As Google incentivizes sales teams to prioritize YouTube, the platform is moving further upstream to capture TV ad dollars. However, the real story isn’t just about glossy awareness plays; it is about the “messy middle” of the funnel. In Digiday’s recent analysis, industry leaders—including Mile Marker’s VP of Biddable COE Monica Shukla—weighed in on how YouTube is evolving from a branding play into a performance engine.
A Cornerstone of the Media Mix
While the industry buzzes about YouTube competing with linear TV, smart marketers are looking at the platform’s ability to drive specific, measurable outcomes. The shift isn’t subtle; brands are actively reallocating budgets to capture this efficiency.
Monica Shukla noted in the report that YouTube has become a “cornerstone” of her team’s clients’ media mixes. This isn’t speculative testing; it is a deliberate strategic shift. Shukla added that investment in the platform has followed a “consistent upward trajectory, with a significant number of clients realizing double-digit year-over-year growth in channel allocations”.
Auction-Based Efficiency
The analysis highlights that while some agencies are pushing consolidation through DV360, many clients prefer the direct linkage found in Google Ads to better connect video views to search conversions.
Shukla highlighted the platform as “highly effective for auction-based buying due to its native ease of execution and cost-efficiency”. By leveraging these native tools, brands can maintain agility and better manage the cross-channel relationship between seeing an ad and making a purchase.
The Bottom Line
YouTube is positioning itself as a revenue release valve for brands facing rising costs elsewhere. The winners in 2026 will be those who view YouTube not just as a TV alternative, but as a mid-funnel performance driver that integrates seamlessly with search and demand generation.
📖 Read the full analysis See how agencies are adjusting their YouTube strategies to drive performance. 👉 Read the full report on Digiday
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