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Digital and Social Media Marketing: Know What’s Next for 2019

December 10, 2018 | 86 views

Digital and social media marketing don’t stand still for a moment and 2019 will bring an amplification and acceleration of emerging trends. Amidst a marketing landscape where rapid change is the only constant, knowing What’s Next is even more important than knowing What’s Now. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know to play big and win big in a digital world that’s evolving at the speed of change.

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SapientRazorfish

SapientRazorfish is a new breed of transformation partner designed to help companies reimagine their business through radical customer-centricity. With more than 12,000 employees and 70 offices around the globe, our capabilities span growth and business model strategy, new product and service innovation, customer experience, enterprise digital transformation, IT modernization, omni-channel commerce, precision marketing, change management, digital operations, digital innovation, data strategy and advanced analytics. For more information, visit www.sapientrazorfish.com

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SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING

Ad Networks for Publishers & Advertisers: Efficient Ad Buying & Selling

Article | July 13, 2022

When print publishers transitioned to online publishing, they were keen to find a way to generate revenue. Their revenue model in the print world was advertising, so they needed to monetize their content online. Display ads were a great start for them. They sold their advertising space to interested advertisers directly. Even then, there would always be some ad inventory that remained unsold. The need of the hour was a platform that could help them sell this inventory. That is when ad networks for publishers and advertisers came into the picture. Let us take a deeper look into how ad networks are helping both publishers and advertisers optimize their selling and buying processes. Ad Networks: Simplifying Ad Buying and Selling An ad network is a technology-backed platform that acts as an intermediary between a group of publishers who want to sell their ads and advertisers interested in buying them. Ad networks for publishers and advertisers first appeared in the mid-nineties as the earliest advertising technology to support online advertising. They helped advertisers buy ad space across multiple publishing platforms. The primary purpose of an ad network was to collect unsold ads from different publishers and put them up for offer to advertisers at a lower price than what a direct sale would cost. This kind of ad inventory was mostly referred to as remnant, non-premium ads that publishers struggled to sell directly. Today, ad networks for publishers focus on offering advertisers exclusive ad deals at premium prices. They pre-buy inventory from different publishers and then resell it to advertisers at premium prices to help advertisers get the impressions they expect. Types of Ad Networks Based on your audience, industry, topics, and formats, you have four main types of ad networks to choose from: Inventory-specific networks: Such networks have ads of a specific type, such as mobile or video. Vertical advertising networks: These are ad networks that focus on a specific topic, such as fashion, automobiles, or business. Premium networks: These are the networks that offer premium inventory, mostly from popular publishers. Targeted networks: These networks offer specific targeting capabilities through a built-in ad server. How do Ad Networks Work? Ad networks for publishers and advertisers keep on evolving with technological advancements. To understand how the best ads network works, here are the dynamic steps they follow to benefit publishers and advertisers: Ad networks compile multiple publishers with available ad inventory. Advertisers create campaigns using the ad network’s campaign panel, keeping in mind their budget, target audience, and any other special attributes. The publishers install relevant ad network tags on their websites. When there is a match between an ad campaign set by an advertiser and the publisher’s ad inventory, ad information is sent to the publisher. The ad network provider gets a share of the ad revenue generated from the campaign or by selling the inventory at a higher price than the publisher. Using the ad network’s campaign panel, the advertiser tracks and manages the ad’s performance. Ad Networks in Programmatic Advertising Ad networks for publishers and advertisers are a part of programmatic advertising, which is the process of automatically buying and selling digital advertising space. In this space, demand-side platforms (which help advertisers) and supply-side platforms (which help publishers) streamline the buying and selling process through real-time bidding (RTB). Businesses and enterprises rely on programmatic advertising for their digital advertising needs because publishers are adopting native ads on their websites. Thanks to native ads, ad blockers don’t affect advertising, and marketers can optimize and improve their ads with programmatic techniques for campaign success. It's no surprise that programmatic digital display ad spending is expected to increase by 25.8% this year (Source: Brand Equity). In conjugation with ad networks, an ad exchange connects DSPs and SSPs autonomously. An ad exchange came into the picture in 2005 when ad networks were not enough to solve the cumbersome problem publishers were facing ─ selling unsold ad space. Automation in the open marketplace for buying and selling digital ads was the solution. An ad exchange offers a streamlined platform for advertisers, publishers, ad networks, and other parties to connect their ad serving technologies for efficiency. Ad Network and Ad Exchange: What is the Difference? In the programmatic advertising ecosystem, the ad network and the ad exchange are two important components that are often mistaken to be the same because of their role in media buying. Let us take a look at the factors that separate the two. Attribute Ad Network Ad Exchange Function Intermediary between publishers and advertisers Open marketplace for everyone Identity Company Technology Key Users Publishers, advertisers and agencies Publishers, advertisers, agencies, ad networks, DSPs, SSPs and ATDs Important Characteristic Pre-segmented ads for particular audience. Promotes bulk buying and selling. Pool of various types of ad inventory. Based on an impression-per-impression trade Ad Quality Top-tier ad inventory, often sold for the first time All available inventory on sale including remnant ad slots Optimization Time consuming Optimization possible on-the-go Cost Stable and determined by the ad network Dynamic pricing based on real-time bidding by advertisers Impact on Advertiser Ad prices are higher Advertisers can define the pricing Impact on Publisher Low control over inventory pricing and optimization More control over value per impression Buyer/Seller Information Advertisers are unaware of the placement of their ads Publishers don’t know who the advertisers are Both advertisers and publishers have each other’s information Why Advertisers and Publishers Rely on Ad Networks? A Wider Range of Options With the help of top ad networks, advertisers and publishers can buy or sell more ad space. As a part of monetization strategies for publishers, they can rapidly increase their revenue through premium or remnant inventory because ad networks bring them the highest paying bids. Advertisers, on the other hand, can easily find any type of ad inventory that matches their budget for ad publishing. Higher Return on Investment Top ad networks bring in more revenue from advertising. The better the quality of ads, the higher the revenue for advertisers because they get precisely matched with their targeting needs and they can choose the most profitable deals. Increased Efficiency Automation in matching publishers and advertisers is the biggest advantage of advertising networks. It saves the time of manually looking for suitable deals or favorable pricing. The best publishers that bring the best impressions on ads can easily be approached. Publishers can get their inventory sold for the best price thanks to digital advertising networks. Features of an Ideal Ad Network for Publishers & Advertisers Here is a list of features you can refer to while choosing an ad network that caters to your needs: Size: The size of the advertising network matters because it facilitates a steady traffic. The more traffic it can deliver, the higher your ROI will be. Quality: Identify the quality of the inventory that an ad network offers. It should match the kind of inventory you need. Audience Targeting: Your ad network should support different audience targeting options so that ad campaigns work perfectly well. Format Support: Your ad network should support different formats like responsive, call-only, animated GIF or simple banners so you can diversify into different formats without any hassles. Reliability: Depending on your requirements, ensure that the network doesn’t go down and provides consistent service so your business remains unaffected. The interface should also be easy to use, clean, and rich with data to help your marketing team optimize their personalization efforts. CTV Streaming Platform Used PubMatic to Bump its Revenue by 400% Future Today, a premium CTV streaming platform, used PubMatic’s platform to drive its ad revenue. PubMatic helped Future Today partner with a leading CTV DSP and achieve a lucrative private marketplace (PMP) agreement to create incremental demand through direct integration and optimized engagement. “PubMatic has been one of Future Today's fastest growing demand partners in the last 6 months. The entire team has been a pleasure to work with and they genuinely understand the value of CTV in the market.” – Katya Shkolnik, Head of Partnerships, Future Today Inc. Key Takeaways Display, native, and banner advertising campaigns are critical for marketers like you to scale your business, so understanding how and what an ad network for publishers and advertisers does is important to creating the best, most effective advertising campaigns that bear results.

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ADVERTISER CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT

Google’s and Facebook’s Grip on Digital Advertising Markets

Article | August 12, 2022

Since July 2019, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has been conducting an extensive investigation of the digital advertising market. In its preliminary report on the investigation, the CMA expresses concerns that Google and Facebook have grown so “large and have such extensive access to data that potential rivals can no longer compete on equal terms.” 2019 marked the year in which digital advertising finally took the crown from TV and other legacy media both in the US and worldwide. Estimates point out that digital ads now account for 51 percent of the almost $600 billion spent globally on advertising, a percentage that should only rise with time.

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SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING

Which Online Advertising Strategy Is Right For Your Business?

Article | July 6, 2022

Part of running a business in this era of technology is establishing an online presence. This does not only mean having a well-put-together website and being active on social media, which are both a big part of what online marketing means. In order to reach audiences and turn them into customers, you also need to invest in online advertising. Sometimes, finding the best-suited advertising strategy for your business can be quite daunting, especially given the fact that you have so many options to choose from in the sea of digital marketing. The accessible costs of digital advertising, especially when compared to traditional advertising, may make it tempting for you to what to invest in as many types of ad campaigns as you can find, but keep in mind that they may not all work for your business.

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Alex Webb: More kids with smartphones spells advertising bonanza

Article | February 10, 2020

The revelation that, by the age of seven, 53% of British kids will own a mobile phone, will come as good news to one group in particular: advertisers. By the time U.K. youngsters are 11, the ownership ratio reaches a whopping 90%, according to a report published last week by the research consultancy Childwise. And as the penetration of smartphone usage rises, it creates more opportunity for advertisers to get in front of young eyeballs. Parents need to get clued up if they want to stop that from happening. For now, advertising targeted at children has been slower to migrate online than in the broader industry. Whereas more than half of the world's $614 billion of ad spending is now online, less than a third of the outlay for ads targeting children is digital, according to a 2019 study by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

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SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING

AI Ad Campaigns for Improved Ad Targeting

Article | July 13, 2022

When print publishers transitioned to online publishing, they were keen to find a way to generate revenue. Their revenue model in the print world was advertising, so they needed to monetize their content online. Display ads were a great start for them. They sold their advertising space to interested advertisers directly. Even then, there would always be some ad inventory that remained unsold. The need of the hour was a platform that could help them sell this inventory. That is when ad networks for publishers and advertisers came into the picture. Let us take a deeper look into how ad networks are helping both publishers and advertisers optimize their selling and buying processes. Ad Networks: Simplifying Ad Buying and Selling An ad network is a technology-backed platform that acts as an intermediary between a group of publishers who want to sell their ads and advertisers interested in buying them. Ad networks for publishers and advertisers first appeared in the mid-nineties as the earliest advertising technology to support online advertising. They helped advertisers buy ad space across multiple publishing platforms. The primary purpose of an ad network was to collect unsold ads from different publishers and put them up for offer to advertisers at a lower price than what a direct sale would cost. This kind of ad inventory was mostly referred to as remnant, non-premium ads that publishers struggled to sell directly. Today, ad networks for publishers focus on offering advertisers exclusive ad deals at premium prices. They pre-buy inventory from different publishers and then resell it to advertisers at premium prices to help advertisers get the impressions they expect. Types of Ad Networks Based on your audience, industry, topics, and formats, you have four main types of ad networks to choose from: Inventory-specific networks: Such networks have ads of a specific type, such as mobile or video. Vertical advertising networks: These are ad networks that focus on a specific topic, such as fashion, automobiles, or business. Premium networks: These are the networks that offer premium inventory, mostly from popular publishers. Targeted networks: These networks offer specific targeting capabilities through a built-in ad server. How do Ad Networks Work? Ad networks for publishers and advertisers keep on evolving with technological advancements. To understand how the best ads network works, here are the dynamic steps they follow to benefit publishers and advertisers: Ad networks compile multiple publishers with available ad inventory. Advertisers create campaigns using the ad network’s campaign panel, keeping in mind their budget, target audience, and any other special attributes. The publishers install relevant ad network tags on their websites. When there is a match between an ad campaign set by an advertiser and the publisher’s ad inventory, ad information is sent to the publisher. The ad network provider gets a share of the ad revenue generated from the campaign or by selling the inventory at a higher price than the publisher. Using the ad network’s campaign panel, the advertiser tracks and manages the ad’s performance. Ad Networks in Programmatic Advertising Ad networks for publishers and advertisers are a part of programmatic advertising, which is the process of automatically buying and selling digital advertising space. In this space, demand-side platforms (which help advertisers) and supply-side platforms (which help publishers) streamline the buying and selling process through real-time bidding (RTB). Businesses and enterprises rely on programmatic advertising for their digital advertising needs because publishers are adopting native ads on their websites. Thanks to native ads, ad blockers don’t affect advertising, and marketers can optimize and improve their ads with programmatic techniques for campaign success. It's no surprise that programmatic digital display ad spending is expected to increase by 25.8% this year (Source: Brand Equity). In conjugation with ad networks, an ad exchange connects DSPs and SSPs autonomously. An ad exchange came into the picture in 2005 when ad networks were not enough to solve the cumbersome problem publishers were facing ─ selling unsold ad space. Automation in the open marketplace for buying and selling digital ads was the solution. An ad exchange offers a streamlined platform for advertisers, publishers, ad networks, and other parties to connect their ad serving technologies for efficiency. Ad Network and Ad Exchange: What is the Difference? In the programmatic advertising ecosystem, the ad network and the ad exchange are two important components that are often mistaken to be the same because of their role in media buying. Let us take a look at the factors that separate the two. Attribute Ad Network Ad Exchange Function Intermediary between publishers and advertisers Open marketplace for everyone Identity Company Technology Key Users Publishers, advertisers and agencies Publishers, advertisers, agencies, ad networks, DSPs, SSPs and ATDs Important Characteristic Pre-segmented ads for particular audience. Promotes bulk buying and selling. Pool of various types of ad inventory. Based on an impression-per-impression trade Ad Quality Top-tier ad inventory, often sold for the first time All available inventory on sale including remnant ad slots Optimization Time consuming Optimization possible on-the-go Cost Stable and determined by the ad network Dynamic pricing based on real-time bidding by advertisers Impact on Advertiser Ad prices are higher Advertisers can define the pricing Impact on Publisher Low control over inventory pricing and optimization More control over value per impression Buyer/Seller Information Advertisers are unaware of the placement of their ads Publishers don’t know who the advertisers are Both advertisers and publishers have each other’s information Why Advertisers and Publishers Rely on Ad Networks? A Wider Range of Options With the help of top ad networks, advertisers and publishers can buy or sell more ad space. As a part of monetization strategies for publishers, they can rapidly increase their revenue through premium or remnant inventory because ad networks bring them the highest paying bids. Advertisers, on the other hand, can easily find any type of ad inventory that matches their budget for ad publishing. Higher Return on Investment Top ad networks bring in more revenue from advertising. The better the quality of ads, the higher the revenue for advertisers because they get precisely matched with their targeting needs and they can choose the most profitable deals. Increased Efficiency Automation in matching publishers and advertisers is the biggest advantage of advertising networks. It saves the time of manually looking for suitable deals or favorable pricing. The best publishers that bring the best impressions on ads can easily be approached. Publishers can get their inventory sold for the best price thanks to digital advertising networks. Features of an Ideal Ad Network for Publishers & Advertisers Here is a list of features you can refer to while choosing an ad network that caters to your needs: Size: The size of the advertising network matters because it facilitates a steady traffic. The more traffic it can deliver, the higher your ROI will be. Quality: Identify the quality of the inventory that an ad network offers. It should match the kind of inventory you need. Audience Targeting: Your ad network should support different audience targeting options so that ad campaigns work perfectly well. Format Support: Your ad network should support different formats like responsive, call-only, animated GIF or simple banners so you can diversify into different formats without any hassles. Reliability: Depending on your requirements, ensure that the network doesn’t go down and provides consistent service so your business remains unaffected. The interface should also be easy to use, clean, and rich with data to help your marketing team optimize their personalization efforts. CTV Streaming Platform Used PubMatic to Bump its Revenue by 400% Future Today, a premium CTV streaming platform, used PubMatic’s platform to drive its ad revenue. PubMatic helped Future Today partner with a leading CTV DSP and achieve a lucrative private marketplace (PMP) agreement to create incremental demand through direct integration and optimized engagement. “PubMatic has been one of Future Today's fastest growing demand partners in the last 6 months. The entire team has been a pleasure to work with and they genuinely understand the value of CTV in the market.” – Katya Shkolnik, Head of Partnerships, Future Today Inc. Key Takeaways Display, native, and banner advertising campaigns are critical for marketers like you to scale your business, so understanding how and what an ad network for publishers and advertisers does is important to creating the best, most effective advertising campaigns that bear results.

Read More
ADVERTISER CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT

How Campaign Health Metrics Can Help You Streamline Ad Campaigns

Article | August 12, 2022

Since July 2019, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has been conducting an extensive investigation of the digital advertising market. In its preliminary report on the investigation, the CMA expresses concerns that Google and Facebook have grown so “large and have such extensive access to data that potential rivals can no longer compete on equal terms.” 2019 marked the year in which digital advertising finally took the crown from TV and other legacy media both in the US and worldwide. Estimates point out that digital ads now account for 51 percent of the almost $600 billion spent globally on advertising, a percentage that should only rise with time.

Read More
SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING

Creating Great Ads: CX Should Surpass Technology in Priority

Article | July 6, 2022

Part of running a business in this era of technology is establishing an online presence. This does not only mean having a well-put-together website and being active on social media, which are both a big part of what online marketing means. In order to reach audiences and turn them into customers, you also need to invest in online advertising. Sometimes, finding the best-suited advertising strategy for your business can be quite daunting, especially given the fact that you have so many options to choose from in the sea of digital marketing. The accessible costs of digital advertising, especially when compared to traditional advertising, may make it tempting for you to what to invest in as many types of ad campaigns as you can find, but keep in mind that they may not all work for your business.

Read More

Alex Webb: More kids with smartphones spells advertising bonanza

Article | February 10, 2020

The revelation that, by the age of seven, 53% of British kids will own a mobile phone, will come as good news to one group in particular: advertisers. By the time U.K. youngsters are 11, the ownership ratio reaches a whopping 90%, according to a report published last week by the research consultancy Childwise. And as the penetration of smartphone usage rises, it creates more opportunity for advertisers to get in front of young eyeballs. Parents need to get clued up if they want to stop that from happening. For now, advertising targeted at children has been slower to migrate online than in the broader industry. Whereas more than half of the world's $614 billion of ad spending is now online, less than a third of the outlay for ads targeting children is digital, according to a 2019 study by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Read More
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Spotlight

SapientRazorfish

SapientRazorfish is a new breed of transformation partner designed to help companies reimagine their business through radical customer-centricity. With more than 12,000 employees and 70 offices around the globe, our capabilities span growth and business model strategy, new product and service innovation, customer experience, enterprise digital transformation, IT modernization, omni-channel commerce, precision marketing, change management, digital operations, digital innovation, data strategy and advanced analytics. For more information, visit www.sapientrazorfish.com

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AD TECH AND MARTECH

Smartly.io Survey: 55% of Consumers Are Open to Making Holiday Purchases from Social Media

Smartly.io | October 27, 2022

Smartly.io, the leading social advertising automation platform for creative and performance marketers, today announced new survey findings that highlight consumers’ plans and preferences for this holiday shopping season. Included in the findings is how digital ads impact their decision-making. Conducted by Dynata, the survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers reveals that 40% of consumers say they will start shopping for holiday gifts earlier in 2022, and almost half of holiday shoppers have either already started shopping or are planning to start within the next month. With a continued push toward e-commerce in mind, Smartly.io’s survey findings – including year-over-year trends from prior studies – point to a growing interest among consumers to use social media to aid their online shopping journeys. Specifically, 55% of respondents say they are open to making holiday gift purchases directly via a social media ad this holiday season. Further, Facebook continues to be the leading platform that respondents say they would consider making a holiday gift purchase from. However, since last year, YouTube has gained popularity over Instagram, rising 5% to 39% of consumers surveyed. TikTok is also increasing in popularity among consumers, with 24% saying they would consider purchasing holiday gifts from the platform, a 6% increase from 2021. “For brands wanting to make an impact on consumers this holiday season, multi-platform strategies that tie-in discounts, personalization, and creator content across channels will be crucial,” said Lyle Underkoffler, CMO of Smartly.io. “This data shows that there is a greater opportunity for consumers to discover, and even purchase, products and services from their social media feeds as long as retailers can deliver relevant, personalized, and creative ads.” Additionally, inflation is having a profound effect on how consumers shop this holiday season. Our data shows that 1 in 5 consumers say they are unsure if or how their shopping plans might change as a result of the current economic climate. Further insights show there is an opportunity for digital advertisers to create new experiences and forge better connections with these consumers via the following: Discounts, Discounts, Discounts! For both 2021 and 2022, discounts were ranked as the number one thing influencing consumers' decisions to buy products through digital ads. This year, due to market inflation, ads that offer discounts and coupon codes will be pivotal for brands looking to meet shoppers’ budgets and capture their attention this holiday season. Making it Personal Personalization continues to be at the top of the list when it comes to attracting audiences online. 60% of those surveyed rated an ad that is relevant or personalized to them as a deciding factor in purchasing holiday gifts from digital ads. Be Transparent and Trustworthy ​​More than a third of respondents ranked a brand's trustworthiness as a crucial factor in deciding whether to purchase gifts from a digital ad. As consumers become more focused on how brands use their data, this is increasingly important. Collaborating with Creators Nearly 1 in 4 consumers get gift ideas from creators and influencers, and 66% of consumers say they are either somewhat or very likely to interact with a brand or its products based on content from an influencer or creator that they follow. Embracing a Multi-Platform Strategy 81% of Gen Z is active on Instagram compared to 47% of general consumers. Incorporating multi-platform strategies that leverage the strengths of each channel allows brands to engage and create genuine connections with their desired audiences, leveraging each individual channel and platform to the best of its abilities. Learn more about this latest research from Smartly.io, and how brands can capitalize on their digital advertising strategies this holiday season. About the Study In a study commissioned by Smartly.io, Dynata surveyed 1,000 consumers to uncover year-over-year trends as well as take a closer look at when consumers are beginning to shop for the holidays and, specific to this year, how the economic downturn may affect their plans. Respondents were located in the U.S. and were over the age of 18. The survey was conducted in September 2022. About Smartly.io Powering beautifully effective ads, Smartly.io automates every step of social advertising to unlock greater performance and creativity. We combine creative technology, ad buying automation, and intelligence with outstanding customer service to help 700+ brands scale their results—on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and TikTok. Last year Smartly.io acquired Ad-Lib.io and Viralspace.ai and are now a fast-growing community of over 800 Smartlies with 21 offices around the world, managing over $4B in annual ad spend and growing rapidly and profitably. Visit Smartly.io to learn more.

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SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING

Smartly.io Appoints Oli Marlow Thomas as Chief Innovation Officer

Smartly.io | October 19, 2022

Smartly.io, the leading social advertising automation platform for creative and performance marketers, today announced the appointment of Oli Marlow Thomas as Chief Innovation Officer. Marlow Thomas was previously the Founder and CEO of Ad-Lib.io, a next-generation creative optimization platform and a leading Google Certified Creative partner that Smartly.io acquired in Q1 of this year. The acquisition advanced Smartly.io’s cross-channel reach from social to include dynamic creative optimization across programmatic, CTV, and the entire Google ecosystem. Now, ten months later, the two companies, along with Viralspace.ai, have formally integrated to offer Smartly.io customers an advancement in creative optimization capabilities with AI and machine learning for digital advertising. With this integration, Marlow Thomas will join Smartly.io’s executive team to further guide the company as the Leading Digital Advertising Platform. “Smartly.io and Ad-Lib.io were a natural partner from the beginning and I’m thrilled to be joining the executive team as we make this integration official,” said Oli Marlow Thomas, Chief Innovation Officer, Smartly.io. “Smartly.io and Ad-Lib.io were a natural partner from the beginning and I’m thrilled to be joining the executive team as we make this integration official,” said Oli Marlow Thomas, Chief Innovation Officer, Smartly.io. "Together, we can offer customers a one stop shop that will maximize creative effectiveness, media buying and creative intelligence." Previously the Creative Lead at DoubleClick/Google for five years, Marlow Thomas founded creative personalization service Ad-Lib.io in 2017. He is an industry expert and has received recognition as “One To Watch” in Campaign Tech Awards. As Co-Founder and CEO of Ad-Lib.io, Marlow Thomas oversaw the growth and eventually acquisition of the company. Now, as Chief Innovation Officer at Smartly.io, he will bring his forward-thinking industry vision and expertise to identify, harness, and bring to fruition new ideas that will continue to move Smartly.io forward to offer customers the best in multi-platform strategy with game-changing creative tools. “Smartly.io’s customers are at the forefront of everything we do. With this integration, and by bringing Oli onboard, we are able to offer our customers the best capabilities and technology in navigating the changed ecosystem of digital advertising and conquering walled gardens effectively,” said Laura Desmond, CEO, Smartly.io. “Oli’s industry expertise and vision will be extremely valuable as we continue to combine creative, media and intelligence to generate unparalleled results for our customers.”

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SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING

SGG Media Launches Crowd Funding Round on StartEngine.com

SGG Media, StartEngine.com | September 02, 2022

SGG Media - A Division of Sports Gambling Guides, Inc., the up-and-coming sports advertising agency, is continuing its plans to turn the advertising world on its head by opening up a $5 million round of private funding on leading US investment platform, StartEngine.com via the SGG Media portal: https://www.startengine.com/sports-gambling-guides Like so many things the company has done during its short but meteoric rise to prominence over the past few years, turning to one of America’s largest crowd funding sites to generate further investment in SGG Media is something of an industry first. It will give private investors the unique opportunity to buy into a sports gambling-related business from just $250 while helping SGG Media continue to grow. With StartEngine.com having already helped other start-up businesses raise $50 million in private funding, SGG Media is confident of launching their $5 million offering on the platform – with this amount further complimenting the $3.25 million the group has already funded in the past 15 months. The fact that SGG Media has ripped up the traditional funding playbook and made investment in the company possible for private individuals online should perhaps not come as a huge surprise to anyone in the sports marketing industry – after all, this is a young company that has always done things differently. Having recognized the cost-prohibitive and largely unquantifiable nature of conventional TV, print and radio advertising, SGG Media set out on a mission to disrupt the sports affiliate marketing space by instead harnessing the power of social media to reach a whole new audience of modern sports fans. From this simple but pioneering starting position, SGG Media has gone on to amass a vast network of over 1,300 “micro-sports influencers” – knowledgeable and engaged content creators who can deliver laser-focused messaging and promotions to a combined audience of 25 million avid sports fans. The group has since partnered with some of the largest companies in the sports betting and daily fantasy sports industries, with these organizations all recognizing the importance of connecting with a new breed of fan that’s consuming sports info via Twitter, Instagram, and other forms of social media. Troy Paul, Co-Founder and President of SGG Media, said: “We’re very excited to be taking investment in SGG Media online on the hugely successful crowdfunding platform, StartEngine.com. It’s perhaps the first opportunity for private investors to show support for a sports gambling-related company. Troy Paul, Co-Founder and President of SGG Media, said: “We’re very excited to be taking investment in SGG Media online on the hugely successful crowdfunding platform, StartEngine.com. It’s perhaps the first opportunity for private investors to show support for a sports gambling-related company. “To put it plainly, if you believe in the future of online sports gambling and the future of social media advertising, this is a great opportunity to get involved with our company from as little as $250. We strongly believe the crowdfunding round will prove to be another major success for SGG Media and will enable the group to continue its trailblazing work at the cross section of sports and social media.”

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AD TECH AND MARTECH

Smartly.io Survey: 55% of Consumers Are Open to Making Holiday Purchases from Social Media

Smartly.io | October 27, 2022

Smartly.io, the leading social advertising automation platform for creative and performance marketers, today announced new survey findings that highlight consumers’ plans and preferences for this holiday shopping season. Included in the findings is how digital ads impact their decision-making. Conducted by Dynata, the survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers reveals that 40% of consumers say they will start shopping for holiday gifts earlier in 2022, and almost half of holiday shoppers have either already started shopping or are planning to start within the next month. With a continued push toward e-commerce in mind, Smartly.io’s survey findings – including year-over-year trends from prior studies – point to a growing interest among consumers to use social media to aid their online shopping journeys. Specifically, 55% of respondents say they are open to making holiday gift purchases directly via a social media ad this holiday season. Further, Facebook continues to be the leading platform that respondents say they would consider making a holiday gift purchase from. However, since last year, YouTube has gained popularity over Instagram, rising 5% to 39% of consumers surveyed. TikTok is also increasing in popularity among consumers, with 24% saying they would consider purchasing holiday gifts from the platform, a 6% increase from 2021. “For brands wanting to make an impact on consumers this holiday season, multi-platform strategies that tie-in discounts, personalization, and creator content across channels will be crucial,” said Lyle Underkoffler, CMO of Smartly.io. “This data shows that there is a greater opportunity for consumers to discover, and even purchase, products and services from their social media feeds as long as retailers can deliver relevant, personalized, and creative ads.” Additionally, inflation is having a profound effect on how consumers shop this holiday season. Our data shows that 1 in 5 consumers say they are unsure if or how their shopping plans might change as a result of the current economic climate. Further insights show there is an opportunity for digital advertisers to create new experiences and forge better connections with these consumers via the following: Discounts, Discounts, Discounts! For both 2021 and 2022, discounts were ranked as the number one thing influencing consumers' decisions to buy products through digital ads. This year, due to market inflation, ads that offer discounts and coupon codes will be pivotal for brands looking to meet shoppers’ budgets and capture their attention this holiday season. Making it Personal Personalization continues to be at the top of the list when it comes to attracting audiences online. 60% of those surveyed rated an ad that is relevant or personalized to them as a deciding factor in purchasing holiday gifts from digital ads. Be Transparent and Trustworthy ​​More than a third of respondents ranked a brand's trustworthiness as a crucial factor in deciding whether to purchase gifts from a digital ad. As consumers become more focused on how brands use their data, this is increasingly important. Collaborating with Creators Nearly 1 in 4 consumers get gift ideas from creators and influencers, and 66% of consumers say they are either somewhat or very likely to interact with a brand or its products based on content from an influencer or creator that they follow. Embracing a Multi-Platform Strategy 81% of Gen Z is active on Instagram compared to 47% of general consumers. Incorporating multi-platform strategies that leverage the strengths of each channel allows brands to engage and create genuine connections with their desired audiences, leveraging each individual channel and platform to the best of its abilities. Learn more about this latest research from Smartly.io, and how brands can capitalize on their digital advertising strategies this holiday season. About the Study In a study commissioned by Smartly.io, Dynata surveyed 1,000 consumers to uncover year-over-year trends as well as take a closer look at when consumers are beginning to shop for the holidays and, specific to this year, how the economic downturn may affect their plans. Respondents were located in the U.S. and were over the age of 18. The survey was conducted in September 2022. About Smartly.io Powering beautifully effective ads, Smartly.io automates every step of social advertising to unlock greater performance and creativity. We combine creative technology, ad buying automation, and intelligence with outstanding customer service to help 700+ brands scale their results—on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and TikTok. Last year Smartly.io acquired Ad-Lib.io and Viralspace.ai and are now a fast-growing community of over 800 Smartlies with 21 offices around the world, managing over $4B in annual ad spend and growing rapidly and profitably. Visit Smartly.io to learn more.

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Smartly.io Appoints Oli Marlow Thomas as Chief Innovation Officer

Smartly.io | October 19, 2022

Smartly.io, the leading social advertising automation platform for creative and performance marketers, today announced the appointment of Oli Marlow Thomas as Chief Innovation Officer. Marlow Thomas was previously the Founder and CEO of Ad-Lib.io, a next-generation creative optimization platform and a leading Google Certified Creative partner that Smartly.io acquired in Q1 of this year. The acquisition advanced Smartly.io’s cross-channel reach from social to include dynamic creative optimization across programmatic, CTV, and the entire Google ecosystem. Now, ten months later, the two companies, along with Viralspace.ai, have formally integrated to offer Smartly.io customers an advancement in creative optimization capabilities with AI and machine learning for digital advertising. With this integration, Marlow Thomas will join Smartly.io’s executive team to further guide the company as the Leading Digital Advertising Platform. “Smartly.io and Ad-Lib.io were a natural partner from the beginning and I’m thrilled to be joining the executive team as we make this integration official,” said Oli Marlow Thomas, Chief Innovation Officer, Smartly.io. “Smartly.io and Ad-Lib.io were a natural partner from the beginning and I’m thrilled to be joining the executive team as we make this integration official,” said Oli Marlow Thomas, Chief Innovation Officer, Smartly.io. "Together, we can offer customers a one stop shop that will maximize creative effectiveness, media buying and creative intelligence." Previously the Creative Lead at DoubleClick/Google for five years, Marlow Thomas founded creative personalization service Ad-Lib.io in 2017. He is an industry expert and has received recognition as “One To Watch” in Campaign Tech Awards. As Co-Founder and CEO of Ad-Lib.io, Marlow Thomas oversaw the growth and eventually acquisition of the company. Now, as Chief Innovation Officer at Smartly.io, he will bring his forward-thinking industry vision and expertise to identify, harness, and bring to fruition new ideas that will continue to move Smartly.io forward to offer customers the best in multi-platform strategy with game-changing creative tools. “Smartly.io’s customers are at the forefront of everything we do. With this integration, and by bringing Oli onboard, we are able to offer our customers the best capabilities and technology in navigating the changed ecosystem of digital advertising and conquering walled gardens effectively,” said Laura Desmond, CEO, Smartly.io. “Oli’s industry expertise and vision will be extremely valuable as we continue to combine creative, media and intelligence to generate unparalleled results for our customers.”

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SGG Media Launches Crowd Funding Round on StartEngine.com

SGG Media, StartEngine.com | September 02, 2022

SGG Media - A Division of Sports Gambling Guides, Inc., the up-and-coming sports advertising agency, is continuing its plans to turn the advertising world on its head by opening up a $5 million round of private funding on leading US investment platform, StartEngine.com via the SGG Media portal: https://www.startengine.com/sports-gambling-guides Like so many things the company has done during its short but meteoric rise to prominence over the past few years, turning to one of America’s largest crowd funding sites to generate further investment in SGG Media is something of an industry first. It will give private investors the unique opportunity to buy into a sports gambling-related business from just $250 while helping SGG Media continue to grow. With StartEngine.com having already helped other start-up businesses raise $50 million in private funding, SGG Media is confident of launching their $5 million offering on the platform – with this amount further complimenting the $3.25 million the group has already funded in the past 15 months. The fact that SGG Media has ripped up the traditional funding playbook and made investment in the company possible for private individuals online should perhaps not come as a huge surprise to anyone in the sports marketing industry – after all, this is a young company that has always done things differently. Having recognized the cost-prohibitive and largely unquantifiable nature of conventional TV, print and radio advertising, SGG Media set out on a mission to disrupt the sports affiliate marketing space by instead harnessing the power of social media to reach a whole new audience of modern sports fans. From this simple but pioneering starting position, SGG Media has gone on to amass a vast network of over 1,300 “micro-sports influencers” – knowledgeable and engaged content creators who can deliver laser-focused messaging and promotions to a combined audience of 25 million avid sports fans. The group has since partnered with some of the largest companies in the sports betting and daily fantasy sports industries, with these organizations all recognizing the importance of connecting with a new breed of fan that’s consuming sports info via Twitter, Instagram, and other forms of social media. Troy Paul, Co-Founder and President of SGG Media, said: “We’re very excited to be taking investment in SGG Media online on the hugely successful crowdfunding platform, StartEngine.com. It’s perhaps the first opportunity for private investors to show support for a sports gambling-related company. Troy Paul, Co-Founder and President of SGG Media, said: “We’re very excited to be taking investment in SGG Media online on the hugely successful crowdfunding platform, StartEngine.com. It’s perhaps the first opportunity for private investors to show support for a sports gambling-related company. “To put it plainly, if you believe in the future of online sports gambling and the future of social media advertising, this is a great opportunity to get involved with our company from as little as $250. We strongly believe the crowdfunding round will prove to be another major success for SGG Media and will enable the group to continue its trailblazing work at the cross section of sports and social media.”

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