Ryvalmedia Pulse (Vol.57)

IAB Releases 2024 Digital Ad Market Comparison: Australia, UK, and US

The latest IAB digital ad market comparison paints a picture of impressive resilience within the Australian market for 2024. This resilience was spearheaded by video's near 20% spending surge ($4.5bn), boosted by events like the Olympics. While established channels like Search maintained foundational strength (+10.1%, $7.2bn), Digital Audio emerged as a dynamic growth area (+17.8%, $313m), with podcasts, in particular, capturing significant advertiser momentum.

This positive Australian story unfolded alongside similar successes internationally. The US market saw 11.8% growth, also boosted by major events such as the election, while the UK experienced 13% growth (exceeding £35 billion). Crucially, the powerful performance of video advertising wasn't isolated to Australia; it was a common thread across these influential global markets. For Australian brands, seeing this shared global enthusiasm for video provides valuable confirmation and confidence that focusing budgets here aligns strongly with where audiences are and where impactful connections are being made worldwide.

Meta Launches Threads Advertising in Australia

Meta has officially begun integrating advertising into its text-based platform, Threads. This initial rollout sees ads appearing directly within the main feed, designed to blend somewhat seamlessly with organic content, mirroring familiar formats from other Meta platforms like Instagram and Facebook. The move signals Meta's confidence in Threads' growing user base and engagement levels, transitioning it from a purely organic environment to a commercially integrated part of its extensive advertising ecosystem.

The global introduction of Threads advertising presents a significant new opportunity for Australian advertisers to expand their reach within the Meta landscape. With approximately 1.4 million Australians active on the platform, Threads inventory offers access to an audience potentially distinct from, or engaging differently than, users on Facebook or Instagram, particularly those who favour real-time, text-centric conversations.

Google Rolling Out in-depth reporting for Performance Max (PMax)

Google is rolling out significant reporting enhancements for Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, directly addressing long-standing advertiser calls for greater transparency. Key updates include detailed channel performance breakdowns, revealing how PMax campaigns perform across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, and Maps. Furthermore, full search term reporting is being introduced, offering visibility similar to standard Search campaigns, while asset-level reporting will be expanded to include metrics like impressions, clicks, and cost, allowing for clearer creative evaluation.

These updates mark a significant step forward for Australian advertisers, who have often grappled with limited visibility in PMax campaigns. Its important to mention, however, that this update is for reporting purposes only, and won't allow for direct placement optimisation. Data driven decisions around creative performance by placement will now be possible, unlocking greater strategic control and accountability in a platform that has historically operated more like a black box.

Strategy Corner

2025 General Election - In Review

 Following the General Election, we review how 2025 government spending in media compared to previous elections. Advertising spending for this cycle shifted significantly towards digital platforms, with 46% of ad spend going to digital media in 2025, compared to only 15% on digital platforms in the 2022 election. Overall, political parties spent millions on advertising, with the ALP spending the most (29% of total) on digital media across Google, Meta, YouTube between November 2024 and February 2025.

Many political parties, however, still favoured television which proved to be the dominant media channel, with spending reaching over $54 million in just five weeks. This included a growing trend towards geotargeting and addressable advertising, mirroring strategies used in US elections. While Clive Palmer's 'Trumpet of Patriots' led in overall media spending, ALP and the Coalition invested more heavily in television advertising, with ALP focusing on early policy announcements and the Coalition prioritising attack ads.

This transition presents challenges for advertisers on two fronts. Firstly, the surge in demand for digital ad space during election periods leads to reduced inventory availability. Secondly, this heightened competition drives up media costs, making it more challenging for brands to secure desired placements at optimal prices.

At Ryvalmedia, we proactively address these challenges by collaborating closely with our clients to develop early and strategic media plans. By securing key advertising spots ahead of peak election periods, we ensure that our clients maintain visibility and cost-efficiency, even amidst the increased competition and rising costs associated with election-driven digital advertising.