This FAQ covers affiliate market size, publisher types, AI disruption, and what marketers should prioritize in 2026.

Ad spending will surge in 2026 as AI-driven gains and a packed events calendar offset mounting economic strain. Social will lead the way as Meta overtakes Google in net revenues and the wider ad industry closes in on the half-trillion-dollar milestone.

In today’s podcast episode, we discuss why we think Meta will surpass Google to become the world’s leading digital advertising business this year, whether Google can wrestle back control in the following years, and how close Amazon is to getting a shot at the title. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Senior Forecasting Analysts Zach Goldner and Drew Spink. Listen anywhere, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

AI regulation is reshaping marketing workflows, from creative and targeting to automation. Risks are emerging alongside evolving rules, requiring marketers to build governance frameworks that help brands manage compliance, preserve trust, and stay competitive.

Ten charts reveal where digital markets are headed as AI shapes ad trends, social and retail media take a bigger share of ad spend, and consumer adoption of AI-driven buying influences ecommerce growth.

Retail media is reshaping search advertising. Costs are rising unevenly while performance gaps widen, forcing advertisers to rethink where spend delivers real results as traditional search dominance fades.

This FAQ explores why event marketing is growing, what new technologies are changing the event landscape, and how marketers should approach event strategy in 2026.

In Q1 2026, we analyzed 5,600 ChatGPT responses across nine financial services categories to compile the AI Visibility Index.

Social platforms want a bigger role in search ad budgets, but user habits lag behind. As search expands beyond traditional engines, these platforms must turn occasional behavior into intent-driven activity to grab ad dollars.

AI agents are set to reshape media buying, but it’s still early days. This year will be about building the infrastructure they’ll need for broad adoption. Early tests suggest they’ll lower costs, improve outcomes, and shake up the ad ecosystem.

In today’s podcast episode, we discuss what if Apple delivers on its vision of Apple Intelligence? What if Abercrombie evolves beyond retail into a lifestyle brand? What if Google starts paying for the content its AI uses? Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian, and Principal Analysts Nate Elliott and Yory Wurmser. Listen anywhere, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

AI is reshaping brand safety by amplifying risks around placement, accuracy, and authenticity while offering new tools to control them. As automation scales, marketers face a growing tradeoff between performance gains and trust.

CSAM scanning halts as the ePrivacy Directive expires, complicating child safety as Greece and others eye youth social bans.

Content marketing is at an inflection point. AI tools have made it faster and cheaper to produce content at scale, but the resulting flood of material creates challenges on marketers' highest-earning channels.

Exits and audit fallout adds to doubts about The Trade Desk's open-web pitch as walled gardens seize market share.

This FAQ covers what agentic commerce is, who the key players are, and what brands and advertisers should do about it.

Rising AI adoption among younger consumers for mental health and emotional support makes safe chatbot design table stakes, especially as lawsuits mount.

Google's AI Max drives up to 80% sales gains, but trust concerns linger as conversational ads test user confidence.

The ecommerce playbook is changing as AI disruptors reshape the path to purchase. In this video, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves explores how discovery, decision-making, and loyalty are evolving—and what retailers and brands must do to stay competitive.