Stop Overfeeding the Duopoly 11 Ad Networks That Could Outperform Meta & Google

Retail Media Rush: Where shoppers are already halfway to checkout

Retail media is not a fad—it is a runway: shoppers land on retailer sites with a cart-shaped thought bubble over their heads. When people search and browse inside Walmart, Target or specialty grocers, purchase intent is already lit. You are not interrupting passive scrolling; you are meeting a buyer mid-decision, which turns impressions into transactions faster and with far less guessing.

Two advantages set these channels apart: first-party signals (real browsing and purchase history) and closed-loop attribution that ties ads to actual sales. Add in SKU-level behaviors like adds-to-cart, search refinements and promo redemptions, and CPAs often shrink while ROAS becomes measurable instead of mythical. In a cookieless world, retailer data is privacy-friendly fuel that keeps campaigns efficient.

Actionable playbook: Test small and rapid on a retailer DSP to learn which placements convert; Lean into intent by replacing broad awareness creative with clear product shots, price, stock and one-line benefits; Measure with lift tests, SKU-level attribution and promo codes to prove lift. Optimize bids for in-session signals (searches and add-to-cart) and run 2–3 creative variants per hero SKU so you can scale winners quickly.

Do not overhaul your entire plan overnight—shift a modest portion of spend, monitor conversion velocity, then scale what moves the needle. Retail media is where consideration collapses into checkout: allocate smartly, test quickly, and watch ad dollars turn into more sales, faster.

Context Is King (Again): Native networks that win without third-party cookies

Cookieless does not mean clueless. As third party identifiers fade, networks that lean on immediate context, semantic signals and publisher relationships are gaining an edge. Native placements that read the page, match tone and lean into session intent deliver relevance without tracking users across the web. That matters for brand safety, viewability and long term performance when buyers want scale that feels organic rather than intrusive.

These platforms win by doing three things differently: they prioritize content fit over historical profiles, they aggregate first party publisher signals instead of reaching for a cookie jar, and they serve creative that belongs where it appears. The result is higher attention spans, less wasted reach and often lower CPMs when campaigns are built for engagement rather than short term attribution. For many categories, that combination outperforms blanket retargeting from the usual duopoly.

Be practical about testing. Start with a lightweight experiment that swaps 15 to 25 percent of your display or prospecting budget into a native feed or content recommendation partner. Measure viewable CPM, time on site and assisted conversions in addition to last click. Use creative that references surrounding content, run creative A B tests, and negotiate for access to aggregated first party signals or publisher cohorts to sharpen relevance without violating privacy rules.

In short, treat context as a channel optimization, not a buzzword. Allocate runway, set engagement oriented KPIs and compare cost per quality action to incumbent buys. If you do that, these native, cookieless networks can become a reliable alternative to feeding more dollars to the same two giants.

Sound On: Podcast and audio ad buys that punch above their weight

Podcast and other audio buys are the stealthy rebels of performance marketing: intimate attention, fewer competitors in the bidding war, and creative formats that actually get remembered. Listeners are multitasking but not ad-blind—they absorb host endorsements and conversational reads in a way banner ads rarely achieve. That makes audio a perfect place to siphon demand away from the Meta/Google feeding frenzy.

Think beyond a two-line pre-roll. Test a mix of host-read sponsorships, mid-roll product demos, and short dynamic spots inserted into specific episodes. Use promo codes, vanity URLs, and time-limited offers to trace lift; pair those with landing pages built for voice-driven intent. Keep frequency low but message fresh—three clever touches beat ten interruptions.

Buy smart: direct deals with niche shows give brand safety and context, while programmatic audio offers scale for awareness. If you want a quick way to explore creator-first placements and patron-supported shows try Patreon boosting for discovery and sponsorship experiments. Combine CPM buys on audio exchanges with exclusive episode takeovers to compare CPA, not just impressions.

Campaign checklist: map shows to customer personas, script once and adapt for hosts, measure with unique CTAs, and run short A/B tests on read style. Start small, allocate a sliver of your media budget to audio, and watch the duopoly share of voice shrink while your message lands in ears that actually care.

B2B That Actually Books Meetings: LinkedIn and ABM plays that convert

Stop treating B2B like consumer eyeballs. LinkedIn isn't just a resume graveyard — it's the playground where buying committees live, argue, and decide. Pair that with account-based plays and you get a short funnel: laser-targeted ad exposure + one-to-one outreach = real meetings that actually show up.

Here's a compact playbook to run this without blowing your budget or your sales team's patience:

• 👥 Targeting: Upload a 50–200 account list, use Company + Seniority filters, and deploy Matched Audiences for web visitors.
• 🤖 Cadence: Sequence ads, a connection request, and a two-message InMail follow-up — stagger over 10–14 days.
• 🚀 Creative: One-sentence value prop, a two-line social proof (customer + result), and a single CTA: “15-min discovery.”

Operationalize it: sync Sales Navigator tags to your CRM, assign reps 10 accounts each, and set an SLA: first sales touch within 24 hours of ad engagement. Test three creatives per account group and measure meetings/booked, meetings/attended, and cost per booked meeting. If you need a conversation starter, try this template: connection note that references a specific company challenge, followed by an InMail with a one-line case study and a Calendly link. Give the test 6–8 weeks; you'll usually see reply rates and SQL conversion that beat lookalike blasts on the big two. Bonus: when your marketing dollars buy actual conversations, finance smiles — and sales stops blaming channels.

CTV You Can Measure: Streaming inventory that turns big screens into sales

Big screens don't just entertain — they convert. Modern streaming inventory gives you deterministic signals and household-level reach, so you can track viewers from impression to checkout instead of guessing at brand lift. Think device IDs, authenticated logins, and impression-level logs that feed a privacy-safe household graph; that's the data you need to optimize for sales, not vanity metrics.

Measurement tactics are practical, not mythical: stitch OTT impression IDs to server-side conversions, run randomized control trials across ZIP codes, deploy QR codes or promo codes in TV spots to capture direct response, and use pixel-driven attribution for linear-like streams. Combine these with lift testing and partner-supplied match rates and you'll see actual revenue per campaign instead of CPM theater.

Creative and targeting matter: shorter hooks for discovery, sequenced narratives for consideration, and deep links that take a TV viewer straight to product pages on their phone. Frequency capping, daypart bids, and SKU-level goals let you chase ROAS instead of reach. When your CTV buy reports sales alongside impressions, optimization becomes mercilessly efficient.

Start small: buy impression-level inventory from a publisher that exposes household signals, run a 2–3 week A/B pilot against a control, and measure lift in transactions. If the numbers beat your socials and search benchmarks, scale. Big screens can be your next sales engine — if you treat measurement like the audience's real-time receipt.