March AdTech Roundup: Key Highlights, Office Hours & Trends!

Author

Ashok Ganapam
March 24, 2025

- DATABEAT INSIGHT SERIES…

Hey DataBeat Community,

As we wrap up Q1, it's time to assess, optimize, and gear up for the next quarter. With shifting CPM trends, ads.txt changes, and evolving strategies, staying ahead is more crucial than ever. This month, we’re uncovering hidden costs in programmatic buying and breaking down key market insights to help you maximize efficiency and ROI.

Have questions about shifting CPMs, evolving strategies, or optimizing ad spend? Join our Open Office Hours (17th April, 12:00 PM EST) for 1-on-1 guidance from our R&D experts. Limited seats, Register now!

Let’s make Q2 even more profitable—read on for the insights you need!

In February 2025, there was a net change of +4.8K ads.txt lines, with 67,862 new lines added and 63,086 removed, continuing last year’s trend of +7K in Feb 2024.

Tier-3 SSPs led the growth, adding 4,300+ new lines.

  • Adipolo expanded with 500+ new publisher partnerships, strengthening app inventory monetization.

  • Pubmatic, Taboola, and 33Across continued to gain direct entries, improving SSP coverage.

Theme: The DSP Landscape & Cost Efficiency

DV360 dominates with 47% market share, followed by Amazon DSP (20%) and The Trade Desk (19%). High-scale DSPs benefit from wider reach and premium integrations, while smaller DSPs focus on niche audiences and specialized formats.

  • DSP CPM Trends: CPMs are most competitive on DV360 and The Trade Desk, while platforms with premium inventory and niche targeting see higher CPMS driven by limited supply and competition.

  • Spending Strategy: Major DSPs prioritize their owned SSPs for better data control and cost efficiency.

Optimize Your DSP Strategy for Maximum Impact- Explore Our DSP Services

  • MoM Trends: Display CPMs ↑6.3%, Video CPMs ↑25.9%.

  • YoY Decline: Overall CPMs ↓39.3%, likely due to reduced political Ad Spend.

  • CTV Growth: CPMs surged 43% MoM, with AdX leading in volume.

Each month, we spotlight a standout tool from DataBeat’s innovative suite. This month, the star is Ingestion—Cost-Effective, Agile and Flexible ETL solution for all publishers/Ad networks teams and stakeholders!

DataBeat Ingestion

Efficient and accurate; Ingestion lets your stakeholder store and visualize data in a preferred database of your choice. Tailored for Publishers, it delivers flexibility without compromise.

Boosting 39% ROAS with Smarter Targeting

See how DataBeat helped an e-commerce advertiser improve CTR by 32%, increase conversions by 5%, and boost ROAS by 39% through refined targeting and retargeting strategies. Read the full case study.

Stop Hidden Costs in Programmatic

Tech fees, bid inflation, and ad fraud could be draining your budget. Learn how smarter allocation, AI bidding, and supply path strategies can optimize your spend. Read the full article.

Stay Informed with DataBeat

Explore our Knowledge Repository for cutting-edge industry updates and insights. We’re here to help you stay ahead of the curve and make informed decisions.

March marks the end of Q1, a perfect time to refine your DSP strategies and optimize ad spend. Tackle hidden costs, shifting CPMs, and evolving trends to drive stronger results in Q2.

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Warm Regards,
The DataBeat Team