Why Programmatic Buying Falls Short: The Case for Private Deals in Digital Advertising

Programmatic buying has become the default mode of digital advertising in recent years, allowing advertisers to purchase ad inventory automatically and at scale. While it offers certain benefits, such as efficiency and targeting capabilities, it has significant limitations that can compromise ad quality and ROI. (Shameless Plugins: Korshine has some of India's top publisher platforms aligned with our media offering. All you need to do, is just ask!) Here's why private deals are emerging as the future of digital advertising.

Limitations of Programmatic Buying

Programmatic buying suffers from a number of limitations that can impact the effectiveness of ad campaigns. Here are some of the most significant ones:

• Lack of control and transparency: With programmatic buying, advertisers cede control over ad placement, ad quality, and pricing to automated systems. This lack of transparency can lead to a suboptimal ad placement, as well as questionable tactics by ad tech vendors.
• Brand safety concerns: Programmatic buying can also expose brands to risks of ad fraud and inappropriate content placement. This can damage brand reputation and lead to wasted ad spend.
• Ad fraud and viewability issues: Ad fraud and viewability issues are persistent problems in programmatic buying. Fraudulent clicks, impressions, and bot traffic can inflate ad performance metrics, leading to poor ROI. Meanwhile, low viewability rates can result in low brand exposure and engagement.
• Limited targeting options: Programmatic buying relies heavily on cookie-based targeting, which has its limitations. For example, it cannot account for ad-blocking, cross-device user behavior, or other contextual factors that impact ad effectiveness.

Benefits of Private Deals

Private deals offer a way to overcome many of the limitations of programmatic buying. Here are some of the benefits:

• Greater control and transparency: Private deals enable advertisers to negotiate directly with publishers and control their ad placement, pricing, and quality. This level of transparency and control can lead to higher-quality ad inventory and better ad performance.
• Increased brand safety: Private deals typically involve a direct relationship between the advertiser and the publisher, which reduces the risk of ad fraud and inappropriate content placement.
• Higher-quality inventory: Private deals can provide access to premium ad inventory that is not available through programmatic channels. This can lead to higher engagement rates and better ad performance.
• Enhanced targeting options: Private deals can leverage first-party data from publishers and advertisers to create more accurate and effective targeting options. This can result in higher conversion rates and ROI.

Programmatic buying may have been the go-to choice for digital advertising in the past, but its limitations are now becoming clear. With concerns around control, transparency, brand safety, ad fraud, and viewability, it's time to consider a new approach that puts the needs of both brands and consumers first. Private deals offer a promising alternative that enables greater control, transparency, and quality, while also enhancing targeting options and promoting brand safety. As digital advertising continues to evolve, it's crucial to stay ahead of the curve and explore innovative solutions that prioritize the needs of all stakeholders.

Join the private deals revolution and experience the power of advertising that truly connects with your audience with Korshine.