Programmatic buying is the automated process of purchasing and selling digital advertising inventory through real-time bidding (RTB) or direct sales. In this eTip we are going to break it down into two parts: automated process and real-time bidding.
Automated Process Means Benefit
The automatic process helps with media strategy and decision-making by targeting specific audiences using sophisticated technology in half the time it would take a media buyer to pull the data manually. Also, it lends itself to delivering quality messages to qualified users at the right time and on the right device by tracking online behavior or mobile activities thus avoiding wasteful consumer-facing impressions and spend. The end result? Media buyers become more efficient — spending less time on mundane tasks and more on those that drive results.
Real-Time Bidding (RTB)
If you’re familiar with bidding on keywords in AdWords, RTB is nothing new. RTB is the transaction method of buying and selling that allows media buyers to bid for ad inventory, similar to bidding on terms in AdWords with one caveat — it’s leveraged for higher value inventory as opposed to remnant.
Traditional buying versus automated?
While the thought of relinquishing your marketing prowess to an automated system may make you nervous, once your see the ROI, calmer heads will prevail. Rest assured, your programmatic optimization is working around the clock, adjusting to trends and audience insights as they shift. Now marketers can focus on what they do best — creative development, scheduling and budgets.
