Let's talk about the future for a moment. Now, this article is not really a prediction as much as it is a reflection on things. But, as a media analyst, there is something about advertising in the future that we as publishers need to be aware of.
So, in this 15-page article, I'm going to talk about some of the macro trends that I see for the years ahead, and explain why it's vital that publishers do something about these trends directly.
We are going to talk about legislation, markets, formats, the public, the ad tech companies, the browsers, Apple, and a number of other things.
I'm worried...
The reason I wanted to write this article was not just to tell you about the future trends that I see, but mostly because I'm worried. When I look at the macro trends of advertising, I see a future where publishers have lost control of the market.
Now, some of you (especially if you are a smaller publisher), will say that this has already happened, that you have no control over any part of the ad experience already, and are entirely at the mercy of the ad tech community ... and you are right.
But, it's getting worse.
Now, don't get me wrong. Any industry will try to capture as much of the market as they can, and to be in control of it. And so when the ad tech market is coming up with suggestions and ideas that fundamentally put them in control, there is nothing surprising or nefarious about that.