Publishers are increasingly concerned about keyword blocking, which is affecting their ad revenues significantly. In 2023, CNN International reported nearly 8,000 blocked keywords, while Newsweek stated that some of its inventory is blocked by 50%. This has severe implications, with revenue reductions of 30% leading to substantial losses for publishers. Stakeholders are frustrated, as AI-powered optimization tools exist yet the issue continues. Many attribute the problem to agency buyer inertia and the profitability of ad verification companies, creating a challenging dynamic in the online ad ecosystem.
Whenever inventory is flagged as brand unsafe, the CPMs are 30% lower. And if you're making $100 million in revenue, a 30% drop is [a loss of] $30 million.
A couple of companies have built a massive business by blocking inventory. And changing the status quo means disrupting that revenue stream.
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