Optimizing media campaigns in 2025-2026 no longer relies on the same mechanics as it did two years ago. The implementation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has changed the rules of advertising targeting on major platforms, and advertisers who have not adapted their approach are seeing a decline in their performance. Understanding these changes allows for the reallocation of budgets towards the levers that truly generate visibility for a business.
Impact of the DMA on advertising targeting: what changes concretely
Since the application of the DMA to platforms designated as “gatekeepers” (notably Meta and Google), the cross-referencing of data between services of the same group is restricted without explicit user consent. Facebook can no longer freely use data from Instagram or WhatsApp to refine the targeting of an advertising campaign.
The direct consequence for advertisers: a loss of signal. Behavioral micro-targeting, long a pillar of campaigns on these platforms, is losing precision. Audiences are becoming mechanically broader, and the platform “filters less” in advance.
| Before the DMA | After the DMA |
|---|---|
| Free cross-referencing of data between services (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube) | Explicit consent required for each data combination |
| Precise behavioral micro-targeting | Broader audiences, enhanced contextual targeting |
| The platform optimizes delivery on its own | The quality of the creative and landing page becomes the main lever |
This transfer of responsibility changes the hierarchy of priorities in a campaign. The challenge is no longer to find the right micro-audience, but to produce a message relevant enough to convert a broader audience.
Specialized resources in media planning help structure this transition, as can be seen on https://media-planning.lu/ which details budget allocation methodologies adapted to this new context.
Advertising creative and landing page: the two variables that compensate for the loss of targeting
When targeting loses its finesse, two elements take over in the performance of a media campaign: the advertising creative and the landing page.
Systematic creative testing
Advertisers who maintain their results on Meta and Google after the DMA share a common point: they multiply creative variations. Testing multiple hooks, formats (short video, carousel, static image) and message angles allows the algorithm to identify what works on less segmented audiences.
Short video with a hook in the first three seconds stands out as the format that captures attention on broad audiences. Text alone or generic static images are no longer sufficient to differentiate in a feed where competition for attention is intensifying.
Landing page as a qualification filter
Since the platform sends less pre-qualified traffic, the landing page must assume the role of a filter. Three criteria become crucial:
- The consistency between the advertising message and the content of the page: a visitor arriving on a page unrelated to the ad leaves within seconds
- The loading speed, which influences both the bounce rate and the cost per click on Google Ads
- The clarity of the offer from the first screen, without forcing the visitor to scroll to understand what is being proposed
This creative-landing page duo now represents the main optimization lever of a media campaign, more so than audience settings in the advertising interface.
Retail media and connected TV: budgetary trade-offs in recent media plans
Media campaigns are no longer limited to the triptych of Google Ads, Meta Ads, and SEO. Two channels are capturing an increasing share of advertising budgets and deserve to be integrated into a visibility strategy.
Retail media (advertising displayed on e-commerce sites like Amazon, Cdiscount, or Fnac) has a structural advantage: the purchase intent is already present with the user. The advertiser reaches a prospect in a situation of active comparison, which reduces the number of steps between exposure and conversion.
Connected TV (CTV), on the other hand, combines the coverage power of traditional television with the targeting and measurement capabilities of digital. Ads broadcast on streaming platforms allow reaching audiences that have largely deserted linear television, particularly those under 35.
However, these two channels are not suitable for all business profiles. Retail media requires selling a product distributed on these platforms. CTV necessitates a video production budget and minimum purchase volumes, making it more suitable for medium-sized enterprises than for small businesses.
DSA compliance and online advertising: constraints to integrate from the design phase
The Digital Services Act (DSA) imposes transparency obligations on online advertising that directly affect the design of campaigns. Platforms must make the targeting parameters used for each ad accessible, and targeted advertising towards minors is prohibited.
For advertisers, this means ensuring that their campaigns comply with these rules before dissemination:
- Not using sensitive data (political opinions, health data, sexual orientation) as targeting criteria
- Explicitly excluding minor audiences when the platform’s tools allow it
- Ensuring that legal mentions and the identity of the advertiser are clearly displayed in the ads
Ignoring these constraints exposes one to ad removal by the platform, or even sanctions. Integrating DSA compliance from the design phase avoids costly corrections during the campaign.
The performance of a media campaign in 2025-2026 relies less on targeting parameters and more on the quality of the message, the relevance of the landing page, and the choice of channels suited to its market. Companies that reallocate their time from audience optimization to creative optimization find that their acquisition costs remain controlled despite the new regulatory constraints.
