Some may disapprove of digital marketing, but it will prevail in the years to come – and its adoption is growing at an increasing rate. We enjoy the incessant content available, but someone has to invest in content creation and marketing. Without the programmatic solutions (digital ads), our time spent on social media and consuming content would cease.
There is no doubt marketers are better off focusing more on digital advertising than traditional advertising. Why do I say so?
My rationale is simple: During the days of traditional advertising, there was no way of knowing how the efficacy of the ads. Traditional advertisers had no mechanism of utilizing data and technology to make real-time decisions. If say Hercules wanted to target cyclists in a certain region, there was no precise information to determine if the ad was reaching people showing interest in cycling. A Hercules ad today would face a different scenario.
There’s power in targeting
Insights on customer behavior help to understand customer preferences, their location better.
While programmatic is developing, it has changed the way marketers target. Through digital advertising using programmatics, it is possible to reach targets with greater accuracy.
Marketers are not the only ones creating better experiences for customers using programmatic. One-to-one search capabilities, behavioral, and engagement data, connecting ad spots have enabled to create relevant and engaging experiences for consumers. It has enabled us to understand our audiences better, reach them, test our campaigns, brand, and product performance.
It is likely to target better with time. Data is increasing, and trust is evolving; marketers will be able to target more specific audiences and target their content further. With evolving algorithms, marketers can easily find the audience they intend to reach.
Trading data
We exchange our personal data for the benefits we receive online. Using our data by adhering to privacy standards, marketers can match their advertising to suit our preferences.
Music is a great example. I am an avid music lover spending a considerate amount of time on YouTube, be it while traveling to and from work, at home, at breaks. But what I see changes based on the ambiance or mood, and it is that context that enables YouTube to provide recommendations.
The same applies to advertise. My online behavior should indicate my current interest and not what I needed in the past or don’t want to. If I bought a phone, why do I see ads for the very same phone I bought? This cannot happen without my input of data.
Data collection has strict guidelines. It is important for consumers to know how businesses utilize their data, and companies must adhere to the privacy policy for customers. As a consumer, find out how companies utilize, manage, and protect your personal information.
In programmatic, marketers need to find a positive way to use consumer data. Using quality data is of importance. Marketers can benefit from using first-party data as third-party data is causing problems.
We’re in a digital world, and there’s no going back. Companies must work to protect consumer data and incorporate technology to safeguarding data. Despite problems, we’re in a better position now and can do better.
