4 tips to get started with programmatic advertising

But first, what is programmatic advertising?

At its most basic, programmatic marketing is an automated process of buying and selling ad space using computer programs and algorithms. Programmatic marketing can be defined as an advanced marketing strategy that uses automation and real-time bidding (RTB) processes to help marketers make online ad purchases to reach a specific group of users.  

You can use this data-driven approach to get highly-targeted ads in front of different audiences. With programmatic, you can deliver the right content to your targets at exactly the right time. Using variables like geolocation, age, gender and browsing habits, this automated marketing tool designs targeting algorithms.

4 quick tips for programmatic advertising

Let’s dive right in, shall we? Start with these four quick tips and get ready to tackle programmatic marketing.

Tip #1 – Never ignore the basics

Many marketers think of programmatic marketing as synonymous with real time-bidding on an open auction to buy specific digital ad space. But there’s more to it. If needed, brush up on your programmatic knowledge with the article Do You Know These 17 Programmatic Marketing Terms?. 

Three types of programmatic advertising 

1. Automated Guaranteed (AG): Also known as “programmatic direct,” it means direct negotiations with publishers to buy ad space programmatically. Through this process, buyers or advertisers purchase specific ad inventories based on fixed CPM. 
2. Unreserved Fixed Rates (UFR): These preferred deals exist within the ad exchange environment. It depends on prior mutual negotiations, and these highly targeted ads elevate UX for a publisher’s audience. 
3. Private Marketplace (PMP): This method limits ad sales to a particular group of bidders. PMP inventory is premium, as it only allows those advertisers whom publishers approve and invite. Compared to an open exchange, PMP deals boost brand safety and value addition for buyers. 

Tip #2 – Select the right ad platform for your business

One of the first steps in a programmatic journey is to select the right ad platform to handle the operation. Otherwise, the outcomes will not meet your expectations and goals.  

In a programmatic ecosystem, each part has a specific role to play in the process. You can reach target audiences at the right time with an intent data-driven programmatic approach. Intent data adds the human side — the behavior — to help design personalized, relevant messages. An intent-driven programmatic partner can help you ramp up faster.

Tip #3 – Choose the most appropriate advertising type

To make the best choice for your business, you have to understand the basics of two programmatic options: display advertising and native advertising.  

In display advertising, you place ads in specific areas outside the editorial content of a website. These display ads are more obvious and meant to grab your audience’s attention to promote engagements. 

In native advertising, the ads blend into the editorial content of a page. This is a more subtle type of ad and relies on relevance and providing added value to encourage a prospect to click on them. This process is highly effective, but make sure the pages you lead buyers to are relevant to your ad messages.   

Tip #4 – Match your marketing funnel

Over the course of your B2B programmatic journey, staying in touch with your marketing funnel should be a priority.  

Key areas where programmatic marketing techniques can align with your funnel: 

• Lead generation: The rule of thumb for marketing success is persuading more and more people to invest in your product or service. This usually happens through a series of steps or conversions. Programmatic strategies hyper-target users who fall under your buyer persona, based on demographics, geographical locations, gender, etc. Add a layer of intent data-driven targeting to identify the in-market prospects who can carry you to your revenue goals. Relevance goes both ways, and intent data gives you even more specific pictures of relevant prospect activity.  
• Lead nurturing: You typically need to nurture existing leads before they convert to customers. Retargeting via programmatic advertising is a proven method of lead nurturing. With contextual targeting, you develop and reinforce relationships by responding appropriately at every funnel stage. 
• Customer loyalty: The best-case outcome of customer satisfaction, positive user experience, and a valuable product or service is customer loyalty. The customer will repeatedly engage and invest in a particular brand based on relevance and prior experience. Programmatic targeting increases the chances of upselling in response to customer signals, and it boosts brand awareness.