Advertiser Platforms
Article | August 2, 2022
A few years ago, the word “influencer” meant something pretty different than what it represents today. In 2016, the Instagram-focused social media consumer probably pictured a wealthy ex-Bachelor contestant who took beach photos in a personalized floppy hat and sponsored weight loss tea. But in 2021, the creator economy has evolved to encompass a more relatable, diverse population. Average Joes have completely disrupted the influencer marketplace, and now that brands across all categories have an influencer marketing plan, they are competing to get their products and services in front of the eyes of loyal fanbases.
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Ad Networks
Article | September 1, 2023
A KPMG study found that 86% of consumers are concerned about data privacy and 78% about the amount of personal data collected. Industry players are re-envisioning their future strategies and how they will need to adapt to the impending demise of third-party cookies.
Contextual targeting has resurged to ensure campaign reach and effectiveness, Let us examine how contextual targeting can help advertisers adapt to a cookie-less future:
Targeting Has Advanced
AI and machine learning are trending. Theymimichuman behavior to understand the context of any given environment to serve relevant ads. This type of targeting is called semantic contextual targeting. AI advances with Natural Language Processing (NLP) enable deeper, more nuanced page analysis that can understand tone and sentiment. Advertisers can place campaigns more reliably and brand-safely without cookies or other identifiers. Recently, TikTok launched its new contextual tool, TikTok Pulse. Brands can advertise alongside top-performing content in the “For You” feed. This symbolizes a privacy-conscious future for the digital advertising industry.
Contextual Targeting Can Outperform Third-Party Cookies
Contextual targeting can outperform cookies in clickthrough rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), and viewability. Contextual targeting does not require user information, first-party data, or consent to work.
Advertisers like you can target the audience using brand-relevant content to boost brand recall and engagement, even in niche categories. You can fine-tune your inventory selection and create custom segments. This reduces the risk of the ad appearing alongside inappropriate content. Contextual targeting is also good for publishers because it lets them show ads that are accurate and relevant at the right time.
CTV is a New Contextual Ads Frontier
Targeting the right audience without cookies is difficult in CTV, but contextual targeting and the rise of more industry players offer scalable and customizable solutions. AI and audio recognition can target viewers based on what they're about to watch. Such individualized, non-disruptive ads ensure performance and brand safety in premium broadcast environments.
Final Thoughts
Changes in the advertising industry, combined with advancements in contextual targeting, make it more relevant than ever for advertisers and publishers. The industry must collaborate to create more privacy-compliant and brand-safe environments in the future.
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Advertiser Campaign Management
Article | July 19, 2022
Where’s the nearest click and collect? What time does our local store close in light of the latest COVID-19 restrictions? Where can I order that toy car he/she wanted for Christmas?
Our bet is Google is your first port of call for an answer to any of these questions.
If it is, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s estimated that Google processes 5.8 billion user searches per day. And, even though there are other search engines out there, like Bing and Yahoo, it is by far the most popular.
So, with so many potential customers – because let’s face it, of those 5.8 billion there are bound to be a few thousand searching for your specific products or services - businesses simply cannot overlook advertising on Google. And even more so now thanks to restrictions on physical stores across the world being put back in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Nate Burke, CEO and founder of Diginius, an ecommerce solutions provider that specialises in digital marketing PPC management, explains how you can get the most out of your Google advertising activities.
The first round of lockdowns during the spring and early summer saw many businesses with physical outlets grind to almost a complete halt. Going digital was the only option for many in order to have some chance of survival.
This saw restaurants offering online order services, more retailers moving into ecommerce and professional services conducting remote meetings via video calls.
Despite some easing of restrictions, many have kept digital their focus. For example, video meetings such as Microsoft Teams, which grew by 894% between February to June in 2020, are now prevalent as the office’s new best friend. And restaurants for instance, have advanced their minimal contact table service, allowing customers to order and pay for food on their phones by scanning a QR code or downloading an app.
But now, with lockdown restrictions being re-enforced in Britain and many other parts of the world, businesses looking to maximise their sales and earnings ahead of the Christmas period, and before the New Year begins, can’t ignore the advertising opportunities available on Google.
PPC
PPC advertising is perhaps the most obvious opportunity. It’s the best way to guarantee that your brand is put in front of an audience and can help generate a spike in traffic and leads.
Paid Search identifies “buyers” immediately. People who have typed in and are clicking a specific keyword tends to already be in buying mode, even if only at the research stage of the journey, which is so powerful compared to the rest of the marketing mix
This is because searchers seek convenience. We have come to expect the first listing on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) to provide an answer to our query. If it doesn’t, we are more likely to change our search than scroll through pages and pages of results.
Therefore, getting your brand on that all-important first page is crucial for success on Google, which is exactly why paid advertising is beneficial. Not only can it promise a guaranteed spot here, if, the price is right for you, but it could also, potentially, provide you with the number one position.
As well as SERPs, ads can be created for the display network, utilising visual aids in the form of graphics and videos to attract leads on the Google Shopping network, which is particularly beneficial for ecommerce businesses looking to increase sales.
However, to ensure your ads are shown to people who will add value to your business, PPC activity must be strategically mapped out and effectively managed. Account set-up, keywords and bidding strategies must be considered, monitored and then adjusted to ensure your activity is effective and a return on your investment is achieved.
This requires dedicated personnel, time and budget – for both ad spend and management practices for either training, wages or outsourcing the task to an agency.
But, despite the capital required to get started, there are a number of ways to ensure you yield results that make it worthwhile. For example, remarketing can help minimise lost leads and maximise budget by targeting potential customers who have already shown an interest in your product or service.
Automation strategies are another. Bidding and ad copy can be altered automatically, depending on factors including the time of day, location and the user’s specific query wording, for instance. This lessens the chance of clicks from users with little intention of purchasing or submitting an enquiry, and, consequently, reduces wasted budget. Another common way to get more out of search advertising is to replicate campaigns across Microsoft Ads, where there is typically less competition, cheaper clicks, and a better return on investment, albeit lower search volumes.
Local strategy
One of the greatest benefits of the internet is its ability to connect businesses and customers no matter the physical distance between them. And, with lockdown enforcements, an online offering presents an opportunity to reach an even wider customer base than a shop or physical facility that is restricted by location.
However, the internet is a big, old place. It houses greater competition than what many businesses are used to in the physical realm and, as result, it’s easy to become lost, especially if you are in the early stages of establishing an online presence.
So, no matter whether you’re a retailer offering click and collect or running business as usual albeit remotely, keeping things local is your best bet for online success.
In fact, Google uses a Relevance, Distance and Prominence model to determine search results. Those most relevant, the closest in distance to the searcher and most prominent or popular are more likely to be ranked higher on results pages.
In order to maximise your chances of ranking highly for those searching for your products and services in your local area, you should make the most of tools, such as Google My Business and reviews.
As well as providing potential customers with vital business information, such as your address, contact details and COVID-adjusted opening hours, you can also instil trust and confidence in them by presenting a business that appears to be well established and organised. This is particularly important as those consumer sentiments have declined due to the pandemic.
So far, businesses have done well in adapting their processes to changing customer needs in such a short amount of time and under incredibly difficult circumstances at that.
With the coronavirus crisis far from over and many facing an online future, the only thing we can be certain of at this point is that businesses and retailers must act now to grasp opportunity. By utilising platforms such as Google and Microsoft, business owners are not simply making the best of a bad situation but are more so positioning their brand at the forefront of their chosen industry, gifting a significant advantage when markets reopen in their newly digital-focused form.
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Article | April 16, 2020
Geo targeting is the most under-utilised targeting element available to marketers today, giving a huge opportunity to brands that invest time and money in smarter geo targeting. Most advertising platforms now allow for detailed geo targeting – often down to a zip code/postcode or even to GPS coordinates. Yet it is amazing how few advertisers are consciously investing effort in this area. Audience targeting/ retargeting (via cookies) has dominated online display advertising and is now under threat from legislation and the end of third party cookies. Targeting in search and demographic targeting in logged in social networks attract huge spends. With the end of cookies it has been contextual targeting getting the most attention. This has relegated geo targeting down the list in terms of investment and understanding. This is a mistake as in fact it has many benefits, and to succeed advertisers need to understand how it impacts their business.
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