Taboola’s partnership with Apple to power native advertising in Apple News and Apple Stocks is raising eyebrows. Known for serving up some of the most intrusive and unsavory ads on the internet Taboola’s involvement raises many questions about Apple’s judgment. Despite being a tech giant with stringent anti-tracking policies, Apple’s choice to partner with Taboola instead of utilizing its own ad solutions like Apple App Store ads is unexpected.
For advertisers, this deal might seem like a golden opportunity to tap into Apple’s vast user base. However, the reality is more complex. Users increasingly resort to ad blockers, and many are willing to pay for ad-free experiences. The collaboration with Taboola, a company notorious for low-quality ads, could backfire, driving users further away from traditional ad-supported models. Or maybe the ultimate goal is to make the subscriptions inevitable.
How exactly did Taboola secure this partnership with Apple? It appears to be a move driven by Apple’s need to grow its ad business quickly without building an internal sales force. But will the quality of ads be up to Apple’s high standards? Probably not. Given Apple’s reputation for user privacy and high-quality user experience, this partnership seems like a huge step backward.
In the grand scheme of things, this deal signifies a shift in the digital advertising landscape, but not necessarily a positive one. The tension between monetizing platforms and maintaining user trust and satisfaction is becoming more apparent. Advertisers should be cautious and critically assess whether associating with such partnerships aligns with their brand values and user expectations. Public opinion is all over the internet already, and kindly said people are not happy.
