#media-buying

Digital advertising optimized toward clicks, last-touch attribution, and viewability over the past two decades rather than signals that reflect real business impact, according to [Demand Gen Report](https://www.demandgenreport.com/demanding-views/ad-tech-learned-to-game-itself/53162/).

The dominant signals guiding media optimization have been clicks, last-touch attribution, viewability, and other metrics convenient to track at scale. For smaller advertisers these signals can be sufficient.

Over the past two decades, digital advertising systems trained on clicks, last-touch attribution, and viewability instead of verified sales lift or new buyer acquisition. This approach built a marketplace that rewards surface indicators rather than genuine growth, according to [Demand Gen Report](https://www.demandgenreport.com/demanding-views/ad-tech-learned-to-game-itself/53162/).

Algorithms optimized toward consumers already in motion.