New DoubleVerify Report Should Alarm Advertisers
Online advertising now represents nearly $800 billion in spending in 2025, up from a $374 billion market size in 2020.
What else is up this year?
A new report from DoubleVerify confirms the increases in fraud, AI bots, and ad blocking. Among the highlights for the North America market, based on a survey of 400 advertising and marketing decision-makers and 3,000 consumers across the region, are:
- Media that “moves” is still leading in performance indicators. A whopping 77% of marketers say social reels (mobile, vertical, short-form videos) are top performers, followed by social feeds (75%), then CTV or Connected TV (69%).
- Online content consumption is on the rise. Users spend close to four hours (3.8) per day on leisure content, defined as media consumed for enjoyment, relaxation or personal interest, rather than work, utility, or study.
- Consumers have become more discerning about the online advertising they want to view: 41% of consumers report using ad blockers today.
- Bot fraud is surging: In-app video helped drive a 101% YoY spike in bot fraud.
- AI bots are everywhere: 16% of all “benign” bot traffic in 2H 2024 came from AI scrapers like GPTBot, Claude, and AppleBot.
The comprehensive annual report is based on more than one trillion impressions across desktop, mobile, and CTV (Connected TV) environments.
Says Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify:
“As media investments become more complex and fragmented, our insights offer a critical roadmap for advertisers seeking to reduce waste, maximize engagement, and drive tangible outcomes across North America and beyond. With a deep, transparent view into media quality and performance, we empower brands to make smarter media investment decisions and deliver superior results.”
DoubleVerify authenticates media quality and power performance for the world’s largest brands, platforms, and publishers in verticals including financial services, telecom, automotive, retail, CPG, travel, luxury, and pharmaceuticals.
MULO (multi-location) brands must expand their understanding of consumers’ responses to their ads and focus media buys on those outlets that deliver the most significant ROI. They need to also closely monitor if their ads are breaking through the clutter, especially as buyers learn to distinguish between “real” advertising and bots.
For more insights into how the digital landscape is changing today, please join us at Street Fight LIVE in LA on September 30th. Brands, tech companies, and agencies will come together to share best practices, predictions, and trends that will shape 2026 and beyond.
