Unraveling the Potential of Open Internet and Programmatic Advertising
In a recent Performance+ webinar, we joined FYND Media, M&C Saatchi Group’s specialist programmatic team, to explore “The Opportunity of the Open Internet for Marketers.”
Chris Steedman, Chief Revenue Officer at M&C Saatchi Performance, hosted the session and was joined by two industry experts: Megan Price, Programmatic Supervisor, and Josh Kirby, Associate Programmatic Director, both from FYND Media.
The entire recording is available to watch On Demand here, and the slides presented are available to download here. We’re also offering a free programmatic audit to advertisers. Contact us to find out more!
Revealing the Open Internet’s Potential
The Open Internet refers to digital spaces beyond the walled gardens of brands like Meta, Google, and Apple. By leveraging these spaces programmatically, for example, on sites such as Spotify, BBC, and more, advertisers can unlock significant opportunities to connect with new audiences on an incredible scale.
The expansive reach of the open internet covers all digital devices, including mobile, desktop, connected TVs, and even digital out-of-home environments.
“The entire world can be reached by the open Internet.”
Josh Kirby, Associate Programmatic Director, FYND Media
Programmatic Advertising: Achieving Both Brand and Performance Goals
The idea that branding and performance goals must be separate in programmatic advertising is outdated. Programmatic has the power to work throughout the funnel, balancing branding and performance tactics dependent on your objectives.
Programmatic is not just about branding or performance, instead, advertisers should consider their entire approach to programmatic buying and the specific objectives they are aiming to achieve. By aligning strategy with goals, programmatic can seamlessly support both ends of the spectrum and everything in between.
Staying Tech Agnostic in a Dynamic Environment
In the fast-evolving world of digital media, adaptability is key. We recommend a tech-agnostic approach. Continuous test and learn frameworks and keeping an open mind in their approach. Achieving programmatic success means using different DSPs tailored to various campaign types while staying on top of market changes. The secret sauce? Embracing innovation and being ready to pivot with the times.
Breaking Myths in User Behaviour on the Internet
The average time consumers spend on the open internet is about 70%, compared to social media and other walled gardens, where they engage with diverse content across various platforms. However, 77% of advertising budgets go into walled gardens globally, and only 23% are spent on the Open Internet. This disparity suggests that marketers may miss valuable opportunities to connect with audiences where they are most active and tap into a broader, more engaged consumer base if they are not running programmatic campaigns.
Accessing High-Quality Inventory
Programmatic advertising thrives on data, offering various targeting levers in DSPs, such as behavioral audiences, contextual audiences, and first-party data, to access premium inventory.
The demand for inventory in programmatic is entirely performance-driven, focusing on metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, or overall campaign performance. DSPs continuously ingest this data to make smarter bids for ads. With a wealth of data available, the system learns and optimizes over time, delivering more precise results as it matures.
Future Predictions and Growth Opportunities
The programmatic advertising landscape is rapidly evolving, with significant developments in privacy regulations and technological innovations. The deprecation of third-party cookies by companies like Google has spurred advancements among Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs), leading to more privacy-compliant solutions.
Looking ahead to 2025, measurement strategies are expected to become more holistic. The focus is shifting from sole reliance on attribution models to incorporating the “Measurement Trifecta,” which includes attribution, incrementality, and Media Mix Modeling. This comprehensive approach aims to provide more precise insights and support more effective omnichannel strategies covering day-to-day granularity and high-level, holistic strategy.
Additionally, there’s a welcomed expansion in Connected TV (CTV) and Digital Out-Of-Home advertising as DSPs extend their reach into new environments. The utilization of retail data across various channels, particularly in the CTV space, is also expected to rise, enhancing targeting precision and campaign effectiveness in a privacy-friendly manner.
Due to its extensive supply and flexibility, programmatic advertising offers greater cost per mille (CPM) stability. While platforms like Meta and Google perform well in customer acquisition, they may face limitations in scaling. In contrast, programmatic advertising’s adaptability across multiple channels and formats provides broader opportunities for growth and engagement.
In Summary
The key to success is embracing both Walled Gardens and the Open Internet for a truly holistic approach to reaching your audience. The Open Internet is a massive arena for programmatic advertising, offering brands the chance to connect with a global audience with hyper-precision, at-scale
As the industry evolves rapidly, staying curious, testing constantly, and adapting quickly is more important than ever. With its broad reach, programmatic campaigns on the Open Internet offer unmatched opportunities for granular targeting and access to premium inventory. It’s a goldmine of untapped potential that advertisers worldwide can harness for impactful results.
The entire recording is available to watch On Demand here, and the slides presented are available to download here.
We’re offering a free programmatic audit to advertisers. Contact us to find out more.
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Please contact us today to learn how we ensure client programmatic and performance media campaigns are optimized.
