Q4 2024 Quarterly Trends Report

Here are some of the key digital marketing trends from Q4 2024’s advertising data.

Stabilization in Ad Prices: Ad prices across retail media, paid search, and paid social stabilized after prolonged volatility. This consistency and the adoption of newer ad formats have reshaped how advertisers manage budgets and measure performance.

Retail Media as a Growth Driver: Retail media spending surged by 23% YoY in Q4 2024, driven by higher click volumes rather than rising CPCs. This channel continues to lead growth, fueled by a strong focus on upper-funnel tactics and commerce-based innovations.

Seasonal Spending Shifts Disrupt Patterns: The late timing of Cyber Monday into December disrupted traditional Q4 spending patterns. Retail media remained resilient, while paid search and social experienced challenges aligning campaign performance with holiday shopping trends, emphasizing the importance of adapting to seasonal consumer behavior shifts.

Emergence of TikTok as a Key Player: TikTok solidified its role in social advertising, driving significant YoY growth and excelling in upper-funnel campaigns. Its ability to connect with engaged younger audiences positions it as an increasingly vital platform for digital marketers.

Commerce-Focused Strategies Dominate: Commerce-oriented campaign types, such as Amazon DSP and Advantage Shopping Campaigns+, drove consistent growth across all channels. These strategies are essential for advertisers prioritizing sales outcomes, signaling a shift toward more performance-driven digital advertising approaches.