Yext, Inc., a leading digital presence platform for multi-location brands, has announced the acquisition of Places Scout, a top local SEO and location intelligence platform. This move strengthens Yext’s ability to provide AI-powered competitive intelligence and benchmarking to help brands optimize visibility across all search channels.

Why This Acquisition Matters

With AI-driven search transforming customer discovery, brands need more than just visibility—they require real-time competitive intelligence. By integrating Places Scout’s data-driven insights, Yext enables brands to:
Assess performance across national and local markets
Track competitors with precise benchmarking tools
Optimize search visibility using AI-powered recommendations

Leadership Perspectives

• Michael Walrath, CEO & Chair, Yext
  “Places Scout enhances our intelligence capabilities, helping brands not just see where they stand but know exactly what steps to take to win. As AI search evolves, we’re committed to providing brands with the insights they need to lead.”

• Mark Kabana, CEO, Places Scout
  “Places Scout has pioneered search intelligence and benchmarking. Together with Yext, we’re offering brands unmatched data and analytics to refine their strategy and outperform the competition.”

Yext’s Expanding Digital Presence Capabilities

This acquisition follows Yext’s recent purchase of Hearsay Systems, reinforcing its commitment to search intelligence and customer engagement. By integrating Places Scout’s local search and reputation data, Yext enhances its platform’s ability to:
Deliver actionable AI-powered insights
Improve multi-location brand strategy
Strengthen competitive positioning in local and global search

Financial Outlook for Q4 & Fiscal Year 2025

Yext has updated its financial outlook, expecting results for Q4 and fiscal year ending January 31, 2025, to be in line with or above previous guidance, despite FX headwinds.

With this acquisition, Yext cements its position as the most comprehensive digital presence platform, equipping brands with next-generation AI and search intelligence tools to thrive in an evolving digital landscape.

Verve, a leader in ID-less advertising technology, has appointed Grant Gudgel as SVP of Marketing to spearhead its next phase of accelerated growth. With deep expertise in digital advertising, programmatic strategy, and identity-free targeting, Gudgel will play a key role in helping Verve challenge legacy industry conventions and expand its market leadership.

Grant Gudgel’s Industry Expertise

Gudgel’s career spans digital advertising, product strategy, and M&A, including:
Teads: Led North American operations for Teads Studio, an advanced Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) platform.
Entrepreneurial Success: Co-founded an early in-app video ad platform, later acquired by Voodoo.
Industry Consultant: Advised ad tech firms on product strategy and acquisitions.

Strategic Vision for Verve

According to Verve CEO, Remco Westerman:
“Grant’s creative approach to solving modern ad tech challenges aligns with Verve’s vision to redefine media value through ID-less technologies. His expertise will be instrumental in driving Verve’s growth and challenging conventional advertising models.”

Gudgel’s key responsibilities include:
Integrating recent acquisitions, including Jun Group (€170 million deal).
Expanding Verve’s ID-less, mobile, DOOH, and CTV ad solutions.
Strengthening Verve’s brand and agency-facing business.
Advancing Verve’s demand-side business, following the Jun Group acquisition.

Verve’s 2024 Momentum & Innovations

Gudgel’s appointment comes after a landmark year for Verve, which included:
Acquiring Jun Group for €170 million
Releasing research on in-app privacy trends
Launching ATOM 3.0, enabling ID-less targeting across 10,000+ apps
Becoming the top mobile SSP in North America for Google & Apple app stores

Gudgel’s Perspective on the Future of Ad Tech

“Verve is rewriting how our industry approaches audience targeting. With ID-less solutions like ATOM, we’re unlocking premium, cross-channel inventory that has long been overlooked. In an era where traditional programmatic tactics face signal loss and oversaturation, Verve offers an entirely new approach to delivering media outcomes.” – Grant Gudgel, SVP of Marketing, Verve

Verve’s commitment to ID-less advertising and privacy-first innovation is reshaping digital advertising. With Gudgel’s leadership, the company is set to further differentiate itself in mobile, DOOH, and CTV inventory, helping brands and agencies maximize media impact in a privacy-first world.

Smarsh, a global leader in communications data and intelligence, has appointed David Brolsma as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With expertise in IPO strategy, M&A, regulatory compliance, and revenue efficiency, Brolsma will play a key role in accelerating Smarsh’s next phase of growth and enhancing financial and operational excellence.

David Brolsma’s Industry Expertise

Brolsma brings over 20 years of financial leadership experience, having held key positions at both high-growth technology firms and publicly traded multinationals:
WP Engine (CFO & SVP): Led multiple tech acquisitions for the Silver Lake-owned hosting service.
Rackspace (VP & GM): Spearheaded successful IPO and global expansion strategy.
Valero Energy & EY: Managed international finance and governance across U.S. and Europe.

Strategic Vision for Smarsh

According to Kim Crawford Goodman, CEO at Smarsh:
“David’s leadership will be critical in accelerating Smarsh’s growth, ensuring financial strength, and supporting innovation. His expertise in scaling technology companies and navigating regulatory complexities makes him an invaluable asset.”

As CFO, Brolsma will oversee:
Global finance and accounting
Corporate development & M&A integrations
Regulatory compliance & revenue optimization
Operational efficiency & strategic growth initiatives

Smarsh’s Industry Recognition & Momentum

Brolsma’s appointment follows a strong growth phase for Smarsh, including:
Named a Leader in Gartner’s Digital Communications Governance Quadrant
17th consecutive appearance on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list
Expanding its AI-powered, cloud-native compliance platform

Brolsma’s Perspective on Joining Smarsh

“Smarsh is a trusted market leader, and I’m excited to contribute to its continued success. I look forward to working with the team to drive financial excellence, innovation, and long-term customer success.” – David Brolsma, CFO, Smarsh

With Brolsma’s leadership, Smarsh is well-positioned to further solidify its global leadership in compliance and communications intelligence, helping regulated industries navigate complex regulatory landscapes and extract critical business insights.

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, has partnered with AppsFlyer, a global leader in mobile measurement and attribution, to enhance Web Shop solutions for game developers. This first-of-its-kind collaboration in the gaming industry offers cross-platform measurement and attribution, helping developers optimize user engagement, revenue, and campaign performance.

Features of the Integration

This partnership introduces two integration options to support developers:

Mobile Application S2S Integration

• Measures Lifetime Value (LTV) & Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS) for in-app and Web Shop purchases.
• Tracks user acquisition, re-engagement campaigns, and full cross-platform user journeys.
• Enables easy activation via Xsolla & AppsFlyer Publisher Accounts, requiring no coding expertise.

Web Integration Activation

• Tracks marketing performance, ad conversions, and campaign effectiveness for Xsolla Web Shops.
• Supports high-performance ad creatives and retargeting efforts.
• Seamlessly integrates with Xsolla’s Site Builder.

Why This Matters for Game Developers

Game developers often struggle with cross-platform attribution, making it difficult to connect mobile and web performance data. These integrations:
Bridge the data gap between mobile apps and Web Shops.
 Provide accurate tracking of LTV, ROI, and campaign impact.
 Enable smarter business decisions with full-funnel insights.

According to Berkley Egenes, CMO & Growth Officer at Xsolla:
"Xsolla’s Web Shop solution has transformed the mobile gaming industry, with over 500 Web Shops launched. Traditional mobile measurement tools weren’t built for this. These integrations now offer game developers a complete view of player LTV and overall ROI."

AppsFlyer’s Take on the Collaboration

"Understanding the full user journey across mobile and web is crucial for game developers," said Adam Smart, Product Director of Gaming at AppsFlyer. "This collaboration ensures seamless cross-platform measurement and attribution, allowing developers to optimize performance and maximize revenue."

How Developers Can Activate These Integrations

No coding required – simple activation through Xsolla & AppsFlyer Publisher Accounts.
Comprehensive analytics to track in-app and web-based purchases.
Streamlined cross-platform campaign management for accurate revenue attribution.

As mobile gaming evolves, cross-platform measurement tools are essential for developers to track, optimize, and grow their player base effectively. With this Xsolla-AppsFlyer integration, developers gain clear, data-driven insights into user behavior and marketing performance, enabling them to create better gaming experiences and maximize revenue.

mrge, the intelligent commerce advertising platform, has released its 2025 Commerce Advertising Report, revealing strong industry confidence and investment in AI, influencers, and new monetization models. With over 50% of businesses increasing ad budgets, the report explores emerging trends shaping the future of digital commerce.

Insights from the Report

1. AI is Transforming Search & Traffic

AI-driven search tools, like SearchGPT, are revolutionizing product discovery with personalized experiences.
30% of respondents expect AI to significantly impact website traffic.
 Privacy and trust remain top concerns despite AI’s growing adoption.

2. Influencer Marketing Gains Momentum

Influencer marketing ranks as a top growth channel, with brands focusing on reach, engagement, cost efficiency, and analytics.
 Data-driven influencer strategies are proving essential for commerce success.

3. Confidence in Commerce Advertising

80% of respondents remain optimistic about the future.
Half of the businesses generate at least 20% of revenue from commerce advertising.
 Brands are prioritizing performance-based strategies despite economic uncertainties.

4. Performance Leaders & Declining Channels

Top-performing channels:
 Blogs & Influencers
 Search & Product Listings

Declining channels:
 Coupon pages
 Loyalty programs

5. Growth Priorities for 2025

Industry’s top priorities:
New monetization models (41.1%)
Generative AI (32.9%)
Expanding to new markets (31.5%)

Fewer brands are relying on partnership expansion compared to last year (27.4% vs. 41.9%).

6. Shoppable Video & Emerging Growth Channels

Shoppable video is gaining traction as a leading commerce channel.
Niche platforms are expected to play a crucial role in audience engagement.

7. Challenges Facing Advertisers & Publishers

Top hurdles for advertisers:
 Recruiting & diversifying partners

Key concerns for publishers:
 Tracking & attribution issues
 Limited internal resources

Industry Perspective: mrge CEO on 2025 Trends

Dave Reed, CEO of mrge, stated:“Commerce advertising is a key growth driver, with budgets increasing despite economic uncertainties. Delivering the right offer at the right moment is crucial, and mrge is committed to empowering publishers, advertisers, and consumers for sustained success.”

As commerce advertising continues evolving, brands must adapt to AI-driven strategies, influencer partnerships, and emerging platforms to drive revenue and engagement. mrge’s 2025 Commerce Advertising Report provides a roadmap for staying ahead in a competitive landscape.

Demandbase, a leading account-based GTM platform, has launched two new certification programs in partnership with B2B analyst firm ForgeX. These research-backed courses are designed for GTM leaders and practitioners looking to optimize their account-based strategies. The certifications provide actionable frameworks, measurement models, and a structured learning experience to help teams align, scale, and drive measurable success.

Overview of the Certifications

1. Account-Based GTM Certification

What it covers:
 Modern GTM frameworks & models
 Types of ABM strategies: Enterprise ABM, Growth ABM, and Deal Acceleration
 Research-backed insights to optimize GTM execution

Who should take this course?
Ideal for marketing and sales teams looking to refine their ABM strategy and accelerate account engagement.

2. Account-Based Measurement & Reporting Certification

What it covers:
 Tools & strategies to quantify success
 Methods to fine-tune account-based programs
 Frameworks to ensure measurable business outcomes

Who should take this course?
Best suited for marketing analysts, GTM strategists, and sales teams who want to measure and improve their ABM performance.

Live Workshop & B2BMX Debut

 In addition to the self-paced online programs, Demandbase & ForgeX will launch a half-day live workshop at the B2B Marketing Exchange (B2BMX) in February. More details will be revealed at the event.

Industry Perspective

Alicia Hale, SVP of Growth Marketing at Demandbase:

"Our updated certifications align with our evolving ABM strategy, offering practical, results-driven frameworks that help B2B teams drive alignment and business growth."

Davis Potter, CEO & Co-Founder of ForgeX:

"ABM strategies have lacked innovation for too long. These courses fill the gap by providing modern frameworks, tools, and deployment models for GTM success."

The new Demandbase certifications provide B2B GTM teams with the tools to design, implement, and scale their account-based strategies effectively. Whether focusing on ABM execution or measurement, these programs help practitioners drive growth and ROI.

Amplitude, a leading digital analytics platform, has introduced Guides and Surveys, an innovative solution designed to help organizations improve onboarding, drive engagement, and enhance user experiences. These features enable teams to activate in-product guidance using rich behavioral insights, ensuring relevant, non-intrusive, and AI-driven interactions.

Why It Matters

Personalized Engagement: Uses behavioral data for targeted guidance
AI-Driven Triggers: Smart monitoring prevents user annoyance
Data-Backed Optimization: Helps teams refine onboarding, feature adoption, and conversion strategies

Features of Guides & Surveys

Product Tours – Step-by-step interactive walkthroughs for seamless onboarding.
Announcements – Smart-triggered messages for updates, invites, and offers.
Banners – Persistent alerts for critical updates.
Tooltips – Contextual help to enhance usability.
Checklists – Personalized action plans to streamline onboarding.
Surveys – Real-time customer feedback collection for deeper insights.

The AI-Driven Approach

Unlike traditional popups, which can be intrusive, Amplitude leverages AI-based targeting and annoyance monitoring to ensure messages appear only when relevant. This allows organizations to:
Improve user retention
Boost feature adoption
Encourage product up-sells
Strengthen customer trust

Seamless Integration with Amplitude’s Platform

This launch follows Amplitude’s acquisition of Command AI, enhancing its platform with advanced digital adoption tools. Guides and Surveys now seamlessly integrate with:
Analytics – Gain deep insights into user behavior
Session Replay – Understand friction points in the user journey
Feature Experimentation – Test and refine product interactions
Web Experimentation – Optimize in-app engagement strategies

Customer Success Story

Rachel Strubhar, Director of Product Growth at Homebase:

“Amplitude’s event-triggered campaigns improved our feature adoption by 54%. The personalized engagement made our experiments faster and more effective."

Amplitude’s Guides and Surveys provide a smarter, AI-powered approach to onboarding, engagement, and retention. By integrating these tools with its existing platform, Amplitude empowers digital teams to drive actionable insights and create seamless user experiences.

Semcasting, a leader in data-driven marketing solutions, has introduced Identity ToolBox, an innovative Data Discovery Platform designed to help marketers streamline workflows, reduce costs, and enhance First-Party data strategies. By consolidating key marketing functions like data appends, media onboarding, and real-time measurement, the Identity ToolBox offers a unified approach to identity resolution.

Why It Matters

Eliminates Vendor Complexity – One platform for data enhancement, onboarding, and measurement
Maximizes ROI – Reduces costs with fixed-rate pricing
Improves Performance – AI-driven audience insights & lead conversion

Features of Identity ToolBox

Lead Generation from Website Traffic
 Automatically converts website visitors into First-Party identities
 Identifies qualified leads in real-time

On-Demand Data Enhancement
Enrich CRM records with demographic, ownership, and interest data
 Append details like property ownership, affluence, job titles, and interests

Enhanced Onboarding Coverage
 Achieves an 85% match rate with full transparency
 Ensures accurate and seamless data integration

Real-Time Campaign Measurement
SpotLight Report offers daily audience performance insights
 Identifies missed opportunities for optimization

Turn-Key Workflow & Fixed Pricing
 Consolidates lead gen, CRM enhancement, onboarding, and measurement
No hidden costs or overage fees

Who Benefits from Identity ToolBox?

CRM Managers – Seamlessly enhance and activate First-Party data
Data Analytics Teams – Gain real-time performance insights
CMOs & ABM Leads – Streamline operations and optimize marketing ROI

A Game-Changer for First-Party Data Marketing

Ray Kingman, CEO of Semcasting, emphasizes the cost-saving and performance-boosting potential:

“First-Party data is essential for brand marketing, but managing multiple vendors is costly. Identity ToolBox simplifies workflows, improves performance, and lowers costs—all in one unified platform.”

Semcasting’s Identity ToolBox transforms how brands collect, enhance, onboard, and measure First-Party data. By offering an integrated, cost-efficient solution, it enables marketing professionals to drive better results while reducing complexity.