Programmatic advertising set to surge in 2025

As the advertising industry regains momentum after a challenging 2024, programmatic advertising is poised for significant growth in 2025. A recent study, State of Programmatic by Proximic by Comscore, highlights that 72% of advertisers plan to boost their programmatic spend this year, a notable increase from 62% in 2024. This shift underscores the resilience of programmatic advertising as marketers adapt to evolving consumer behavior and emerging channels.

While enthusiasm for programmatic advertising is growing, investment patterns vary by channel. Connected TV (CTV) continues to gain prominence, with 61% of advertisers increasing their spending in 2025, up from 57% last year. This reflects the growing appeal of streaming platforms as consumers increasingly shift away from traditional TV. Similarly, audio advertising is experiencing a renaissance, with 40% of advertisers planning to increase spend this year, compared to 30% in 2024.

In contrast, web and mobile digital advertising is seeing a slight decline in enthusiasm, with only 51% of respondents planning to boost spending, down from 60% last year. Social media advertising remains steady, with 30% of advertisers maintaining their budgets.

Performance-driven strategies dominate these channels, especially in CTV, where 80% of advertisers prioritize performance metrics over branding. For web and mobile digital, the split is slightly less pronounced, with 70% focusing on performance.

n an era of heightened privacy awareness, advertisers are turning to innovative targeting methods. Contextual targeting is the leading strategy, favored by 41% of respondents, followed closely by first-party data at 40%. Alternative identifiers, while gaining traction, remain less popular, with 16% adopting them as a primary tool.

Interestingly, over half of marketers (54%) plan to increase their use of contextual targeting in 2025, signaling its growing importance in a privacy-centric world. However, challenges remain, with 18% of advertisers expressing uncertainty about their targeting strategies and 5% anticipating a decrease in contextual data usage.

When asked about their readiness for new privacy regulations, 60% of advertisers felt prepared, while 35% admitted they were only somewhat ready. A small but significant 5% acknowledged being unprepared, highlighting the need for continued education and adaptation in the industry.

Measuring the effectiveness of programmatic campaigns remains a top priority for advertisers. The study revealed that the most commonly used metrics are reach and frequency (70%), conversion rates (69%), and click-through rates (63%). Return on ad spend (58%) and engagement metrics such as likes and shares (46%) also play critical roles in evaluating performance.

Duplicated reach and frequency measurement is another area of focus, with 80% of respondents deeming it a critical feature in programmatic environments. The remaining 20% view it as a useful consideration but not a dealbreaker.