OpenAI eyes small, local advertisers: New API, pixel tracking, and accessible pricing test whether chatbot ads can drive real actions.

Magnite leans on CTV and mobile: Q1 revenues rose 6%, but much stronger growth in CTV and mobile shows where buyers are concentrating spending.

Holding deposits would let Shopify expand popular embedded lending services to SMBs.

Upgrades to digital services for SMBs are sorely overdue.

Meta simplifies SMB ad tech: AI upgrades to Pixel and one-click Conversions API cut setup work and lower entry barriers.

Designed as a jack-of-all-trades AI bot, the utility of the feature may help Square capture more commercial loans.

After U.S. Bank and Mastercard picked up the portfolio, Amex can use its new Graphite card to stay ahead.

Increasing credit by 50% could help Square capture business usually held by incumbents.

Comcast unveils Outcomes+ to streamline TV ads; AI-driven targeting and attribution aim to unify streaming and linear buys in one measurable platform.

YouTube is building an influencer engine through new discovery and paid tools that add Gemini search, bulk outreach, and channel takeovers.

It’s betting on flexibility and ease to boost commercial volume amid economic uncertainty.

Visa and Main will inject capital, tools, and additional resources for small businesses’ success.

Installments for QuickBook invoices offers a lifeline to SMBs.

We look at how buying Brex fits into Capital One’s long-term payments strategy.

Omnicom’s IPG deal reshapes agency power dynamics, causing CMOs to eye independent agencies and new talent.

PayPal rolled out Transaction Graph Insights & Measurement at CES to gives advertisers and merchants a clearer, cross-merchant view of how people actually shop and purchase—and early results suggest meaningful impact.

Visa and Mastercard reached a new settlement with merchants to lower fees in the US this November—another attempt to end a roughly 20-year fight in the courts, per SEC filings. The modest interchange reductions and new ability to steer customers away from higher-fee cards offer meaningful cost relief for small and midsize retailers that consumers may be more willing to support by using another card. However, those concessions are unlikely to move the needle for large national chains. They don’t materially change their economics, nor do they address the fundamental issue that networks and issuers still hold most of the pricing power.

LinkedIn released a report on the trends shaping small businesses in 2026, proving that technology, trust, and relationship building will be the pillars of success for small businesses in the years ahead. Despite the unique roadblocks small businesses face amid current macroeconomic conditions, success is possible for those who stay on top of emerging technologies, invest in their digital presence, and build professional relationships.

Amazon is going all-in on AI-powered advertising solutions for small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). SMBs can now create high-quality campaigns without requiring costly resources, giving SMBs access to creative capabilities that were once out of reach.