Rethink What’s Possible
In the fast-paced world of media, achieving more often means rethinking and challenging the status quo. The task of keeping pace with each new shift in tech, media, and consumer behavior can seem daunting, yet it’s essential for those looking to make a real impact in the digital realm.
For nearly two decades, Outbrain has been at the forefront of this evolution, inspiring the industry to step out of its comfort zone and explore new possibilities to make the open web the intentional and valued space it is today.
The Media Landscape is Evolving and Outbrain is Too
As the digital age progresses, attention has become a primary currency. The average on-screen focus has dropped by 69% since 2004, and this competition for viewers’ attention has fueled the rise of short-form video content, with 89% of consumers wanting to see more videos from brands in 2024. Today, quick, digestible, and shareable content is king. Although the walled gardens have championed this format, they are not the only ideal environment for its delivery. This is highlighted by the fact that only 27% of young adults are fully engaged on social media, contrasting with the 50% who are attentive on the open web. It’s time we as an industry give the open web our full attention as well.
At Outbrain, we recognize these shifts and have diversified our offerings to meet consumers and advertisers where they are in an effort to become the best partner on the open web. Over the past year alone, we’ve expanded beyond our performance and conversion-focused roots to go beyond the bottom of the feed and include a variety of mid to upper-funnel experiences through our branding solution, Onyx. This expansion into branding and video bridges the gap between publishers’ needs and advertisers’s goals. It also facilitates the smart and necessary investment of brand and agency budgets into tools that can catalyze efficient growth, while allowing publishers to derive value from their entire site real estate – ultimately driving sustainable, year-round revenue.
Advancing While Staying True to Our Values
Throughout our history, Outbrain has maintained a deep commitment to sustainable journalism and the evolving needs of the open web. As media consumption patterns evolve and despite the industry’s recognition of the significant value of news audiences, publishers continue to face the challenges associated with maintaining healthy and diversified revenue streams.
Giving brands more opportunities to make an impact on the open web allows us to address the challenge of monetizing underfunded inventory, which is currently estimated to be at least 30%, according to Prohaska Consulting. Our goal is to preserve free access to a trustworthy open web, a preference of 78% of users who are willing to interact with more ads to keep this privilege, as eMarketer reports.
Outbrain Reimagined: Why It’s Time to Take a Second Look
As Outbrain continues to innovate, real-world success stories like Sisley’s highlight the tangible impact of our vision. By employing Onyx’s ready-to-use, rich media formats and the creative, data-driven expertise of Outbrain Brand Studio, Sisley not only engaged their fashion-savvy, target audience with attention rates 50% higher than standard open web display benchmarks, they also achieved a 5% engagement rate. The integration of Outbrain’s retargeting strategies further amplified results, doubling the campaign’s click-through rate, and showcasing the strength of our cross-funnel solutions in action.
As brands like Sisley demonstrate, those willing to challenge conventions and embrace the new possibilities presented by Outbrain’s reimagined platform can achieve remarkable outcomes. It’s time for our industry to rethink what’s possible and chart a new course in the evolving world of online media.
