The term “programmatic” may seem like it just refers to a program. But in the context of digital advertising, the word has a specific meaning. It’s used to describe a method of buying and selling online ads that uses software instead of people.
Essentially, it’s an automated workflow that allows marketers to buy and sell ads through software. In this article, let’s discuss what the four essential components are that make up a programmatic ad buying strategy.
Data
Data is the foundation of programmatic advertising. It’s how your audience is identified, how they’re targeted, and how you can measure success. There are many different types of data that can be leveraged to create our audience segments and define who you want to reach.
“Dig really deep into your existing clients, new brands, industry trends and market data” as experts at StackAdapt suggests.
Data comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes: from cookies (small files saved on your computer) to first-party data like email addresses or phone numbers. Each type of data has its own unique strengths, but it’s important to note that none do everything perfectly; each has their own limitations.
For example, third-party cookie matching works well for level 1 brand awareness because it supports people who aren’t logged into Facebook or Twitter yet still see ads on those platforms.
Technology
Technology is the foundation of programmatic, and it is the foundation of all aspects of a successful programmatic supply chain.
As such, technology is an important consideration with every aspect of your programmatic marketing strategy. It’s critical that you understand how everything from ad placement algorithms to data management platforms (DMPs) work together to create a seamless and scalable experience for advertisers and publishers alike.
The good news is there are plenty of tools available today that make implementing these technologies easier than ever before—and you’ll talk about those in just a minute!
Identification
Identification is the process of identifying a user on a device. It’s a key component of programmatic advertising and tracking, as it allows advertisers to know who is viewing their ad and how many times they have seen it.
Identification also helps marketers measure the effectiveness of an ad campaign by enabling them to determine how much money was spent and what return on investment (ROI) was generated from those ads. Identification can track how many clicks or impressions occur based on different devices, such as desktops, laptops, tablets or smartphones—and even specific operating systems (OS), like iOS or Android OS versions.
Read: Ten Things You Should Know About Coding
Message
Message is what you want to say, and it’s most effective when it’s clear, concise and delivers its message quickly.
- What is the message?
- What is the message about?
- What is the message for?
- Who does this message speak to?
- How do you communicate this information in an efficient way so that your audience doesn’t lose interest or get bored before they read all of it (if at all)?
So, there you have it: four of the most important components to programmatic media buying. The key takeaway is that these aren’t just buzzwords—they can help you create solid strategies and see results in your campaign.