Advertising • June 13, 2025
By Ramesh Ramalingam, Vice President of Ad Product
For over a decade, social media platforms have dominated digital advertising budgets. Brands poured billions into Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, enticed by scale, targeting precision, and the promise of engagement. But cracks have started to show. In 2025, as brand safety concerns escalate, platform algorithms shift unpredictably, and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, advertisers are actively seeking more stable, trustworthy environments. One clear standout? Native advertising in news apps.
The digital ad landscape is at a turning point. With third-party cookies being sunset, increasing global regulation, and rising consumer skepticism toward social media, advertisers are rethinking where—and how—they connect with audiences. Increasingly, they're moving their dollars into environments that are credible, high-quality, and transparent.
A 2024 confirmed that consumers trust ads more when they appear within news content than in social feeds. As misinformation surges on platforms like X and Facebook, brands are gravitating toward premium journalism that offers not just brand safety, but better performance. and consistently deliver stronger engagement and conversion rates than traditional social formats.
Brand safety isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a competitive advantage. On social media, advertisers risk showing up next to . On news apps, by contrast, ad placements sit alongside vetted, high-quality reporting curated by editors, not algorithms.
Transparency is also playing a bigger role in 2H 2025. While social platforms often mask targeting logic and performance fluctuations behind black-box algorithms, news apps offer predictable placements and clear visibility into where ads run. That level of control helps brands build smarter, safer campaigns—without sacrificing scale.
As we move into the back half of 2025, all signs point to native advertising in news environments becoming a go-to strategy. Here’s what to expect:
Accelerated budget shifts: More brands are reallocating social spend to premium news placements that deliver trust and results.
Brand safety becomes table stakes: Advertisers are prioritizing environments where they can confidently protect their reputation.
Innovation in native formats: Publishers are investing in immersive, user-friendly ad experiences that drive performance without disrupting the content.
The pivot away from social is no longer theoretical—it’s happening now. Brands that make the shift early will be better positioned to lead in an ecosystem that values transparency, quality, and consumer trust.
Ready to rethink your display strategy?
