Programmatic advertising seems to be on the lips of many advertising professionals around virtual watercoolers these days, but did you know that this modern technological marvel isn’t all that new?
You may be surprised to learn that you already know what Programmatic advertising is. Even if you haven’t used it in a professional capacity, you’ve still seen it and most likely engaged with it over the past 20 years.
What is programmatic advertising?
The term Programmatic refers to the process of buying media rather than the ad itself or its final placement. Programmatic advertising uses automated technology as opposed to traditional methods of media buying. These automated methods utilize data insights and algorithms to serve ads to the right user at the right time and the right price.
Instead of older, more manual, methods of purchasing media, programmatic allows for more customization and faster reaction times.
The modern programmatic advertising landscape is full of AI-powered personalization and enough data points to target just about every segment of your audience.
Every day, new technologies are being developed and improved to help advertisers and publishers buy and sell digital inventory. Programmatic DSP (demand-side platform) is software that helps advertisers buy digital ads across multiple publishers. Google Ads is one such example, however, Google only buys within its own ad network. SSP (supply-side platform) is a technology platform used by digital publishers to automate the selling of their ad inventory across various ad networks and exchanges in real time.
These and similar tools allow your message to reach your customers where they are by letting you buy digital ads in real-time, across a variety of channels and devices. You can serve relevant ads to relevant audiences in a matter of seconds.
How long has programmatic advertising been around?
Programmatic advertising traces its lineage back to the earliest banner ads in the mid-90s when the internet was the Wild West. AT&T was an early adopter of the banner ad with its "You Will" campaign. This was back when logging on was accompanied by a screeching tone of beeps and bells and phone calls were missed because you were downloading a single jpeg.
As ad networks like DoubleClick began emerging in the mid to late '90s, banner ads became easier to purchase.
Google Ads was released in 2000 (Google would eventually purchase DoubleClick in 2008), and began using the Cost-per-Click (CPC) pricing model. By the late 2000s, real-time bidding was developed.
The creation of Google AdSense in 2013 expanded advertising possibilities by allowing more and more websites to be monetized – leading to even more placements and a heavier reliance on automated processes and algorithms.
From the humble beginnings of banner ads to interactive formats and digital outdoor advertising, programmatic has evolved to become a powerhouse in the media buying space.
How can TRIAD help you take advantage of the latest programmatic advertising technology?
We build holistic marketing campaigns that are developed to reach your goals and target audiences. We like to think of ourselves as a partner rather than a service provider. We combine the knowledge we gain about your business with our industry expertise to make effective media planning and buying decisions. We put ads in front of your audience that lead to positive results.
From digital outdoor to a slew of acronyms like OTT and CTV, TRIAD helps you look good by utilizing the latest advertising technology. Plus, we’re just fun to work with.
Reach out and let us know your company’s goals. We’ll help you reach them.