, and how marketers should plan sports investments in 2026.
On today's podcast episode, we discuss the three biggest questions surrounding Google right now: Is Google spending too much in the AI race? Will the company finally rationalize its AI product naming conventions? And what will the next phase of YouTube's growth look like? Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Principal Analyst Nate Elliott and Analyst Marisa Jones. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Short-form video is where social platforms are concentrating their ad innovation in 2026. Instagram is monetizing the moment after a Reel ends, YouTube Shorts earned the industry's first short-form measurement accreditation, and episodic formats are turning casual scrolling into appointment viewing. This FAQ covers the formats, inventory growth, and creative practices shaping short-form video advertising.
Brands can buy into Apple’s audience: Search ads and new in-app inventory reach paid subscribers with cards already on file.
TikTok's biggest US audience isn't Gen Z: 36.5 million visitors ages 25 to 34 came to the platform in May 2026, compared with 24.5 million ages 18 to 24, according to a May survey from Comscore.
Digital audio is quietly restructuring the listening landscape. Ad-supported streaming music is taking share from radio, podcasts are reaching record audiences, and Gen Z spends more time in Spotify's app than YouTube's. For advertisers, audio offers trusted voices and habitual daily attention at prices below video. This FAQ covers where listening is moving, why audio earns budget, and how to plan the channel in 2026.
YouTube views rise but attention declines: Discovery isn’t turning into deeper engagement, making retention and conversions more valuable than reach.
Audio and video podcasts complement each other: Combining both formats can build brand trust first and drive measurable consumer actions later.