Latest trends in display advertising

Emily Team
Aug 6
2 min read

Display advertising is evolving rapidly with shifts in technology, privacy, and consumer behavior. For digital marketers — and teams like EMILY® — staying ahead of these trends means getting more from your ad spend, improving brand visibility, and adapting to how audiences engage today.

Here are the latest trends in display advertising you should watch:

🔮 1. Programmatic Advertising & AI Optimization

Programmatic is now the standard for scalable, intelligent display ad delivery.

✅ Trends include:

AI-powered real-time bidding (RTB)
Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) — ads that adapt based on user behavior, location, or time
Integration with tools like The Trade Desk, AdRoll, or StackAdapt

📌 EMILY® partners with programmatic networks for advanced retargeting and cross-channel display performance.

🧠 2. Privacy-First Targeting (Post-Cookie Era)

With third-party cookies phasing out, advertisers are shifting to:

First-party data (email lists, CRM syncs, website visitors)
Contextual targeting (placing ads based on page content, not user identity)
Consent-based tracking via Google Consent Mode and tools like GA4

📌 EMILY helps clients future-proof their campaigns with proper data compliance and CRM retargeting strategies.

🎯 3. Smarter Audience Segmentation

Marketers are using intent-based, lookalike, and in-market audiences more than ever.

✅ Advanced targeting includes:

Life event targeting (e.g., moving, wedding planning)
Purchase intent signals
Behavioral retargeting across devices

📌 Google Display Network and Microsoft Ads offer powerful segmentation EMILY leverages for better CTR and ROAS.

📱 4. Mobile-First & Responsive Display Ads

With over 70% of display interactions on mobile, ad formats are:

Optimized for mobile load speed
Responsive across devices and orientations
Often run as native placements within content feeds

📌 EMILY builds mobile-first creatives with clear CTAs, tested layouts, and fast-loading landing pages.

📹 5. Visual & Video-Based Display Growth

Display ads are increasingly motion-based, including:

Short-form GIFs or animated banners
YouTube video discovery ads
CTV (connected TV) and OTT display inventory

📌 Adding movement to ads increases engagement. EMILY creates high-impact visuals using photography, video, and drone services.

🔄 6. Cross-Channel Display Integration

Display is now used in tandem with:

Paid search (SEM)
Social media ads
Retargeting funnels
Email and CRM outreach

📌 EMILY designs campaigns that align across touchpoints — boosting reach and message consistency.

🧩 7. Contextual & Native Display Growth

Contextual targeting is making a comeback:

Ads are shown on content-rich sites based on topic relevance
Native formats blend into articles, blogs, or media in a less intrusive way

📌 This drives better engagement without relying on user tracking.

📊 8. Real-Time Analytics & Attribution

Tools like:

Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Microsoft Clarity
Custom dashboards

Allow marketers to track:

Heatmaps
Scroll depth
Event conversions

📌 EMILY delivers visual reports that translate engagement data into strategy, not just numbers.

🔎 Summary of 2025 Display Ad Trends:

Trend	Why It Matters
AI & Programmatic	Smarter bidding and creative performance
Privacy-first Targeting	Compliance + better audience trust
Mobile + Responsive Formats	Where most users engage with ads
Visual/Video Ads	Higher engagement and brand recall
Contextual Targeting	Cookie-free, content-aligned placements
Cross-Channel Funnels	Better conversion rates and message control
Real-Time Attribution	Smarter decisions, clearer ROI