Yep Ads – European Paid Media Awards Finalists – who are they and how can they help you?

For over 15 years, Yep Ads has connected 6.5K+ brands and publisher partners across 140+ countries, generating over 4.3 billion clicks annually. Our focus spans key verticals, from E-Commerce and Health & Wellness to Lead-Generation, Cybersecurity and beyond.

What makes us different?

A holistic, end-to-end advertiser solution.
Proprietary traffic channels and first-party call centers.
Advanced targeting powered by AI and an in-house creative team.
Brand-safe, quality-assured campaigns.

This approach has helped us become the leading performance marketing agency trusted by global innovators.

Being shortlisted for Best Use of Data at the European Paid Media Awards is not just an honour, it’s a milestone in our journey. For our team, it reinforces that striving for greatness, delivering measurable ROI and pushing the boundaries of innovation are worth celebrating.

We see this recognition as a reminder of the impact we’re making for brands and affiliates worldwide and as motivation to aim even higher in the quarters ahead.

Top Q4 Digital Marketing Trends: Performance Agency Insights

The biggest season of the year is here for media buyers. Budgets are bigger, consumer intent is higher and competition is at it’s peak. In 2025, shifts in verticals and traffic sources are opening fresh opportunities for brands and publishers who know where to look.

Want to know where to look and how to get ahead this Q4? At Yep Ads, we believe the best insights come from being in the trenches every day with media buyers, affiliates and global brands. During a recent quarterly business review, our team compared market trends across regions and verticals, building a list of firsthand observations on what’s really happening as we head into the busiest season of the year.

Q4 is running from October 1 through December 31 and always brings a unique rhythm:

October kicks things off with a back-to-school wrap-up, early holiday promotions and a spike in cybersecurity demand.
November is dominated by Black Friday, Cyber Monday and a surge in e-commerce and gift campaigns.
December closes the quarter with peak holiday shopping and big end-of-year sales pushes.

So today, we’re pulling back the curtain and sharing a few secrets from our internal playbook: which verticals are scaling fastest, which traffic sources are delivering and how to position yourself for the biggest wins this quarter.

Trending Q4 2025 Verticals to Watch For

1. Gifts, Gadgets & Seasonal Shopping

Q4 is gift season, plain and simple. This year, campaigns are hitting hard in November, not just December. Smart gadgets, health & beauty bundles, and lifestyle gifts are leading the charge, as consumers stock up earlier to avoid last-minute stress.

Why it’s big: Gifting campaigns benefit from emotional triggers. People aren’t just buying for themselves, they’re buying for others which amplifies urgency and spend.

What to focus on: Affiliates should experiment with UGC-driven creatives on Instagram and Pinterest, blending lifestyle imagery with gifting themes. Native placements in holiday gift lists and influencer tie-ins can push these campaigns to the next level.

2. Cybersecurity & Back-to-School Growth

Cybersecurity has become a seasonal driver in Q4 thanks to holiday travel, device purchases and back-to-school cycles. VPNs and antivirus products are seeing double-digit growth compared to Q3 and that momentum is expected to climb as scams and data breaches spike during the holidays.

Why it’s big: Parents are buying new laptops for kids, professionals need security while travelling and consumers are simply more aware of online risks.

What to focus on: Affiliates should shift messaging from “generic protection” to lifestyle-relevant safe gaming for students, private browsing for families and streaming access while abroad. Push and in-app ads are performing especially well when they tie into everyday scenarios.

3. E-Commerce & Straight Sale Surges

E-commerce always dominates Q4 but this year, direct sale offers are scaling harder than ever. Consumers are looking for fast, frictionless buying experiences, bundle purchases, limited-time deals and bundled discounts.

Why it’s big: The combination of urgency, trust and value is irresistible for shoppers who don’t want to waste time comparing. They just want to click, pay and know their gifts will arrive on time.

What to focus on: Affiliates and media buyers can lean into promotion periods and time-based mentions. Retargeting warm audiences with push and native ads can deliver strong conversion lifts.

4. Home Insurance & Warranty Expansion

Economic uncertainty has made people think harder about protecting their homes and big-ticket purchases. With higher repair and replacement costs, insurance and warranty offers are gaining ground as people choose safety nets over risk.

Why it’s big: Beyond economics, seasonal behaviour in Q4 also drives demand. The holidays mean more celebrations, fireworks, cooking and guests coming over, all of which naturally get people thinking about how secure their homes and belongings really are.

What to focus on: For affiliates, this vertical shines when paired with content-driven funnels combined with pay-per-call strategies. High-intent users researching coverage are more likely to convert after a real conversation, making hybrid content + call flows extremely effective.

Affiliate Traffic Source Trends

Facebook & Instagram

No surprise here, Facebook and Instagram are still the go-to channels for Q4 e-commerce and gift campaigns.

Why it works in Q4:

Visual storytelling makes it easy to showcase product bundles, gift guides or limited-time offers.
Advanced retargeting lets you re-engage cart abandoners during Black Friday / Cyber Monday surges.

Best for: E-commerce, gifts, health & beauty and streaming subscriptions.

Pinterest: Inspiration Meets Intent

Pinterest becomes a holiday powerhouse in Q4. Users come here specifically to plan purchases, whether it’s “gift ideas for mom” or “holiday home décor” – That mix of browsing + shopping intent is a goldmine for affiliates.

Why it works in Q4:

People use Pinterest as a holiday mood board, meaning they’re actively looking to save and shop ideas.
Visual pins keep offers evergreen, great for gift bundles and lifestyle products.

Best for: Gifts, home goods, wellness and e-commerce bundles.

Search: Capturing High-Intent Buyers

Search traffic is the workhorse of Q4 performance marketing. Whether it’s “best Black Friday VPN deal” or “last-minute Christmas gifts under $50”, buyers are literally telling you what they want.

Why it works in Q4:

Purchase-ready intent: Shoppers are past browsing and ready to click “buy”.
Seasonal long-tails (e.g., “Cyber Monday smartwatch deals”) drive cheaper conversions than generic terms.

Best for: Cybersecurity (VPN/antivirus), e-commerce, home warranty and finance.

Noteworthy Industry Updates

One thing we see every year is partner onboarding freezes. As soon as Q4 is in full swing, top-tier publishers and affiliates often close their doors to new brand partnerships. The focus shifts to maximizing revenue with existing deals during peak season. If you haven’t secured your spots yet, this is the time to move. Lock in competitive rates and finalize agreements before the freeze.

The takeaway? Q4 isn’t just about trends; it’s about being proactive. Partner smart and partner with Yep Ads. We’ve got the tools, channels and expertise to help you not only keep up with the season but get ahead of it. And as we head into the biggest quarter of the year, we want to wish everyone in the industry a great season ahead!