Advertiser’s guide on programmatic advertising
Programmatic advertising is an automated method of buying digital advertising. It uses demand-side platforms (DSPs) for ad buying and is based on auctions and data. In programmatic advertising, you buy chosen audiences, not just individual media or sites. Programmatic advertising provides unique opportunities for reaching your target audience effectively and precisely.
In programmatic advertising, media agencies specialising in this technical process usually act as buyers. However, it is good for the advertiser to know the basic principles of programmatic advertising and its benefits.
Let’s dive into the world of programmatic advertising and learn more about how you can make use of this effective advertising method to expand your business.
Benefits of programmatic advertising for the advertiser
1. Target and personalise advertising more effectively
With programmatic advertising, you will reach a precise audience. Programmatic advertising uses data and algorithms to target advertising based on visitors’ behaviour, interests, or other background information. Precise targeting and personalisation make your advertising more effective.
2. Optimise advertising in real time
Programmatic advertising enables you to track advertising results in real time and make needed changes during the campaign. Additionally, the algorithms guiding advertising continuously analyse the data and optimise advertising to achieve the best results. With programmatic advertising, it is easy to start or stop an individual campaign quickly.
3. Make your advertising more effective and profitable
Programmatic advertising is precisely targeted. The aim is to ensure that the right ad is shown to the right audience at the right time. As a result, advertising campaigns are more effective and profitable with better attention, conversion rate, and ROI.
4. Reach an extensive media selection and scale advertising easily
Programmatic advertising provides access to a wide variety of ad spaces and digital channels, such as websites and mobile apps. It is easy to scale campaigns and reach a wide audience through one system. In addition to individual campaigns, programmatic advertising is well suited to continuous advertising.
5. Measure and analyse results easily
One of the benefits of programmatic advertising is that it enables you to set precise goals and provides metrics to track the results. Campaigns can be measured and analysed more deeply, and you will get valuable data on your target audience, campaign effectiveness, and expenses.
Advertising goals are usually set with strict metrics, such as CPA, CPC, or CPCV. Algorithms and DSPs direct the ads where they best meet the metrics and objectives set for them.
6. Save time and resources
Programmatic advertising automatises the buying and optimisation processes, saving time and resources as the need for manual work decreases. Precise ad targeting reduces wasted impressions, making it easier to direct the campaign budget effectively to the right audiences.
In programmatic advertising, the actual buying is usually carried out by specialised digital or media agencies that have the required DSPs and skills. By outsourcing the buying and optimisation processes, you save time.
Does programmatic advertising suit your business?
- Do you have various target audiences, existing customers, and data on them?
- Do you want to test, track, and measure how your digital campaigns perform and optimise them to perform better?
- Is your aim to make targeted advertising effectively and with great results?
- Do you conduct continuous advertising in addition to individual campaigns?
If you said “yes” to one or more of the questions above, programmatic advertising may make your digital advertising more effective and profitable.
How to make programmatic advertising part of your digital advertising toolkit
1. Choose a good partner for ad buying
Programmatic buying requires a demand-site platform (DSP) and special skills. That is why it is usually carried out in cooperation with a partner, such as a media or digital agency. If you have the required skills and technology, you can buy programmatic advertising yourself.
2. Make sure your data is of high quality
Programmatic advertising is based on data on target groups’ behaviour, purchases, and preferences, for example. First-party data, such as your own customer data, is beyond price and can be effectively used in targeting.
Data collected by the publisher can also be used for targeting. The data provided by Alma Media is always from Alma’s own sites – we know how it has been collected and processed.
Increasing regulations have led to a transformation in the use of third-party data.
3. Consider where you want your ads to appear
Media context matters in programmatic advertising. Where do you want your brand and ads to appear? Alma Media is a safe, high-quality, and transparent environment for programmatic buying and advertising.
4. Set the goals, measure, and develop!
Even though the actual buying in programmatic advertising is usually carried out by a partner (such as a media or digital agency), the advertiser must have a sense of how this buying method works and brings results.
Discuss and set the goals for your advertising together with your partner. It is easy to measure programmatic advertising, and you can track and analyse the results meticulously. Additionally, you can use the results and goals to develop your performance. Be open and communicative with your partner, and you will get everything from this buying method.