Taboola has entered into a significant agreement with Apple to manage native advertising within the Apple News and Apple Stocks apps. This partnership is a milestone for Taboola, which has grown its annual revenue to over $1.4 billion as of 2023. The collaboration underscores Apple's recognition that expanding its ad business requires a robust sales operation, which it has chosen to outsource rather than build internally.
Key Details
- Revenue Impact: Apple's global ad revenues are projected to reach $10.34 billion this year, according to eMarketer.
- App Usage: Apple has sold over 1 billion subscriptions to its paid apps, including Apple News and Apple Stocks, though it does not disclose specific user numbers.
- Market Reach: Taboola will manage native ad placements in Apple News and Apple Stocks across the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia.
Operational Insights
- Ad Placements: Taboola will sell ads within the main feeds and articles for select publishers in both apps.
- Global Presence: Taboola's extensive network includes over 9,000 publishing partners and more than 18,000 advertisers worldwide.
- Quality Control: Taboola employs over 100 ad moderators to maintain control over the ads sold through Apple apps, ensuring quality and relevance.
Historical Context
Apple previously had an exclusive ad sales deal with NBCUniversal for Apple Stocks and Apple News in the U.S. and U.K. NBCU is not authorized to sell ads in Australia and Canada. The advertising industry is nearing $1 trillion in global spend, leading to more partnerships. For instance,
Taboola has a 30-year native advertising deal with Yahoo, and other companies like Instacart, Uber, and CNET are forming similar alliances.
This partnership between Taboola and Apple signifies a strategic move in the evolving landscape of digital advertising, leveraging Taboola's vast network and expertise to bolster Apple's ad revenue streams.
