Reddit Gets Serious About Performance Marketing 🚀

Plus: TikTok's ban delay didn't save ad spend, Google flags filler content & Amazon Haul pivots to U.S. brands

Welcome to the latest edition of Katalys Connect - your shortcut to the latest in performance marketing! [Read time: 4 minutes] What's in this issue? Each week we pack the latest trends, actionable insights, and industry breakthroughs into a quick read - ensuring you're not just keeping up, you're staying ahead. Monetization: Discover how publishers are pushing back on AI training practices, navigating Google's new content guidelines, and seeking better revenue from platforms like Apple News. Growth: Learn how brands are adjusting ad strategies as TikTok faces regulatory uncertainty, and why platforms like Reddit and Snapchat are becoming performance marketing powerhouses. Future of Commerce: Explore how QVC is doubling down on TikTok, Best Buy is empowering creators with storefronts, and Amazon's Haul adjusts to shifting global trade dynamics. ⭐ Katalys Featured Program   Power Up Performance • BIOptimizers is redefining wellness with premium supplements designed to improve digestion, boost energy, and elevate daily performance. With top-tier formulas and steady demand, the BIOptimizers program is built to deliver results. Who they are: BIOptimizers was founded by two former bodybuilders turned wellness experts, with one mission: to help people optimize their health. With science-backed formulas and 20+ years of trust, the brand is known for expert-formulated products that support gut health, immunity, sleep, stress, and performance. Why join: Tap into a top-rated health offer trusted by wellness audiences, plus leverage regular promos to boost earnings - with traffic approval across content, display, coupon, social, and email. Affiliates - Ready to boost your wellness revenue? Check out our blog to learn more about joining the BIOptimizers program on Katalys. Brands - Interested in growing through Katalys? Contact us to get started! 💸 Monetization Apple News Falls Short • Despite strong traffic from Apple News, many publishers say monetization is still falling short, with ad revenue underwhelming even after Apple took over ad sales last year. Some publishers report "shockingly abysmal" earnings from Apple News ads, citing a 30% revenue cut, lack of programmatic support, and limited targeting as major blockers, even as traffic continues to grow. Publishers are exploring alternative monetization tactics like on-article donation widgets and using Apple News inventory to promote subscriptions and other owned products. Publishers Push Back on AI • Hundreds of major publishers are running a coordinated ad campaign urging the U.S. government to stop Big Tech from using their content to train AI without permission or compensation. The campaign, led by the News/Media Alliance and supported by outlets like The New York Times, Vox Media, and The Guardian, demands legislation that ensures attribution and fair pay for AI-generated content that relies on copyrighted material. The initiative follows a similar campaign in the UK and arrives as OpenAI and Google lobby for continued access to publisher content, escalating the standoff over AI training data and intellectual property rights. Google Flags Filler Content • A Google Search Advocate has cautioned publishers and SEOs to avoid low-value "filler" content, citing new guidelines that emphasize quality and user experience over inflated word counts. Google's Quality Rater Guidelines (QRG) now define filler as low-effort content that occupies prominent space without adding real value - penalizing pages where important info is buried beneath fluff. While recipe sites are often called out, Google's message applies broadly: content should be concise, helpful, and immediately accessible, not padded to mimic competitors or hit arbitrary length goals. 📈 Growth   TikTok Ad Spend Wavers • Amid looming ban uncertainty, advertisers are pulling back from TikTok and shifting budgets to Meta, triggering sharp CPM declines and strategic pivots. TikTok's U.S. ad rates dropped double digits in Q1, with 8 of its top 10 advertiser categories cutting spend, while Meta's Facebook and Instagram saw short-form video CPMs surge as brands hedge bets on more stable ground. With TikTok's fate still tied to Washington and potential acquisition talks, brands face a risky balancing act: betting on cheaper reach now or future-proofing with platforms better positioned to weather regulatory upheaval. Snap Success Story • Wendy's leveraged Snapchat's new Sponsored Snaps format to deliver a viral campaign that drove nearly 52M impressions and the highest view rate of any U.S. takeover ad during Snap's Q4 alpha test. The brand's playful snap was sent directly to user inboxes - generating ~120K clicks, a 54% boost in organic followers, and a 17% lift in ad awareness, surpassing category benchmarks and showcasing the power of personalized, chat-integrated ads. Sponsored Snaps are now Snap's largest single-day reach product, with a 30% lift in average reach, as the platform leans further into direct messaging formats and expands its agency partner program to woo more advertisers.   Reddit Levels Up Ad Tools • Reddit has expanded its partnership with Integral Ad Science (IAS) to offer brands advanced measurement tools like viewability, traffic verification, and brand safety insights across its ad inventory.. The upgrade adds AI-powered content classification and global campaign measurement across web, in-app, and video formats - aiming to boost transparency and confidence for advertisers engaging with Reddit's 100K+ niche communities. With ad revenue projected to grow 30% and daily users up 47% YoY, Reddit's acquisition of Memorable AI signals a serious push into performance marketing. 🚀 Future of Commerce   QVC Live on TikTok • QVC Group is doubling down on TikTok Shop with a new 24/7 livestream partnership, featuring original, shoppable content tailored for the platform's younger, social-savvy audience. The expanded deal builds on QVC's earlier TikTok Shop launch, now enlisting creators, celebrities, and hosts to drive sales through continuous live content and creator collaborations. As part of a broader digital pivot, QVC is investing in social selling and streaming to reverse financial losses, with plans to centralize operations and create a dedicated social content hub. Best Buy Taps Creators • Best Buy has launched its new Creator program, giving influencers the ability to host branded storefronts on its website and earn uncapped commissions from featured tech recommendations. Major tech creators like Linus Tech Tips, UrAvgConsumer, and Jenna Ezarik are among the first to open storefronts, turning their content into curated shopping hubs. The move aims to boost traffic, sales, and engagement by blending inspiration with commerce - though new research shows most consumers still combine influencer advice with additional product research before buying. Amazon Haul's Tariff Shift • Amazon is pivoting its Haul platform to include well-known branded products from US warehouses, adapting to impending tariffs that threaten its low-cost model. This is a noticeable move away from its initial strategy of offering ultra-cheap unbranded items from China and now many items on Haul are priced similarly to those on standard Amazon, raising questions about the platform's value proposition for shoppers. By stocking products from US warehouses, Amazon is temporarily circumventing the new tariffs, but the long-term affordability of Haul remains uncertain as the landscape continues to evolve. 👍 Was this valuable? We strive to deliver engaging, high-value content to you weekly. Did we hit the mark? Let us know your feedback: Excellent | Good | Subpar © Katalys 2025 All Rights Reserved Katalys LLC, 315 S COAST HWY 101 # 528, Encinitas, California 92024, United States Unsubscribe Manage preferences