With ever evolving dynamics of online space, online advertisement has become a skill in its own. While the artillery or arsenal plays a vital role, the art of Warcraft is indispensable. In nutshell, a combination of both is needed. In reality, online advertising is less about reaching the greatest number of eyeballs and more about reaching the right eyeballs. This means that standard "blind" ad serving models (where ads are being served to any open ad slots on any available pages within the ad network) are being replaced by "smart" ad networks that look for the best recipients for an ad's message, regardless of where in the network they visit. This where DSP steps in as according to me, it scores slightly above the orthodox Ad Network model to strategize ad campaigns.
DSP (Demand Side Platforms) - Ad Exchange
We can easily relate to concept of ad exchanges. Its’ kinda similar to a stock market exchange, wherein demand and sell forces determine the market price of the relative asset. The buy and sell of ad spaces happens real-time. Obviously one would imagine that as the market size increases, more and more players join the choir, making the ‘market price’ more active, volatile and better representation of the market scenario.
Essentially it does the following:
1. Better performance that can be measured for better results and resource allocation and realisation.
2. Common battle ground or marketplace for users, advertisers, and publishers to participate.
Goal is to creating a marketplace, wherein the survival for the fittest is towards creating a better ecosystem.
A popular DSP is Invite Media
Invite Media
Tag line: Next generation platform for display media buying.
HQ: New York, N.Y.
Founded: 2007
Product: Bid Manager
A technology that provides a single common platform that works across multiple Ad Exchanges in real-time. Alright, we buy the concept! Someone who is doing it is ‘Invite Media’. Besides its’ advantage of widened exposure for both buyer n sellers, it provides the following:
1. Simplify ad management and display engine tools.
2. Hassel free payments
3. Greater controls
4. Enhanced reporting
Doubleclick
In June 2010, Invite media was acquired by Google to power its product doubleclick to now become doubleclick ad exchange.
As a product line, doubleclick works in domain of providing tools empowering a smarter and better display ad ecosystem. Tools that help both publishers and advertisers make best of the opportunities available.
Scoop of D New – Y do v Luv it?_________________________________________________________________________
Real time bidding technology enables advertisers and agencies to customize their bids, and make use of added ‘intelligent’ pressure points to yield better results. For example, using real time bidding, a retailer running a display ad campaign for a shoe sale can bid $5 CPM for ad impressions on a particular news website, but specify that it will bid $10 CPM and show an ad for running shoes if it knows that browser has previously visited the athletics part of its website. Details of the ad impression are passed to the retailer’s bidding platform in real time by the exchange, and the auction takes into account the retailer’s increased bid. This technology lets advertisers and agencies continuously tailor and hone their display ad campaigns, and alter their bids and ads, to reach potential customers they want to attract. This way advertiser can set budget limits, tweak their targeting criteria, and optimize campaigns based on the parameters they're using and the results they're getting. This level of transparency is a significant change from most previous ad network serving models.
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The dynamics
The above discussion talks about the ingredients. Now, we’ll discuss the recipe. Here are the key points that’ll require brainstorming while finalizing d ad campaign:
- DSP v/s Ad Network
Conceptually the above approaches can be understood while relating it to investment approach. DSP is like logging on 2 an online stock trading terminal. A buyer or a seller goes into a live electronic buy-sell marketplace. On the other hand, Ad Network is like putting the money in Mutual Funds. You put the money in, specify the ball park number on the expected return, and let the network optimize, allocate the resources. Eg. Google Display Network.
Both platforms provide access to huge and varied ad property/ ad spaces, formats, strong analytics, and intelligence.
- Audience buying (user interests’ targeting) v/s contextual advertising (content targeting)
Contextual advertising relies on putting ads on highly ‘relevant’ ad spots basis the content that floats around. Contextual advertising is vital to build brand awareness and capturing new audience.
Audience buying is often attributed to re-marketing or re-engaging the customers. In other words, putting the ad to those who have already been ‘sold’ to the relevant product.
An AND gate needs to be applied rather than an OR gate.
