Agencies have begun to quietly talk about Google holding dinner meetings in New York and Los Angeles during the past few months for execs who typically work with buy-side tools but not
publisher-facing tools. Reports suggest Google might be preparing to break off its ad-tech business.
"Attendees said they were surprised that Ad Manager staff asked about building direct
relationships with buyers, a move that would put the unit on a path more typical of independent ad-tech companies," reports Emarketer.
September's remedies trial follows an April ruling
that Google holds an illegal monopoly in publisher ad servers and ad exchanges.
Regulators could decide that Google needs to divest Ad Manager, which houses its publisher ad server and
exchange. It also could accept a move that required the company to sell its ad exchange, AdX, or opening it to competitors.
Emarketer states that the effort comes as Google’s
network revenue, including Ad Manager, continues to decline. In fact, it has declined 7% since 2022 to approximately $30 billion.
advertisement
advertisement
Google’s overall ad business remains dominant.
Emarketer’s forecast suggest it will generate $205.1 billion in 2025 advertising revenues — but growth has slowed, far behind competitors like Microsoft.
“At the same time,
AI-driven ‘zero-click’ search results have reduced site visits by hundreds of millions, exacerbating publisher revenue challenges,” Emarketer reports.
Its annual revenue is
still far larger than rivals like Magnite and Pubmatic. PubMatic reported $63.8 million in revenue for Q1 2025, down 4% compared with the $66.7 million in the year-ago quarter, according to the
company's recent SEC filing.
Magnite reported revenue growth for Q1 2025, generating $155.8 million in revenue -- up 4% from $149.3 million in Q1 2024, according to the company’s
filing.
Google’s antitrust remedies ruling could change the path for both companies, along with many others across the advertising industry.
MediaPost will update the article as
we learn more.