Looking back on the second half of 2023, it’s clear that advertising and commerce performance was strongly influenced by conflicting macroeconomic factors. Ad rates began a much-needed comeback, inflation rates dropped, and consumer spending hit record levels during the holiday season — yet turmoil in the publishing industry continues, as evidenced by ongoing layoffs.
In our new H2 2023 Industry Report, we examine these trends to understand their impact on programmatic and commerce results. We also share top tips to help optimize your strategy for 2024.
Key Takeaways
- Advertising: After suffering through declining ad revenue in 2022 and early 2023, ad rates recovered in H2 2023 — and that growth is expected to accelerate throughout 2024. Cyclical events like the Olympics and the US presidential election will drive ad growth in 2024, so take steps to capture this “bonus” revenue through effective ad pricing.
- Commerce: Lower inflation in the second half of 2023 led to strong online sales, especially during the record-breaking holiday shopping season. Our data shows positive overall trends in several year-over-year performance metrics, including conversion rates and EPCs (earnings per click). That said, results varied significantly by category.
To succeed in a rapidly changing environment, you need to be both smart and proactive with your decision making. That means staying on top of evolving market conditions, having a reliable source of data and insights, and working with strong partners to help ensure your strategy is sound.
In this report, you’ll find data-backed insights and performance metrics to help you prepare for what is shaping up to be another challenging year.
