January 2025: What's new in the world of digital
Posted on 6th February 2025 at 12:36
Read Time: Approx. 9 Minutes 49 Seconds
Author: Joe Weatherill
Welcome to the January edition, where we share the updates in the world of digital.
Reddit Introduces 2 New Features To Improve Analytics and Ads
What is it?: In January 2025, Reddit introduced two new features to help businesses better engage with its communities, Reddit Pro Trends and AMA Ads.
Reddit Pro Trends
This tool allows businesses to track real-time discussions on the platform. Companies can monitor specific keywords, such as their brand name, industry topics or emerging trends to see where and how users are talking about them. This helps brands stay informed about public perception and identify key conversations within Reddit’s communities.
AMA Ads
Reddit’s popular "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) format now has its own ad product. Brands can promote their AMAs directly through Reddit’s Ads Manager, with features like a ‘Remind Me’ button and scheduled go-live times to increase participation. This gives advertisers a new way to engage users while tracking key engagement metrics.
With these updates, Reddit is making it easier for businesses to understand their audience, track trends, and drive interactive engagement through one of its most well-known content formats.
AMA (‘ask me anything’) ads provide a new way to share AMAs across Reddit. The format of AMAs is set out to allow subject-matter experts to answer questions from Reddit users. Businesses are now able to promote AMA sessions directly from Reddit’s ad dashboard.
Why is it important?: Reddit’s introduction of Pro Trends and AMA Ads is a significant move for businesses and advertisers looking to engage with Reddit’s highly active and niche-focused communities. Here’s why these updates matter:
Provides Real-Time Consumer Insights with Reddit Pro Trends, businesses can monitor discussions in real time, giving them direct access to unfiltered consumer opinions. This helps brands:
Identify emerging trends before they go mainstream.
Track brand sentiment and how people talk about their products.
Discover organic conversations that can inform marketing strategies.
A New Way to Drive Engagement with AMA is that ads turn one of the platform’s most interactive features into a structured ad format. This benefits brands by:
Increasing visibility for AMAs through paid promotions.
Driving more participation with tools like RSVP tracking and reminders.
Providing measurable engagement data, helping advertisers understand their impact.
Stronger Business Opportunities on Reddit, Reddit has been a tough platform for traditional advertising due to its community-driven nature. These new tools offer a way for brands to engage authentically, leveraging Reddit’s unique strengths while still accessing measurable advertising options.
What action should you take?: If you're a brand, marketer, or advertiser, here’s how you can take advantage of Reddit’s new features:
For Brands & Businesses:
Use Reddit Pro Trends to Monitor Conversations – Track discussions about your brand, industry, or competitors in real time. This can help you identify customer sentiment, discover emerging trends, and refine your marketing strategy.
Engage Authentically in Reddit Communities – If your brand is frequently mentioned in discussions, consider participating directly by answering questions or clarifying misconceptions. This builds trust with Reddit users.
Leverage AMA Ads for Thought Leadership & Engagement – Plan and promote an AMA session to engage directly with your audience. Use Reddit’s ad tools to increase visibility and drive more participation.
For Advertisers & Marketers:
Test AMA Ads for Campaigns & Product Launches – AMAs are a great way to generate buzz, explain complex topics, and connect with potential customers in an interactive way.
Analyse Pro Trends Data to Refine Messaging – Use insights from Reddit Pro Trends to craft ad messaging that resonates with how real users discuss your industry or products.
Track Engagement Metrics & Optimise Strategy – Measure AMA performance, adjust your approach based on user interaction, and experiment with different ways to engage Reddit’s audience.
By taking these steps, businesses can make Reddit a more effective part of their marketing and advertising strategy, leading to stronger audience engagement and better-informed decision-making.
Microsoft Expands In Retail Media With 2 New Ad Offerings
What is it? Microsoft advertising looks to expand its retail media capabilities, with 2 new major retail solutions that will help retailers monetise their first-party data, as well as helping brands engage shoppers across Microsoft Edge, Bing and other retail partner websites. The 2 offerings are Curate for commerce and sponsored promotions by brands, and Sponsored Promotions by Brands, embedding ads into key consumer touchpoints.
Curate for Commerce
This platform enables retailers to generate revenue by partnering with advertisers, leveraging their own first-party data. Microsoft handles advertiser relationships and campaign execution, minimising the technical effort required from retailers.
Sponsored Promotions by Brands (SPB)
SPB allows brands to run campaigns across Microsoft Edge, Bing, and retail partner sites in a single setup. Using a cost-per-sale model, advertisers only pay when a purchase is made. This simplifies campaign management by eliminating the need for separate retailer-specific campaigns.
With these innovations, Microsoft is strengthening its position in retail media, providing advertisers with precision targeting and more efficient ad management. By focusing on first-party data solutions, Microsoft is addressing the growing need for more reliable, privacy-friendly advertising strategies.
Why is it important? Curate is important because the platform will give you exclusive access to retailers highly accurate first-party data, being far more reliable than traditional third-party data for targeting known customers. Retailers can now earn ad revenue not just from their own products but also from external advertisers. Curate for Commerce makes this possible without requiring significant investment in advertising technology, opening new business opportunities. With third-party cookies disappearing, advertisers need reliable ways to reach consumers. Microsoft’s solutions help retailers monetise their own first-party data while giving brands better access to high-intent shoppers in a privacy-compliant way.
Sponsored Promotions by Brands is important because it introduces a low risk, cost-per-sale model that lets advertisers reach shoppers across multiple retail platforms through a single campaign setup, eliminating the complexity of managing separate campaigns for each retailer. Microsoft’s cost-per-sale pricing ensures that advertisers only pay when their ads drive actual purchases. This performance-based model makes campaigns more efficient and ensures a strong return on investment.
The 2 solutions help to strengthen Microsoft’s role in retail media by offering solutions that compete with Amazon and Google, Microsoft is positioning itself as a key part in commerce media. Its approach, focused on precision targeting and seamless campaign management, makes it an attractive choice for advertisers.
Traditionally, brands have had to manage separate ad campaigns for each retailer, making the process complex and time-consuming. SPB simplifies this by allowing advertisers to run a single campaign across Microsoft Edge, Bing, and retail partner sites, improving efficiency and reach.
What action should you take? For brands and advertisers, you should explore Sponsored Promotions by Brands (SPB): If you sell products through retail partners, consider joining the SPB beta to simplify your ad campaigns across multiple platforms (Microsoft Edge, Bing, and retailer sites).
Begin shifting budget to Performance-Based Ads: Since SPB operates on a cost-per-sale model, it ensures you only pay for results. Consider reallocating ad spend from traditional digital ads to this model for better ROI.
Leverage Microsoft’s Retail Network: If you're already advertising on Amazon or Google, test Microsoft’s ecosystem to see if it delivers better performance.
For Retailers, start to monetise First-Party Data with Curate for Commerce: If you have a strong customer base, explore how Microsoft can help you generate additional ad revenue through non-endemic advertising.
Reduce Tech Investment for Ad Sales: Instead of building your own retail media network, leverage Microsoft’s infrastructure to attract advertisers and maximise revenue.
Partner with Microsoft to Stay Competitive: With retail media growing rapidly, partnering with a major player like Microsoft could help you stay ahead of competitors.
For Marketers & Agencies, Educate Clients on Microsoft’s Retail Media Expansion: If your clients are investing in digital ads, help them understand how Microsoft’s new solutions could improve their ad performance.
Test & Optimise Campaigns: Start with a small budget to test Microsoft’s new offerings and analyse performance before scaling up investments.
Stay Updated on the Rollout: Since these solutions are still in beta, monitor developments and sign up for early access if applicable.
Capture brand demand and utilise the first-party retail data for brands to reach those consumers offsite when they’re at maybe a higher funnel or a more consideration.
ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) Introduces A New Strategy Adressing Online Tracking
What is it?: The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) introduced a new strategy addressing online tracking, with significant implications for cashback, loyalty, and affiliate marketing sectors.
Key Highlights:
Cookie Consent Exemption: The ICO has determined that cookies used by cashback and loyalty platforms are "strictly necessary" for delivering their services. This classification exempts these cookies from the standard consent requirements under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
Impact on Affiliate Marketing: This exemption simplifies compliance for affiliate marketers, particularly those operating cashback and reward sites. By removing the need for explicit user consent for tracking cookies, businesses can enhance user experience and potentially increase conversion rates.
Implications for Businesses: Enhanced User Experience: With reduced consent prompts, users can engage more seamlessly with cashback and loyalty services, leading to improved satisfaction and retention.
Operational Efficiency: Affiliate marketers can streamline their tracking processes, focusing on campaign optimisation without the administrative burden of managing consent for tracking cookies.
Regulatory Clarity: The ICO's clarification provides a clear framework for businesses, reducing legal uncertainties and fostering a more transparent online environment.
In summary, the ICO's recent updates offer a more straightforward path for businesses in the cashback, loyalty, and affiliate marketing sectors to operate effectively within the regulatory landscape, benefiting both companies and consumers.
Why is it important?: The ICO’s new guidance on online tracking is a major development for the cashback, loyalty, and affiliate marketing industries. Here’s why it matters:
Reduced Compliance Burden - By classifying cashback and loyalty tracking cookies as "strictly necessary," the ICO has removed the requirement for explicit user consent under PECR. This simplifies compliance for businesses and eliminates the need for intrusive cookie banners, making operations smoother.
Improved User Experience - Frequent cookie consent prompts can frustrate users and reduce engagement. With this exemption, cashback and loyalty platforms can track transactions without disrupting the user journey, leading to higher participation and retention
Increased Conversion Rates for Affiliate Marketers - For affiliate marketers, smoother tracking means fewer lost transactions due to consent issues. This could result in higher conversion rates, more accurate commission tracking, and better campaign performance across cashback and loyalty programs.
Greater Clarity in Regulatory Compliance - Many businesses in the affiliate and loyalty space have struggled with regulatory uncertainty around tracking cookies. The ICO’s decision provides clear guidelines, reducing legal risks and allowing companies to focus on growth rather than compliance concerns.
Competitive Advantage for UK-Based Businesses -This update makes the UK a more favourable environment for cashback and loyalty programs compared to regions with stricter cookie consent laws. Companies operating in the UK could gain a competitive edge by offering a more seamless experience.
Potential Influence on Global Regulations - The ICO’s decision could set a precedent for other regulators worldwide. If similar exemptions are adopted in other markets, it could lead to a broader shift in how cashback, loyalty, and affiliate tracking are handled globally.
What action should you take?: For brands, when launching a campaign, your first step should be identifying the purpose of your campaign and who your target audience will be and their typical interests and behaviours. Then you should begin setting up a YouTube BrandConnect account, so you can begin researching creators and find the ones which align with your brand values and have the right type of audience you need to be advertising to. Before taking this further, it is recommended you look into the creator more, to make informed choices.
For Creators, firstly you should join YouTube BrandConnect and ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements. Then the most important part is to build a strong profile, showcasing your niche and audience demographics, as this will ultimately attract potential brands or push them away from working with you. Constantly review potential partnership offers and maintain transparency when you go into the negotiations phase, as building a good reputation will go far on this platform.
Bonus Update
In the fourth quarter of 2024, Google experienced a 10% year-over-year increase in search advertising spending, indicating robust growth despite the evolving landscape influenced by artificial intelligence (AI).
Key Metrics:
Click Growth: Remained steady at 3%, suggesting consistent user engagement with ads.
Cost Per Click (CPC): Increased by 7%, reflecting higher advertiser investment per user interaction.
Microsoft Ad spending grew by 7%, the CPC saw an 11% uplift
Google's introduction of AI-powered features, such as Performance Max campaigns and AI-generated search overviews, has transformed the advertising environment. These innovations aim to enhance ad targeting and user experience but have also introduced complexities for advertisers adapting to new technologies.
Advertiser Adaptation: The sustained growth in ad spend indicates that advertisers are effectively navigating and leveraging AI-driven changes to maintain and enhance their campaigns.
Market Confidence: The willingness to invest more per click demonstrates confidence in the return on investment from Google's search advertising platform.
Competitive Dynamics: As AI continues to shape digital advertising, staying informed about these trends is crucial for businesses aiming to remain competitive and optimise their marketing strategies.
In summary, despite the disruptions and challenges introduced by AI advancements, Google's search advertising platform continues to exhibit strong growth.
Our final thoughts ...
After a challenging year (revenue -1.7% down YoY as reported by the IMRG) and similar peak trading period, retailers are searching for new revenue streams to maximise profitability. Whilst only in a closed Beta (available later in 2025), Microsoft's launch of Curate for Commerce (data monetisation) and Sponsored Promotions by Brands (ads monetisation), adds to the growing number of opportunities that are available in the retail media space. Along with other opportunities from the likes of Particular Audience and Criteo in the market, these should certainly be explored by all retailers and brands in 2025.
For further information on any of the latest product updates or anything new that is on your mind, get in touch with our team of digital experts today.
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