As we close 2025, I want to share both the imperatives that emerged from our work in the INMA Advertising Initiative this year and the key focus areas that will guide our programming in 2026.

5 “must do” publisher imperatives from 2025

1. Diversify beyond print and static display. No one can do everything, but publishers must lean into existing investments and strengths to define where they can win. Video, programmatic strategy, events, branded content, and audio are the best current bets.
2. Embrace advertising automation. Automation and agentic infrastructure is the near future to design for. Leverage existing technology investments where possible, but prioritise vendor partnerships over building.
3. Build a foundation of signals to capture future spend. First-party data is the moat, signals are the bridge, and AI is the fuel to unlock future spend. There are many ways to activate, even if starting from zero — and contextual is a great place to start.
4. Engage with advanced measurement. The “age of outcomes” requires publishers work to prove their direct impact on effectiveness. Your data strategy should include a focus on measurement to ensure you’re future-proofed.
5. Be louder together. Almost no one is advocating for publisher interests in the advertising space. Publishers must collaborate and consider more vocal approaches.

This is the most significant moment of change in 40+ years of media, technology, and advertising. Iterative evolution is survival.

Key focus areas for 2026

Heading into the new year, here’s what I’ll be paying attention to the most:

1. AI and traffic evolution remain the overarching, intertwined challenges — how they continue to impact advertising will define 2026.
2. Advertising value of audiences is vital to winning going forward. We will explore how to package and sell publisher audiences — and the value of “super users” and holistic revenue strategy — in an era of declining scale.
3. Revenue diversification and product innovation remain vital to success. Ads alone won’t suffice — direct audience channels, events, branded content, premium formats, and other products help ground partnerships. And video may be the most important of all. We’ll be keeping a close eye on how things evolve there.
4. Data is pivotal. Without first-party audience and advanced measurement data, you risk commoditised inventory and declining value.
5. How you sell and what you sell will define market impact. We’ll explore partnerships, deal structures, packaging, sales structures, and more in 2026.

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