In today’s podcast episode, we discuss how insufficient measurement is preventing advertisers from investing more in digital, the role mobile-grade measurement plays in shaping digital transformation strategies across channels, why AI isn’t fixing your measurement problems, and how organizations are responding to the growing pressure to prove ROI. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Analyst Chris Wood and AppsFlyer Chief Marketing Officer Ran Avrahamy. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

New formats, better measurement, and brand safeguards help, but marketers should keep budgets experimental.

Brands can reach more affluent shoppers but should avoid neglecting broader audiences.

Small advertisers are flooding connected TV (CTV). Media data shows brands spending under $1 million per year on CTV platforms are increasing, opening TV advertising to buyers who could never afford it. That shift is reshaping performance marketing as AI disrupts traditional channels like search and social media. "The environment is perfectly tailor-made for exactly this to happen," said Matt Collins, vice president of product marketing at MNTN, during EMARKETER's Future of Digital summit this week. "Digital infrastructure allows for precision of audience targeting and measurement, to be able to give advertisers a very clear read for budgets that are very deliberate."

Lower CPCs and solid CVRs make the platform a cost-efficient complement to Google search.

API and Smartly support make its existing automation easier to adopt, helping Reddit compete for more ad budgets.

Economic headwinds are reshaping Asia-Pacific ad spend as AI-powered platforms, retail media, and video continue to attract performance-focused budgets. Digital remains resilient as growth diverges across China, Australia, Japan, and Thailand.

Travel advertisers can move viewers toward action and tailor video assets more easily with Google's Demand Gen updates.

Native tags cut purchase friction and give brands clearer conversion data.

Magnite leans on CTV gains: Streaming powered another strong quarter as AI played a supporting role in the company’s broader CTV efforts.

PubMatic, Optable create a workflow for agent-to-agent deals: The automation is already live, syncing campaign briefs to publisher audiences in real time.

Snap beats revenue estimates as US audience shrinks: Marketers should stay selective until the platform proves it can support durable ad demand.

Snapchat adds agency tools and HubSpot integration: The company aims to make lead gen, attribution, and ROAS easier for performance marketers.

ChatGPT ads optimize for conversions: Marketers have a stronger case to test the platform, but should wait for more reliable attribution before scaling.

CTV competes for budgets, but trust in measurement lags: Proof of leads and sales could help brands judge CTV alongside search and social.

OpenAI ads open in European markets: OpenAI is seeking proof that ads can fuel revenues before its IPO.

Reddit makes testing easier: Reddit's A/B tool gives advertisers native data to prove which campaign tactics lift ROAS before scaling.

Meta simplifies ad creation: Meta’s AI mixes existing images and videos into top-performing ad variants, cutting setup time and manual testing.

Resale has moved from niche to mainstream, with over half (59%) of consumers shopping secondhand apparel last year, according to thredUP. But as platforms scale to millions of items, the real challenge shifts from inventory to discovery, helping shoppers navigate an endless aisle of one-of-a-kind pieces without feeling overwhelmed.

Advertising platforms are becoming easier to use, yet performance gains remain elusive for many marketers. As AI evolves, attention is shifting from automation to the systems driving decision-making.