Yahoo ConnectID: A Coming-of-Age Story

Just a few short years ago, we were celebrating the 3rd birthday of Yahoo ConnectID with cake, confetti, and a healthy dose of optimism about the future of identity in a cookieless world. Fast-forward to today, and Yahoo ConnectID has officially reached maturity. No more babyproofing, and no more training wheels. Yahoo ConnectID is fully grown and out in the world, building relationships, supporting itself, and thriving in the wider ecosystem.

And Despite Google’s decision not to deprecate third-party cookies on Chrome, the industry’s commitment to consumer privacy remains strong. Yahoo ConnectID continues to deliver value by solving for cookieless environments (like Safari, Firefox), enhancing addressability on CTV and powering core measurement use cases through Yahoo Conversion API, such as linking online and offline conversions to media investments.

This coming-of-age moment is more than just a metaphor. It marks a real milestone in Yahoo ConnectID’s evolution through wide-scale adoption across the open web and a significant expansion beyond Yahoo’s owned and operated properties. It’s no longer just a product of Yahoo but instead has become a cornerstone of the independent identity marketplace.

It Takes a (Publishing) Village

Like any maturing individual, Yahoo ConnectID’s growth has been fueled by community..Today, Yahoo ConnectID is active across publishers that represent nearly 90% of total ad spend in the Yahoo DSP - including top CTV platforms - making it one of the most pervasive and interoperable identity solutions in programmatic advertising. And it bears repeating that it is the most absorbed identity solution in market, as measured by Sincera in 2024.

This adoption isn’t limited to just the Yahoo ecosystem. Leading publishers across sports, finance, lifestyle, and news categories now recognize the value of privacy-forward identity that can consistently perform in identity-constrained environments. With strong match rates, persistent reach, and advertiser outcomes to back it up, Yahoo ConnectID is proving it’s earned its spot at the grown-up’s table.

Expanding the Identity Family

Another driving force behind the leap toward maturity has been the expansion beyond Yahoo’s first-party data ecosystem. Through integrations with LiveRamp, Magnite, and Prebid Yahoo ConnectID is now woven into a broader identity fabric that reaches across the programmatic landscape, where publishers can easily opt-in to leveraging it as an identity solution.

Let’s unpack that.

• LiveRamp: Through our integration with LiveRamp’s Authenticated Traffic Solution (ATS), Yahoo ConnectID can be resolved into RampID, enabling advertisers to buy against a unified identity graph across thousands of authenticated publishers. This means Yahoo ConnectID isn’t just playing in its own sandbox but instead showing up where buyers are already transacting and delivering value alongside other leading identifiers. Yahoo ConnectID acts as a bridge, not a silo.
• Amazon Publisher Services: On the APS side, Yahoo ConnectID is now activated across Transparent Ad Marketplace (TAM), giving advertisers access to Amazon's extensive network of premium publishers. This helps extend Yahoo ConnectID's addressable footprint even further, while ensuring interoperability in one of the most valuable and privacy-centric environments available today.

If we’re sticking with the adulting metaphor, Yahoo ConnectID got a job, found roommates, and started commuting.

Mature Identity, Measurable Results

With all this growth comes the most important part of adulthood: accountability, and Yahoo ConnectID is delivering on its promise.

Match rates consistently outperform cookie-based benchmarks, even in environments with high levels of cookie deprecation. 

• Advertisers using Yahoo ConnectID see higher conversion rates and more efficient return on ad spend (ROAS), particularly in verticals like retail, auto, and finance.
• Publishers benefit from increased monetization, with better fill rates and yield due to enhanced addressability and buyer confidence.

Maturity also brings responsibility, and Yahoo ConnectID was built from day one with consumer privacy at its core. Due to our proximity to direct consumer relationships, Yahoo ConnectID honors user consent and adapts to signal loss without sacrificing performance.

Growing Up… But Staying Grounded

Even as Yahoo ConnectID branches out, it remains deeply tied to the strengths of Yahoo’s data and technology. Our direct consumer relationships across mail, search, finance, and more continue to provide the scale, accuracy, and frequency that make Yahoo ConnectID such a high-value signal for marketers.

But what’s changed is the context; Yahoo ConnectID doesn’t need to rely solely on Yahoo channels to drive results. It’s become a durable, cross-web identifier that lives up to its name: a connection for marketers to high-quality audiences, even as the digital landscape continues to fragment.

The Next Phase

The early years of Yahoo ConnectID were about potential and promise, and this next chapter is about independence and impact. 

We’re focused on:

• Deepening integrations with leading SSPs and clean rooms to ensure fluid activation across channels
• Expanding our data interoperability partnerships to provide greater control and flexibility on data activation.
• Driving ROI for clients who want better performance with fewer signals

Ultimately, Yahoo ConnectID is here to solve real marketing challenges in a world that demands precision without intrusion. And while we’re proud parents watching it come into its own, we know the journey is just getting started.

So here’s to you, Yahoo ConnectID, and your next phase. No curfew. No booster seat. Just results that speak for themselves.