The Ad Industry Shift SMBs Need to Compete With Big Tech

A month rarely goes by without a new platform promising “streamlined” ad buying. It’s no surprise, given that the digital advertising market is expected to reach $513 billion in 2025, according to Statista.

Despite new options, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often stick with what they know: Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon.com. The sheer volume of channels and platforms can be overwhelming. Most SMBs don’t have the teams or resources to evaluate every new player.

Google and Microsoft Ads have long been go-to tools for search, while Meta remains dominant for social advertising. These platforms are not only accessible and DIY-friendly, but also cost effective and efficient at reaching audiences, making it hard for SMBs to justify experimenting elsewhere.

Still, audiences have clearly dispersed. Dozens of social networks, ad platforms and media tools now offer new ways to connect with consumers. While many of these tools aim to provide greater flexibility and experimentation, they often create confusion for SMBs deciding where to invest limited budgets. It’s easy to see why many marketing teams stick with the familiar. However, that could soon change.

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Media giant Comcast recently entered the space with Universal Ads. While it’s another platform to consider, it could be a real game-changer for SMBs wanting to tap into streaming media. Comcast partnered with major brands — including NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, AMC Networks, A&E, and Roku — to create a single platform for buying and managing digital ads across its extensive content network.

Through Universal Ads, Comcast is making the lucrative streaming market more accessible to smaller businesses at just the right time. Connected TV (CTV) alone is projected to reach 121 million users by 2027, according to Statista. Simplified access to premium video content and managed service support could be transformational for SMBs, many of which lack the programmatic buying experience needed for traditional DSPs like The Trade Desk. It’s also a major win for businesses taking a hyperlocal approach to building their brand and customer base.

Comcast isn’t alone. Other players are working to eliminate advertising barriers and expand opportunities for small businesses. PubMatic, a digital ad tech company, has partnered with Intuit’s SMB MediaLabs to help small businesses launch B2B ads across CTV, video and mobile channels.

For too long, media companies treated CTV and streaming ads like traditional television, complicating the buying process and making it difficult for SMBs to participate. Platforms like Universal Ads and PubMatic’s collaboration with Intuit aim to change that by offering simpler, more accessible solutions.

Still, access alone isn’t enough. SMBs also need clearer insights into performance and return on investment. Many newer platforms, including Universal Ads, are integrating AI-driven analytics to help businesses better understand what’s working and where to optimize their spend. These data-driven tools remove much of the guesswork that traditionally made digital advertising feel like a high-stakes gamble for smaller advertisers.

Another major advantage of these evolving platforms is their ability to deliver more precise audience targeting without requiring deep programmatic expertise. Whether targeting hyperlocal or national audiences, new platforms make it easier to reach high-intent consumers. By leveraging first-party data from streaming services, e-commerce platforms and business tools like QuickBooks, SMBs now have access to advanced targeting capabilities once reserved for large brands with full analytics teams.

The platforms exist. Now the challenge is education. Many SMBs still don’t know they have alternatives to the big four that are just as easy to use — and could perform just as well. Industry leaders, media companies and local business organizations must step up to help small businesses navigate this evolving landscape. If SMBs are empowered with the right tools and knowledge, they can finally harness the full potential of digital advertising — and move beyond the usual suspects.

Mark Zamuner is the president of Juice Media, a data-driven omnichannel media activation platform he founded in 2020 and was acquired by Altice USA in 2022.