SUMMARIZE THIS WHAT IT TALKS ABOUT

Alphabet Inc.s Google has crushed almost all its competitors in the world of digital-advertising technology. But one rival is emerging as the best hope to challenge the tech giantif it manages to keep up its momentum.

The Trade Desk Inc., which specializes in helping companies buy online ads across publishers websites, did what others failed at: eating into Googles share of the market. While Google dominates that area of ad-buying with about 40% of the business, Trade Desk is up to nearly 8% and its share is growing faster than Googles, according to ad-tech consulting firm Jounce Media.

Trade Desk has made inroads versus Google by investing in online advertising segments like audio and streaming TV where Google hadnt already cornered the market. Pandemic-struck 2020 was especially good for business. Homebound Americans consumed more digital media. Brands moved money from TV advertising to digital. Trade Desk revenue shot up 26% compared with 2019, hitting $836 million.

Investors saw Trade Desk as a Covid-resistant haven, and it was one of 2020s top-performing stocks, with a tripling in its share price. With a $30 billion market capitalization, the Ventura, Calif., company is worth about as much as the two largest ad-agency conglomerates combined.