Display Advertising Guide 2026: Programmatic, CTV & Beyond

Key Takeaways

• Programmatic ad spend reached $595B in 2024, projected to hit $800B by 2028
• 90% of all display ad buying is now programmatic
• CTV ad spend hit $32.6B in the US in 2025, growing 13% YoY
• 91%+ of US programmatic display goes to private marketplaces and programmatic direct
• Video accounts for nearly 75% of new programmatic ad dollars from 2024-2026

---

The Display Advertising Evolution

Display advertising has transformed from simple banner placements to sophisticated, AI-driven, multi-format campaigns across screens. Understanding the landscape is essential for maximizing return.

Display Channel Overview

Channel	2025 US Spend	Growth	Best For

Programmatic Display	$65B	+10%	Broad reach, retargeting
Programmatic Video	$110B	+15%	Engagement, brand
CTV/OTT	$32.6B	+13%	Premium audiences
Digital OOH	$17.6B	+14.9%	Local, awareness
Social Display	Included above	Varies	Native integration

The Shift to Private Marketplaces

> "More than 91% of total US programmatic display ad spending will go towards private marketplaces (PMPs) and programmatic direct."

Why PMPs Are Growing:

• Better inventory quality
• More brand safety
• Direct publisher relationships
• Less fraud
• Premium pricing but better results

---

Programmatic Deep Dive

How Programmatic Works

Advertiser → DSP → Ad Exchange → SSP → Publisher
(Milliseconds per impression)

Component	Role

DSP (Demand-Side Platform)	Where advertisers buy inventory
SSP (Supply-Side Platform)	Where publishers sell inventory
Ad Exchange	Marketplace connecting DSPs and SSPs
DMP (Data Management Platform)	Audience data for targeting
CDP (Customer Data Platform)	First-party data activation

Buying Methods

Method	Description	Best For

Open Auction (RTB)	Real-time bidding on open exchanges	Scale, broad reach
Private Marketplace	Invitation-only auctions	Quality inventory
Programmatic Guaranteed	Fixed price, reserved inventory	Premium placements
Preferred Deal	First-look at inventory, negotiated price	Specific publishers

Major DSPs

DSP	Strength	Best For

Google DV360	Scale, Google ecosystem	Most advertisers
The Trade Desk	Independence, CTV strength	Mid-to-large advertisers
Amazon DSP	Amazon data, retail	E-commerce, CPG
Xandr (Microsoft)	Microsoft ecosystem	B2B, LinkedIn integration
MediaMath	Transparency	Performance focus

---

Connected TV (CTV) Advertising

The CTV Opportunity

> "CTV now commands 75% of its ad inventory programmatically, making it a dominant performance channel."

CTV vs. Linear TV:

Factor	Linear TV	CTV

Targeting	Broad demographic	Precise, household-level
Measurement	Nielsen ratings	Impression-level
Attribution	Difficult	Possible
Minimum Buy	Large	Flexible
Completion Rate	Lower	Higher (less skip)

CTV Platforms & Inventory

Platform	Type	Reach

YouTube TV	Streaming	5M+ subscribers
Hulu	Streaming	50M+ subscribers
Roku Channel	FAST	80M+ accounts
Tubi	FAST	80M+ viewers
Peacock	Streaming	30M+ subscribers
Amazon Freevee	FAST	Amazon ecosystem

CTV Best Practices

15 and 30-second spots — Standard formats work

Non-skip = high completion — Plan for full view

Frequency capping — Household-level management

Cross-screen strategy — CTV + mobile retargeting

Brand-safe inventory — Premium content focus

---

Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH)

DOOH Goes Programmatic

> "Half of all digital out-of-home campaigns are now purchased either fully or partly programmatically."

DOOH Formats

Format	Location	Best For

Billboards	Highways, roads	Mass awareness
Street Furniture	Bus stops, benches	Local targeting
Transit	Subway, airports	Commuter reach
Place-Based	Malls, gyms, stores	In-context messaging

Programmatic DOOH Benefits

• Dynamic creative — Change by time, weather, events
• Audience targeting — Mobile data for location
• Real-time bidding — Efficient buying
• Measurement — Exposure tracking
• Integration — Cross-channel campaigns

---

Display Creative Best Practices

Standard Display Sizes

Size	Name	Placement

300x250	Medium Rectangle	Universal
728x90	Leaderboard	Desktop top
160x600	Wide Skyscraper	Desktop sidebar
320x50	Mobile Banner	Mobile
300x600	Half Page	High impact

Creative Guidelines

Do:

• Clear brand identification
• Single, focused message
• Strong CTA
• High contrast for visibility
• Mobile-optimized versions
• Multiple sizes for reach

Don't:

• Cluttered designs
• Too much text
• Auto-play audio
• Misleading elements
• Slow-loading creative
• Flash (deprecated)

Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)

Element	Personalization Options

Headline	By audience segment
Image	By browsing history
CTA	By funnel stage
Price	By location
Product	By past purchases

---

Targeting Strategies

Audience Targeting Options

Type	Description	Use Case

Contextual	Page content relevance	Brand safety, privacy-compliant
Behavioral	Past actions	Retargeting, interest-based
Demographic	Age, gender, income	Broad targeting
Geographic	Location-based	Local campaigns
First-Party	Your own data	Highest value
Third-Party	Data providers	Declining due to privacy
Lookalike	Similar to customers	Prospecting

Privacy-First Targeting

> "First-party data and contextual advertising are the clearest paths forward as wider privacy concerns around data management continue."

Privacy-Compliant Approaches:

Contextual targeting — No user tracking needed

First-party data — Your own consented data

Privacy Sandbox APIs — Chrome's new approach

Unified ID solutions — Industry alternatives

Publisher first-party data — Co-op partnerships

---

Measurement & Attribution

Display Metrics

Metric	Definition	Benchmark

CPM	Cost per 1,000 impressions	$2-$20+ varies
CTR	Clicks ÷ Impressions	0.1-0.3% display
Viewability	Viewed ÷ Served	70%+ target
VCR	Video completion rate	70%+
CPA	Cost per acquisition	Campaign-dependent
ROAS	Revenue ÷ Ad Spend	3:1+ target

Viewability Standards

Format	MRC Viewability Definition

Display	50% of pixels in view for 1 second
Video	50% of pixels in view for 2 seconds
Large Display	30% of pixels in view for 1 second

Attribution Challenges

Display attribution is complex:

• View-through vs. click-through
• Cross-device journeys
• Assist vs. direct conversions
• Last-touch bias
• Cookie limitations

Recommended Approach:

• Multi-touch attribution models
• Incrementality testing
• Marketing Mix Modeling for upper funnel
• Brand lift studies

---

AI in Display Advertising

AI Applications

> "Artificial intelligence is no longer an accessory in programmatic advertising — it is the engine. In 2025, AI technology and machine learning touch every stage of the workflow."

Stage	AI Application

Planning	Audience modeling, budget optimization
Creative	Dynamic generation, optimization
Buying	Real-time bidding, pacing
Measurement	Attribution, incrementality
Reporting	Insights, anomaly detection

Smart Bidding Strategies

Strategy	Description	Best For

Target CPA	Hit cost per acquisition target	Performance campaigns
Target ROAS	Hit return on ad spend target	E-commerce
Maximize Conversions	Get most conversions	Lead gen
Maximize Clicks	Get most traffic	Awareness

---

Common Challenges

Brand Safety Concerns

> "Brand safety (58%) and cookie deprecation (52%) are top concerns for programmatic experts in 2025."

Mitigation:

• Pre-bid brand safety filters
• Whitelist premium publishers
• Third-party verification (IAS, DV, MOAT)
• Private marketplace buying
• Regular placement audits

Ad Fraud

• Invalid traffic detection
• Pre-bid fraud filtering
• Post-campaign analysis
• Certified partners (TAG)

Signal Loss

With cookie deprecation:

• Contextual targeting resurgence
• First-party data priority
• Clean room solutions
• Publisher partnerships

---

The Bottom Line

Display advertising in 2026 requires:

Programmatic fluency — 90% of display is programmatic

CTV investment — Fastest-growing, highest engagement channel

Privacy adaptation — First-party data and contextual targeting

AI adoption — Every stage benefits from automation

Quality over quantity — PMPs over open exchange

Cross-screen thinking — Display, video, CTV, DOOH together

> "Display CPMs fell by 33% YoY in January 2025 — but this reflects market volatility, not diminished value. Smart buyers are getting more efficient inventory at better prices."

---

AdBid tracks your display advertising across DSPs and channels. See unified reporting for programmatic, CTV, and more. Consolidate your reporting.