Four ways publishers are consolidating to survive (and thrive) in 2025

By Michael Edwards, VP Sales and Accounts

It’s been a tough year for publishers. Traditional ad revenues have been sliding, new platforms are changing the rules, and now clickless search is shaking up how people discover content. With AI Overviews (AIOs) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) in the mix, the old playbook isn’t enough anymore.

That’s why many publishers are joining forces. Through acquisitions, partnerships, or even full-on restructures, the aim is to achieve greater scale, efficiency, and market power.

At adops.com, we’re at the forefront of many of these transformations, providing the technical expertise and consultancy that enable publishers to navigate these complex shifts. Based on our work with various publishers, we have identified four distinct types of consolidation currently shaping the industry.

Here, we explore these models drawing on examples to illustrate how publishers are reimagining their business for the next era of media.

1. Acquisition and network building

One of the most common moves we’re seeing is the acquisition of publishers to build larger, more comprehensive networks. This approach allows consolidated publisher networks to pool resources, share technology, and offer a broader range of content for better monetization opportunities.

Example: We work with a network of hyper-localized publishers focusing on niche community content. The network has been acquiring similar entities, each of which are focused on different aspects of the same community content. This unified brand now serves everyone from local enthusiasts to broader stakeholders. With this combined scale, they’re able to negotiate better deals with advertisers and deliver more value to their audience.

What we do: As with the other types of consolidation mentioned below, we provide an established suite of ad ops resources spanning both services and technology. In this case, we deliver tools across the entire group that individual properties might not otherwise be able to access. This means new entities can quickly bring something valuable to the table, such as a proven revenue stream like a newsletter, without needing to dedicate the time and expense of developing it from scratch. With our support, these assets can be integrated into the wider revenue strategy quickly and seamlessly.

This type of consolidation is particularly effective in niche markets, where a dominant player can create a one-stop-shop for content and advertising, making it more attractive to both end-users and advertisers.

But not all consolidation is about acquisition. Sometimes, it’s about teaming up and putting on a fresh face.

2. Joint effort and rebranding

The second type of consolidation we see involves joint efforts and rebranding, where two or more publishers come together to form a new entity or rebrand their existing ones. This can lead to invaluable synergies, combined audiences, and enhanced market presence.

Example: One big publisher we work with pulled together their tech brand with two others in the same space. The result? A new, unified platform that’s far more attractive to advertisers - and much easier to manage.

What we do: In this case, there were thousands of line items, and even more creatives, that needed to be re-trafficked. Our tech team quickly built automated processes to make that transition smooth and efficient. As with the acquisitions example above, both companies were able to combine their resources and immediately leverage new technologies and services. The key difference here is that we’re building a new ad ops stack from the ground up - one designed specifically for the new joint entity.

This type of consolidation allows publishers to achieve economies of scale that might not be possible individually, such as cost savings, increased market share, and stronger negotiating positions with advertisers and technology partners.

Of course, sometimes growth isn’t about doing more - it’s about doing less. That’s where divestiture and outsourcing come in to view.

3. Divestiture and outsourcing

The third type of consolidation is divestiture and outsourcing, where publishers divest from non-core operations - particularly digital advertising - and outsource them to specialists. This is often driven by the complexity and resource intensity of managing ad tech.

Example: We work with a medical journal publisher who has chosen to partner with ad sales agencies. By doing so, they can focus on their core mission of delivering high-quality content, while leaving the intricacies of direct ad sales to experts who can scale it better.

This approach not only streamlines operations, but also reduces costs and potentially increases revenues by leveraging specialized ad ops technology and best practices. It also enables publishers to stay competitive, without the burden of building and maintaining their own ad tech infrastructure.

What we do: In essence, we ensure continuity. When a publisher divests certain properties, we maintain full operational functionality across those sites. Because we already know the ad ops stack and setup, we can step in immediately - transferring our knowledge, processes, and systems directly to the new independent entities. This minimizes disruption, preserves revenue, and removes the need for complex transitions or new setups. Whether a publisher is divesting or acquiring, our role is to bridge the gap - keeping everything running smoothly while supporting the long-term strategy.

And then finally, there are the big restructures - splitting things apart to unlock more focus and flexibility.

4. Restructure and spin-off

For larger publishers - particularly those who have grown through acquisitions over the years - consolidation can take the form of spinning off parts of the business. This lets them streamline operations and give each unit more focus, which in turn can help optimize operations, enable diversification into different business models, or unlock new opportunities within a larger corporate structure.

Example: One major media corporation we work with has restructured by spinning off several properties into a new, independent network. That move gave each entity the freedom to focus on its audience, leading to more targeted strategies, while the parent company concentrated on its own core strengths, as well as positioning certain units for future growth or partnerships.

What we do: In a complementary way to acquisitions, where we help integrate new companies into an existing setup, for restructures and spin-offs we focus on optimization. Drawing on what we’ve learned from past integrations, we identify what’s working, what isn’t, and where updates are needed. From there, we help each entity get to where it needs to be - with the right mix of services, technologies, and management approaches.

Charting the future of publishing

These four types of publisher consolidation tactics demonstrate how publishers are reimagining their business models for the next era of search and advertising. Each approach addresses specific challenges and opportunities, from achieving scale to focusing on core competencies, but the goal is the same: building stronger, more resilient businesses.

Consolidation isn’t just about survival - it’s about setting yourself up to thrive in the next era of publishing. As the industry continues to evolve, we expect to see even more innovative forms of consolidation emerge.

At adops.com, we help publishers navigate these shifts every day, from ad tagging to campaign management and everything in between. If you’re wondering which strategy fits your business, or how to tackle inevitable organizational changes, we’d love to talk.