As we close the books on 2024, we’ve noticed some trends over the past twelve months. Any of these could summarize the “theme” of 2024: the rise of AI, the debate over supply curation, the “will they, won’t they” around cookie deprecation. Together, these trends have laid the groundwork for what’s to come in 2025: It will be the year of empowerment for buyers through choice and control.
Come 2025, ad buyers are likely to experience unprecedented empowerment due to advancements in technology and policy changes. This shift will be marked by enhanced transparency tools, data-driven decision-making capabilities and new regulations pushing for greater accountability in digital advertising.
As these changes unfold, we’re noticing more companies take the route of predetermining what’s best for marketers and, consequently, their brands.
But marketers know their brands and business better than anyone. They should be empowered and trusted with the choice and control to make decisions relevant for their goals and initiatives.
Giving buyers control
Choice and control aren’t just buzzwords; they are tangible examples of how strategic partners can embolden marketers. Throughout the entire buying process, from data and supply planning to performance and optimization through to measurement, it’s critical for buyers to hold the reins.
Supply and data curation are the cornerstones of choice and control. When marketers exercise control over supply, they can select premium publishers, channels and formats that align with their unique objectives, ensuring every impression reaches the most relevant audience, rather than having it preselected for them.
This ability to customize supply creates more efficient campaigns, with placements that resonate while remaining relevant and appropriate for their brand and goals.
Data is a tool, not a mandate
Equally important is data curation. Advertisers should refine and curate data according to their needs to help them target precisely and build meaningful connections. Between first-, second- and third-party data, advertisers have the right to choose data sources, filter audience segments and prioritize insights that matter most. They need to be able to make sure decisions are not only data-driven but also tailored to brand strategy.
Audience extension through modeling, retail media networks and addressability should be dictated by the marketer, not the technology.
AI empowers humans
Choice and control extend to performance and optimization, too. When platforms combine sophisticated algorithms with the insight of skilled buyers, advertisers gain a strategic edge.
Human-driven performance enhancements offer deeper, more nuanced adjustments than automated systems alone can achieve, allowing for real-time, context-aware decisions that align with evolving campaign goals. But knowing when and how these enhancements are applied is vital.
With optimization recommendations crafted by AI but applied by buyers, advertisers can better understand which tactics will drive meaningful results. From adjusting bids to refining audience segments, human insights provide layers of control that boost campaign relevance and efficiency.
This synergy of technology and human expertise allows advertisers to make informed choices, fine-tuning strategies for better reach and impact. Ultimately, it’s this blend of intelligent tools and hands-on guidance that brings more flexibility, precision and effectiveness to campaigns, transforming data into actionable, result-oriented decisions. AI insights can drive outcomes, but human control is necessary for oversight and understanding the impact of the changes.
For example, dynamic creative optimization (DCO) provides buyers choice and control over how ads adapt to different audiences. Through DCO, buyers create multiple ad variations, setting the decisioning path. Then, the algorithm automatically serves and optimizes the most relevant version based on real-time data, from laser-focused first-party data to broader behavioral and interest-based data. This flexibility allows for personalized ad experiences that resonate with each viewer, improving engagement and performance.
While DCO has been around for a while, it is ripe with the opportunity to apply AI to improve and enhance its decision-making. Buyers gain control over creative elements while the technology dynamically tests and optimizes combinations, ensuring every impression is impactful and aligned with campaign goals. Decision trees can be more complex while simultaneously processing more data for faster decisioning. DCO ultimately leads to a more relevant user experience.
Meeting audiences where they are
The transformation of addressability and measurement is creating a more adaptable ecosystem that enables advertisers with targeting and measurement options beyond platform-specific solutions. With the shift toward privacy-first advertising and the decline of third-party cookies, marketers are embracing a range of identity strategies that respect user privacy while maintaining campaign effectiveness.
Solutions like contextual targeting, first-party data integration and cohort-based approaches, like Next-Gen Solutions, allow advertisers to reach audiences in new ways without relying on personal identifiers.
Additionally, measurement capabilities are evolving. Instead of being limited to platform-specific metrics, advertisers now access cross-channel measurement tools that provide a more comprehensive view of campaign performance. Marketers are no longer confined to a platform’s own graded homework, but can work through solutions like holistic conversions, Privacy Sandbox and SKAdNetwork.
This shift enables brands to track success accurately and make data-driven decisions in a privacy-compliant manner across measurement providers. The result is a more versatile DSP experience, where advertisers enjoy greater choice, control and flexibility in both targeting and measurement, maximizing impact while aligning with modern data standards.
Together, choice and control within a platform amplify campaign performance, providing a strategic edge and a more dynamic, customized approach to digital advertising. As we say goodbye to 2024 and ring in the new year, the Yahoo DSP can empower marketers through choice and control to help achieve their goals, first and foremost.
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