If the word “programmatic” still inspires some trepidation in your mind, you are in the right place. This article will try to destroy the myths surrounding the concept and, beyond this, show that making your inventory profitable has to make use of the programmatic revolution.
The purchase-sales model of digital advertising spaces has evolved very rapidly in the last two years. Technology is everywhere. The market has reinvented itself and the rules have changed. Your brand and profile in the media is no longer enough. Digital inventory has grown massively and any advertiser can access an ever more diversified offer through multiple sources.
What are advertisers looking for?
A inventory that is qualified, true, but also one that is ever more user-centred. Media agencies and their trading desks are discovering the unlimited possibilities offered by data management platforms (DMP). Performance campaigns are no longer only aimed at low-quality and low-cost advertisements. When advertisers identify one that creates a high-quality impression, they will invest accordingly.
Media, here we come! But, how can I open up my inventory without risking losing control over the quality of my ads? How do I avoid cannibalism among my sales channels? You have to protect your prime inventory with regard to your other products. Advertisers are demanding ever greater visibility and, similarly, you have to check the quality of ads meticulously. It is important to clearly define the rules of purchase, setting entry prices and controlling access to and the transparency of your inventory. Ever more private markets (PMP) are being created with vertical content and a guaranteed entry Price and media channels are joining forces to gain more weight and negotiating power. Nonetheless, you have to always maintain a holistic vision of all of your sales opportunities. On adserver or its programmatic sales platforms (SSP), advanced yield optimisation solutions are offered to maximise you advertising profits.
And what about Mobile technologies in the world of programmatics? Although Mobile marketing is still defining its role, it will end up in a globalised digital strategy. The rise in the number of connected devices, the lack of formatting standards and the difficulty in tracking users through all of their access points have slowed its entry into the digital revolution. This will gradually resolve, but in the meantime we can already make use of all of the information provided by users through their personalisation and mobility, offering data about their tastes and analysing their geo-contextuality to identify and create ultra-qualified audiences. By the way, the globalisation of digital marketing is not limited to the online world, rather it is extending into the offline realm. Brands have understood the importance of mobile devices not only in terms of online purchases but also to bring users to points of sale (“Mobile-to-store”).
Premium media or highly transversal portals no doubt continue and will continue to sell their campaigns directly. Indeed, a couple of weeks ago IAB brought out a new API to help manage and optimise sales from this premium inventory in a programmatic manner: the “OpenDirect” protocol. You no longer have any excuse...
