Mastering programmatic advertising

Passion Digital has an “Imagine Better” series - bitesize interviews featuring creative problem solvers and Passion's best minds as they share their expertise on how your business can Imagine Better digital marketing strategies to deliver impact, sales and growth.

In this episode, Demi N. , a Paid Media Account Manager at Passion Digital, shares actionable recommendations for both launching and optimising programmatic advertising campaigns. Whether you’re new to programmatic or looking to elevate your existing campaigns, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

Here, we’ll highlight the key takeaways from the interview. You can find the full conversation at the end of this blog post.

What is programmatic advertising and how does it fit into a full-funnel marketing strategy?

Programmatic advertising, sometimes known as display advertising, involves placing high-impact, personalised ad formats on websites highly relevant to your sales prospects.

Many platforms can automate this process. At Passion Digital, we collaborate closely with StackAdapt , a provider that identifies the best ad placements, negotiates real-time prices and consolidates performance data into a single hub.

The decision to include programmatic ads in your marketing strategy depends on your industry and campaign goals. Here are some common scenarios where programmatic can be beneficial:

• Targeting specific audiences: Programmatic is excellent for reaching specific demographics, interests and online behaviours, making it a powerful tool if you know your ideal client
• Complementing traditional paid media: It can easily scale your existing paid search and social media activities while optimising performance
• Data-driven decisions: If you rely heavily on data and analytics, programmatic is a good fit as it depends on data for ad targeting

How to get started with programmatic

To get started, first outline your goals and objectives. Is your focus brand awareness, lead generation or something else? Also, clearly define your target audience.

Top tip: The more specific you are with demographics and interests, the better your performance will be.

Next, secure a Demand Side Platform (DSP) to buy ad inventory programmatically. We recommend StackAdapt for its reliability and user-friendliness.

Managing programmatic campaigns can be complex and time-consuming, so consider consulting a specialist agency to streamline the process.

Once your groundwork is done, gather your creative assets and start building your campaigns. Programmatic advertising allows for flexibility in ad formats, including static images, videos, GIFs and interactive formats. Get creative with your ads!

Top tip: Regularly monitor your campaigns and key metrics (impressions, conversions, clicks, CPA) to determine the strongest-performing assets.

Utilising programmatic in different verticals

Programmatic ads can be tailored to fit various verticals and target audiences:

• E-commerce: Target consumers who are actively in-market or retarget users who have visited your site but haven’t purchased. Use dynamic ads to showcase product recommendations based on browsing behaviour
• Travel: Segment activity by destinations, targeting users researching specific locations or looking at related blogs. Promote last-minute holiday deals
• Automotive: Showcase tactical offers to browsing audiences and retarget users on your website who haven’t converted. Ensure ads are displayed on relevant websites frequented by your target audience

Considerations before embarking on programmatic

Key considerations include:

• Data quality and technical ability: Access to high-quality data is crucial for optimising campaigns. Ensure you can correctly analyse this data to inform future decisions
• Time: Allocate sufficient time for setup and ongoing monitoring
• Cost: Programmatic requires a substantial budget. Factor in additional costs such as platform fees
• Choosing a DSP: Research thoroughly and select a reputable platform to avoid issues like click fraud

Future trends in programmatic advertising

The digital landscape is constantly evolving. Key trends include:

• Deprecation of third-party cookies: This will change audience targeting, requiring new measurement capabilities
• AI in programmatic advertising: AI enhances ad creatives by refining messaging, tone and brand consistency across channels, allowing advertisers to focus on other campaign areas

Dive deeper: Programmatic advertising interview with Demi Newlands

Go beyond theory! Our Imagine Better series video dives deep with practical examples and expert insights. Click below to watch and see how programmatic can transform your campaigns!

Programmatic seamlessly connects with users across the web, building brand awareness, generating leads and driving conversions.

Our approach combines strategic insights and relentless optimisations for maximum impact. Ready to Imagine Better programmatic? Get in touch with us today to discuss your goals and craft a winning programmatic strategy.