From Google’s cookie deprecation drama to AI-driven innovations, these must-read AdMonsters articles captured the biggest ad tech moments of 2024.
2024 has been a wild ride for ad tech, and AdMonsters has been right there on the front lines, reporting every twist, turn, and unexpected plot development. From Google’s rollercoaster cookie deprecation plans to the rise of AI-powered tools that promise to revolutionize ad ops, the articles we’ve written this year have kept us on our toes.
It’s been a year of disruption and innovation, where industry leaders weighed in on everything from privacy battles to creative revenue strategies, and we’re here to give you a rundown of the best reads from the year.
In this listicle, we’re diving into the highlights—articles that shook up the conversation, sparked debate, and, most importantly, provided actionable insights for anyone in the ad tech trenches.
Whether you’re looking to navigate the murky waters of data collaboration or just trying to figure out if AI can actually deliver on its promises, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s take a look at the stories that made 2024 a year to remember:
Industry Leaders Respond to Google’s Cookie Deprecation Pause and New Opt-Out Mechanism
2024 is the year of the plot twist and the curveball. Did some industry experts see an announcement like this coming? Absolutely. But it definitely made some clutch their pearls.
Google hit pause on its cookie deprecation plan—again. This time, they plan to roll out a new third-party cookie opt-out mechanism, letting users decide their data destiny. The announcement left ad tech pros scrambling (and side-eyeing) as the industry debated what this would mean for privacy, competition, and the hard-won progress on cookieless solutions. Reactions ranged from cautious optimism to straight-up skepticism.
Some said the extra time is a blessing, allowing publishers and advertisers to refine strategies. Others worried it’s just kicking the can down the road while complicating privacy messaging. One thing’s clear: Google’s balancing act between privacy demands and ad revenue realities keeps the industry on its toes. (Read more)
The Downside of Curation
Curation sounds like a win-win, but is it really? Raptive’s Ryan Maynard pulls back the curtain on sell-side curation, revealing inefficiencies, hidden fees, and a hit to working media dollars that few are discussing.
The pitch? Streamlined buying for advertisers and incremental revenue for publishers. The catch? Curation Houses act like modern-day ad networks, reselling inventory with hefty markups—sometimes as high as 114%. That means less transparency, less publisher control, and more inefficiency in SPO.
Advertisers are left paying higher CPMs for lower-value inventory, while publishers miss out on leveraging first-party data and quality direct deals.
Bottom line: don’t let the hype sideline strategy. Curation has its perks, but publishers are the real MVPs when it comes to optimizing their own inventory. (Read more)
Surviving the SEO Shake-Up: Publishers vs. Google’s New Game
Is Google Search broken? Not really—but the better question is, are publishers ready to adapt to the rules Google keeps rewriting? Scott Messer, Principal & Founder at Messer Media, explores how Google’s latest algorithm updates have thrown SEO strategies into chaos, leaving publishers scrambling for traffic while Google rakes in ad revenue.
For years, publishers built their strategies around Google’s search rules, only to see them rewritten overnight. AI-generated content and the pandemic’s “best of” listicle explosion has turned search results into a junk drawer (ironic, we publish this “best of” article). Meanwhile, Google isn’t optimizing for publishers—it’s doubling down on its ad empire, where revenue keeps climbing as publisher traffic dwindles.
Clinging to the old playbook won’t work. To survive, publishers must focus on unique content, direct engagement, and adaptability. (Read more)
What Are the Top Data Clean Rooms Solutions?
Data clean rooms (DCRs) are like secret meeting spots for data—allegedly allowing collaboration while keeping privacy and security locked tight. Think of them as Excel pivot tables on steroids, offering insights from massive datasets without exposing the raw data.
From AWS Clean Rooms’ seamless integration to Snowflake’s user-friendly templates, DCRs like InfoSum and LiveRamp attempt to redefine how businesses share and analyze data. This listicle is a great start to see some of the go-to data-clean rooms. However, one must approach DCRs with a dose of caution, as there is some industry pushback on whether data-clean rooms are actually privacy-safe.
Still, as Myles Younger, Head of Innovation and Insights at U of Digital, aptly puts it, the real magic lies in using clean rooms to drive client value and measurable results. (Read more)
5 Ways Publishers Can Actually Use AI
The AI gold rush is in full swing, with every tech company claiming to harness its magic and every publisher cautiously curious. According to Shay Brog, CEO, Burt Intelligence, while there’s no shortage of snake oil salesmen, AI isn’t just hype—it’s a toolkit for simplifying operations and driving user engagement.
Imagine site-specific chatbots answering reader questions or nudging them toward deeper content rabbit holes, all while generating referral traffic. Or, how generative ads seamlessly complement dynamic content, like a betting ad appearing when an AI predicts Rafael Nadal’s odds at the French Open.
On the backend, AI is the ultimate assistant, automating data grunt work and fixing pesky discrepancies across systems. Forecasting traffic spikes becomes smarter, too—whether predicting a viral nail-biter or a Black Friday blowout. Publishers don’t need a revolution—they need tools that save time, make money, and free up their ad ops teams to focus on the big wins. According to this article, AI can deliver. (Read more)
The Dawn of Hedged Gardens: The Evolution of Data Collaboration
Jeffrey Bustos, VP of Measurement Addressability Data Center at the IAB, explores the rise of “Hedged Gardens,” where data privacy meets collaboration in a world beyond “Walled Gardens.” Built on decentralized data clean rooms, these spaces use identity resolution and differential privacy tools to enable secure, seamless data-sharing. It’s a smarter, less restrictive way to balance protection and utility.
Clean rooms are the Swiss Army knife of ad tech, tackling audience activation, data enrichment, and privacy challenges in one go. As Mebrulin Francisco of EssenceMediacom puts it, they empower first-party data with tight governance, offering advertisers real value while respecting privacy. With “Hedged Gardens” and “Clean Houses” leading the way, data collaboration is getting a serious upgrade. (Read more)
The Guardian US Reveals Its Content and Revenue Diversification Strategy
The Guardian US is embracing content diversification with a playful twist. Earlier this year, they launched their “Well Actually” vertical, which dives into health and wellness. After its launch, “Well Actually” debuted with over 10 million global page views.
Steve Sachs, The Guardian US’ Managing Director, notes that the publisher’s broader goal is to deepen engagement, not just expand reach. With audience loyalty growing via newsletters like Reclaim Your Brain—3M+ pageviews and 72K signups in weeks—The Guardian is transforming casual readers into dedicated supporters.
Amid a challenging publishing climate, their revenue model shines with a blend of ads, reader contributions, and philanthropic support. As Sachs puts it, “Our approach—open to all, funded by many—keeps us resilient.” (Read more)
Rethinking Revenue: How Publishers Are Prioritizing UX
Publishers are waking up to the fact that the old “ads for content” exchange is crumbling. With user frustration over intrusive ads at an all-time high, a new approach is taking hold—one that prioritizes user experience while still generating revenue.
From The New York Times’ subscriber-first strategy to Dotdash Meredith’s sleek, minimal ad experience, smart publishers prove that respecting users leads to better engagement and increased profits. The secret? Fewer, more relevant ads and a focus on personalized content.
As ad blockers continue to gain popularity, the need for innovative revenue strategies is clear. Publishers are turning to ad-filtering tech to balance UX with monetization, letting users control their ad experience without sacrificing revenue. Ad filtering technologies, like the Acceptable Ads Standard, show that users are willing to accept non-intrusive ads to keep content free. The message is loud and clear: prioritize the user, and the revenue will follow. (Read more)