The Header Bidding Trends That Will Impact Publishers Most

For publishers, Header Bidding is a cost effective and advantageous opportunity to maximize their revenue. Buyers and sellers can expect to see more developments.

Since last year Header Bidding has been a hot topic of conversation among digital marketers and publishers worldwide.

For publishers, Header Bidding is a cost effective and advantageous opportunity for publishers to maximize their revenue simply by making the programmatic buying process more efficient. If you’re not sure how Header Bidding works, read our article which explains how it works.

Or watch this video:

But the question we’re asking today is what the biggest trends in header bidding will be next? Expect to see these trends in Header Bidding unfold this year:

1. Video Header Bidding

Considering the explosive demand for video content among audiences, it’s no wonder publishers would look for ways to streamline and scale up their video revenue stream. Video Header Bidding is a natural next step for publishers looking to capitalize on video and maximize yield.

Many argue that video advertising still requires a great deal of cleaning up and organisation due to the fragmented nature of the new frontier. Video Header Bidding may be a part of this solution. Video Header Bidding no doubt increases competition, but it functions differently from regular display.

Technically, there is no “header” code in a video player. Video players functions as a mediating technology between the website and demand side platforms. But there is significant potential for Video Header Bidding to help add efficiency and transparency into the confusing video landscape, while putting more control back into the hands of publishers as far as partner selection goes.

However, not everyone agrees that Video Header Bidding will work and even argue that the solution can lead to data leakage. More on the other side of the argument, here.

2. Header Bidding Partner Optimization

As we know by now, many vendors are jumping on the Header Bidding band wagon. And while more competition often means more options are made available to publishers, it also means that the landscape becomes more fragmented.  its important for publishers to understand and choose the right partners.

That means asking the right questions. Are the partners providing more or less value to your stack? Will your partner be willing to take on the challenge of integration, and if there are technical on-boarding issues is there a client services team who can service you on demand? Optimizing header bidding partners and separating the winners from the losers will no doubt be on the agenda for publishers the world over and publishers will need to do their due diligence.

3. Server to Server Integration

Header Bidding is going to evolve, this is a given with any technology. The next natural development for Header Bidding is going to be in the form of server-to-server connections. Digiday gives a really great definition of what server-to-server connections are here.

In a nutshell, server-to-server allows for the bidding process to happen on partner ad servers rather than on the publisher’s browser. The result? Publishers can pass along the heavy lifting to a third party. There are benefits like reducing latency and page load times, increase efficiency and allow for more partners to plug in.

Want to learn more? Connect with our team at sales@clearpier.com


[Video] The Ten Biggest Marketing Trends of 2017

If you’re wondering what the big trends to look out for are, just watch this.

Want to learn more? Connect with our team at sales@clearpier.com


[Video] Valentine's Day Marketing Stats That Will Make You Rethink Your Marketing

The way consumers celebrate Valentine’s Day has changed.
This video explains how.

https://youtu.be/ZCAbMT_RtfI

Did you know that Valentine’s Day sales reached an all-time high in 2016 at $19.7 Billion, according to the National Retail Federation.
Fortune and MarketWatch report that this year, sales for the holiday are projected to dip down to $18.2 Billion.

But nonetheless, Valentine’s Day continues to be one of the year’s most popular holidays – at least when it comes to consumer spending.

Marketers take note, the way consumers are celebrating Valentine’s Day has changed and the stats might actually surprise you.

1. 54.8% of Americans Celebrate Valentine’s Day

In fact, people of all ages celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day.

who-celebrates-valentine's-day-clearpier-marketing-trends

2. Valentine’s Day Consumer Spending is Second Only to Christmas

Spending lots of money on Valentine’s Day is pretty normal. On average, people spend $512.03 for the special day.

average-holiday-spending-per-person

Considering what people are buying, the numbers add up…

3. Jewelry is the biggest consumer spending category, followed by Experiences

valentine's-day-spending-by-category-2016-billions

4. $681 Million total Valentine’s Day gifts are spent on pets

Just a few of ClearPier's very own doggy friends.

Just a few of our very own doggy friends at ClearPier.

That’s right. Consumers love their pets and Valentine’s Day is just another excuse to dote on our furry friends. In fact, 19% of all Valentine’s Day gifts go to pets, averaging out at $26 per shopper.

5. Singles, couples, men and women all participate – but men on average spend TWICE as much

No a days, it would be a mistake for marketers to focus on only couples. Many single people now also celebrate Valentine’s Day, while others simply buy presents for friends.

In fact, Bing has reported that when people search “Valentine’s Day Gifts For…” 22% of people fill the rest of that sentence in with “husband,” 20% finish it with “friend,” and 17% type in “boyfriend.”

And although things have changed, some traditional gender norms seem to persist as men typically spend on average twice as much as women for Valentine’s Day. A single man may spend on average $71 for the holiday, while a single woman may only spend $40, although people in a relationship typically spend more.

6. More people are shopping online, and Mobile drives that growth

From 2015 to 2016, mobile searches for Valentine’s Day rose from 40% to 48% according to Bing. However, there is still a 50-50 split between desktop and mobile shoppers.

7. 50% of proposals actually happen around Valentine’s Day which contributes to keep jewelry a popular gift item

That’s good news for brands advertising big ticket items like engagement rings, ear rings, necklaces, and more.

“I do.”

8. But Experiences based gifts or evenings out are also popular – great news for local search.

39% of individuals prefer gifts like tickets to a concert, a dinner out, or a day at the spa or a relaxing stay at a ritzy hotel to material gifts.

And with 34% of consumers planning to eat out on Valentine’s Day, restaurant ads actually peak the day before the holiday. And the reason for that may simply be that Valentine’s Day gifting usually includes less planning and more impulse purchases instead.

9. These were the most popular search terms in 2016 on Bing for Valentine’s Day (Desktop):

  • Etsy
  • Flowers
  • Olive Garden
  • Valentine’s Day
  • Victoria Secret
  • Edible Arrangements
  • Love
  • Kay Jewelers
  • Hearts
  • Eddie Bauer

10. These were the most popular search terms in 2016 on Bing for Valentine’s Day (Mobile):

  • Jewelry
  • Valentine’s Day
  • Engagement rings
  • Earrings
  • Love
  • Gift card
  • Pandora charms
  • Etsy
  • Necklace
  • Online grocery

11. Valentine’s Day results in 7.6% increase of usage for matchmaking apps like Tinder

In fact, according to Tinder, last Valentine’s Day the app saw a 7.6% usage increase and a 6% match increase (U.S.). Messaging also increases by 5.2% (U.S.) on Tinder around Valentine’s Day.

#Love: I’m Single, Therefore I Tinder

So it’s a happy Valentine’s Day for many, indeed.

 

You can get more Valentine’s Day marketing insights from Bing in their Search Bing for Love presentation.

Want to learn more? Connect with our team at sales@clearpier.com


Top 10 Marketing Trends of 2017

Demand for Performance to grow as technological innovations and marketing strategy advances in 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7HLEMcop8U&t=4s

2016 was a big year for marketers around the globe, filled with major shifts across the digital media landscape. AR quickly entered the mainstream with the swift rise (and fall) of Pokémon Go, perhaps one of last year’s biggest pop-culture phenomenons. Everything online was about or delivered in the form of video, and changes in direct-on-social-selling has altered the buyer journey.

With all the changes that occurred, what can we expect as we move swiftly into the new year?

Here are our team’s predictions on the biggest marketing trends of 2017.

1. Influencer Marketing budgets will double

Instagram-header
Influencer marketing, continues to be an effective way for advertisers to reach niche audiences.

In 2017, investments by brands into influencer marketing may grow by 48%. As a strong strategy to get in front of audiences through trusted recommendations while simultaneously getting around the problem ad blocking, influencer kills two bird with one stone. You can bet that this is one channel that won’t be slowing down any time soon.

2. More emphasis on Interactive Content Marketing

ipad-tablet-technology-touch

Move over read-only content, interactive content is about to shake things up.

Marketers know all too well that attention spans are getting shorter, and interactive content may be the answer to cut through the noise to get audiences to engage with branded content at a deeper level.

From quizzes, polls, surveys, and contests to infographics and before-and-after reveals, interactive content seems to be growing in popularity. Many content experts believe it may in fact be a better way to educate readers while simultaneously allowing marketers to collect data.

3. Demand for Performance will Grow alongside demand for brand safety

performance conceptual meter

More brands, agencies, and advertisers will shift their budgets towards Performance in 2017 to better align budgets with ROI.

Companies will look to work more closely with performance partners that have the technology and experience needed to better manage, track and optimize their campaigns rather than trying to build a performance unit in-house which requires a steep learning and development curve for immediate success. Vendors who can guarantee performance, scale, and brand safety will also grow in demand.

4. Social Media continues to be a strong channel for brands, content and SEO strategy

Modern Keyboard With Colored Social Network Buttons.

Facebook isn’t going away. Influencer marketing will be heavy on Instagram. And with over 100 million daily active users and 400 million snaps per day, every marketer’s Snapchat game better get on point.

But there will be shifts. Capturing moments and experiences will be a valuable and trendy tactic for brands to reach social media savvy audiences. It’s no longer enough to post about what it was like to be at an event, wear a new shirt, or taste a new recipe – now marketers need to show audiences what it feels like. Real-time posting will be ever more in demand to make experiences immersive and genuine.

5. Virtual/Augmented Reality will further be explored

Virtual and augmented reality is here! Snapchat and Pokémon Go have done wonders to expand the horizon for augmented reality. The question for brands now is how to best utilize the technology.

While some businesses may still be on the fence about AR, e-commerce retailers without brick and mortar stores may find the technology advantageous. As the technology and its accessibility continues to advance, we can be sure to find more marketers jumping onto the AR/VR bandwagon.

6. Video + Live Streaming

Video will continue to dominate in 2017 and we will see the use of live streaming grow.

It’s important to note, however, that video will be driven by mobile which means marketers will need to maintain a mobile first strategy. With over 90% of Facebook feeds filled with video, and mobile video stats ballooning since 2015, we can expect the shift towards video to continue.

Though it’s a time consuming medium, the demand for video among audiences is only growing and marketers need to embrace the change.

7. Native Advertising will grow but face scrutiny

contentmarketing-advertising

It’s been a somewhat problematic year for native advertising given the discussions around the problem of ‘fake news’ online. We know that native advertising is designed to promote branded content in an organic, uninterrupted way, but 2016 brought to popular attention the need for marketers to run creative native content responsibly.

Disclosure – that is, clear identification of paid native ads around editorial content – will remain the biggest concern for native advertisers this year. The IAB predicts that in-feed native will continue to make up the bulk of native ad revenue, and brands will continue to shift their ad dollars towards native.

8. Mobile First – Always

mobile

In the past several years, it has been drilled into our heads that marketers need to be on mobile because that’s where consumers are.

We’ve all wisely shifted to mobile. Indeed, according to venturebeat.com, approximately 59.5% of Google’s net global ad revenue will come from mobile ads this year (up from 45.8% in 2015).

While the shift to mobile has resulted in the growing monetization of apps, as well as increased demand for video, the problem remains: bots follow the money trail. CMO.com predicts that ad fraud bots will behave even more like humans in 2017, making it ever more difficult to detect.

Advertisers will need to be vigilant and persistently press vendors for transparency on how their budgets are being spent, which is why many Canadian advertisers are beginning to shift their attention to private marketplaces.

9. Everything will be personalized

starbucks-coffee-personal

To reach the right audience at the right time, we as marketers need to send the right message and that requires personalization.

In 2017, personalization will continue to be top-of-mind as audiences become more acutely aware and critical of what and how marketers communicate with them. Marketers will need to keep audience lists healthy and well segmented according to behaviour, preferences, habits, geo-location and more to continue winning positive audience attention and engagement.

10. Customer Experience will come first

customer_experience

Understanding the importance of the customer experience is at the core of any strong marketing strategy. Businesses that embrace a customer-centric approach will find more success in the year ahead.

But how do you make the shift? Consider the following:

  • Turn customer service into an essential business mantra, across departments
  • Listen to your customer’s feedback and make changes that answer their needs
  • Re-imagine social media as an extension of customer support

Now you know the biggest marketing trends to watch out for in 2017. So get out there, and start making awesome happen all year long.

Want to learn more? Connect with our team at sales@clearpier.com


Why Publishers Need to Prioritize User Experience in 2017

A new mantra has taken over the publishing world and it goes by the name of “user experience.”

A new year has dawned on us and with it, a new set of priorities. A couple years ago, we were shouting “content is king” at the top of our lungs. But a new mantra is here to dominate the publishing world in 2017, and it goes by the name “user experience.”

It’s all well and good of publishers who are producing amazing, enthralling, and interesting content, trying to earn the loyalty of their readership. But how can your content even reach your audience, if your user experience is driving them to click away?

popup_michael_scott

We’ve all been on the other side as readers. You visit a website and suddenly you’re bombarded with way too many ads for products you’re not even close to interested in, all crammed on a page that took forever to load. Then suddenly an intrusive pop up interrupts your reading. You can’t find the navigation bar, there are too many “recommended readings” that seem a little sketchy, and something about the page’s aesthetic is just not pretty.

What do you do next? You click away! Chances are if you’re doing it, your readers are doing it too.

Poor user experience has a number of cumulative problems.

  1. Slow Load Times
  2. Increased Bounce Rates
  3. Reduced Engagement
  4. Incentivized Ad Blocking
  5. Poor Viewability
  6. Weakened Revenue Generation

Each are a result of major challenges all publishers face. If you’re not filling your site and inventory to its maximum, then you’re losing out on opportunities to capitalize. You need maximum fill to happen, but too many complicated ads can slow your load times which drives away potentially loyal readers who.

Too many irrelevant ads prompts banner blindness and therefore reduced engagement. Worse yet, they could be what pushes your audience to turn on the ad blockers and empower their user experience themselves.

With viewability increasingly becoming a major KPI for your ad partners, a lack of placement optimization could mean that you’re running ads in placements that either have the wrong traffic or aren’t even seen.

Beyond these issues, publishers also have an added challenge: not knowing who is running ads on their properties. It’s not just a matter of quality either, it’s an issue of brand safety. Not knowing exactly who may end up running ads on your site could result in inappropriate placements that could hurt your own brand.

So how can publishers take control of their user experience without sacrificing their monetization needs?

1. Change your philosophy

pen-idea-bulb-paper

Publishers need to understand that ads are a central part of the user’s experience. Strong UI design that remembers this is what can set a publisher a part and build a loyal following. If you want people to return to your site, you need to make sure their experience is as pleasant as possible.

2. Test regularly

test

You should be constantly split testing your design and ad placements to understand the impact it has on your audience. Get your readers to actively provide you with regular feedback as well through polls. Trust in your audience, and in the data, to dictate how you redesign to benefit their experience and then watch both viewability and engagement skyrocket as you learn to better optimize ad placements.

3. Forgo bombardment

bombardment

Respecting your audience’s user experience means listening to their grievances. One of the biggest complaints out there? Too many ads! Reducing your placements doesn’t necessarily mean lower fill rates or less revenue. Users are more likely to return to your site if address the issue of clutter, and fewer ads may allow you to command higher rates and offer your inventory at premium. Most audiences in the digital age are open to some form of advertising, but intrusive ads are often the reason why they click away or turn on the ad blocking.

4. Work with a DMP

Information concept: computer keyboard with word Data Management on enter button background, 3d render

The first thought here is why would a publisher need to work with a data manage platform (DMP) anyway? Advertisers require data to target audiences with relevant ads. As publishers, your job is to help facilitate this to protect your audience from irrelevant ads and enhancing their user experience. To do so requires understanding your audience data. Working with a DMP allows you to capture all of your first-party audience data and enrich it with insights for advertisers. The result is more potential to increase your CPMs across direct, performance, and programmatic inventory simply because of accessibility to actionable data insights.

5. Go Private and Premium with PMPs

partners

Fighting ad fraud and ensuring your own brand safety on the open exchange has always one of the top concerns for publishers. But it’s no doubt a challenge without the technical know-how or the right partners. Working with private marketplaces (PMP) can alleviate any concerns publishers have had about offering their inventory for CPMs on the open market. Private marketplaces offer a more transparent and controlled environment where knowing the brands that will be running on your properties is no longer foggy. While complaints have been logged about ad tech having yet to catch up in the PMP ecosystem, some PMPs, not only drive premium Performance but also safeguards publishers from fraud with multiple defense systems.

At the end of the day, publishers must make user experience a priority. Measuring and managing the impact of ads on user experience should be central part of your philosophy to win and keep audience trust. After all, it’s a loyal and happy audience is what drives your revenue generation.

Want to learn more? Connect with our team at sales@clearpier.com


e-commerce-holidays-trends-2016-clearpier

The Biggest Holiday Shopping Trends of 2016

Mobile a major factor in global
e-commerce sales this holiday season.

Did you know that worldwide retail e-commerce sales will climax at $1.9 trillion by the end of this year?

According to eMarketer, this year’s US holiday retail e-commerce is forecasted to grow 17% hitting $95 billion, and will represent nearly 11% of total holiday retail sales – the largest share of the pie, ever.

retail-e-commerce-sales-worldwide-clearpier

 

So, what are the biggest marketing trends we’re seeing as the holiday e-commerce season ramps up?

1.      Sales growth driven by smartphones

Double-digit growth is expected all the way through 2020 when sales will hit $4 trillion. E-commerce is huge, especially during the holiday season and mobile is a driving factor of this growth.

us-retail-mcommerce-sales-share-clearpier

Retailers are in fact embracing mobile and seeking to improve the user’s purchasing experience on mobile.

Improved user experiences, bigger screens, and easy, efficient, and convenient payment methods are likely the main reasons why sales are improving on smartphones.

But more improvement is required to motivate more mobile conversions.

Earlier this year, GfK on behalf of Facebook IQ ran a study of 2400 adults who used mobile phones, tablets, desktops or laptops to research or buy items from online stores over three months. Consumers bought across a range of categories including consumer electronics, clothing, home appliances, home goods, and beauty (AdWeek).

what-drives-people-to-shop-clearpierAlthough 55% of participants chose to purchase on mobile because of the convenience factor, the study revealed there are significant challenges that still exist for mobile sales.

70% of participating shoppers stated that mobile website and app experiences can still be improved, and that includes a more streamlined final payment process.

Privacy problems, the inconvenience of multi-screen sequential browsing issues, accidental clicks on small screens, and clunky check out processes were all concerns expressed even by mobile friendly consumers.

2.      Local mobile search will rise

Multiple consumer touch points are important in the process towards a completed conversion. One of the biggest pros of having a brick and mortar store to service consumers is enabling clients to actually touch and feel a product – a critical, real world touch point.

Interestingly enough, prospective clients are doing so with products in store and on their screens, simultaneously. Mobile in-store searches are up by over 30% according to Google.

Shoppers are increasingly buying on their screens within stores, despite the checkout being so near.

shopping-clearpier

Take me as an example, I’ve been to Ikea a lot this past month (like 5 times and we’re only halfway through the month). Each and every time, I’ve hopped on Ikea’s free WIFI on my iPhone and run some searches before adding items to my online cart.

In fact, Google tells us that 43% of mobile shoppers in consumer electronics have purchased products on their phones while looking at said products in the aisle.

With so much information available at their fingertips for digitally savvy shoppers always looking for deals, you can bet this trend will keep on growing well into 2017. For marketers, this means capitalizing on programmatic geolocation targeting capabilities.  

3.      Retailers are focusing on unique in-store experiences, supported by strong social media presence

The holidays is one of those times of years when delighting consumers isn’t just part of the spectacle, it’s a necessity.

Over the top window displays, mini-concerts, and special promotions are all part of pushing consumer desire to buy. A couple weeks ago the Hudson’s Bay in downtown Toronto had Mariah Carey perform as they unveiled their always well received holiday windows. The event generated a tonne of hype and free social media buzz produced by the audience in attendance.

mariah-carey

Creating memorable experiences is a major retailer responsibility to curate demand, considering consumers know that there is always a deal happening somewhere.

Millennials in particular, drivers of the global economy, generally believe the experience is just as important as the product.

Retailers need to turn to technology to improve the already hectic holiday shopping experience if they hope to boost sales. Self-service technology like in-store kiosks to help with navigation or stock checks (e-catalogs), or express checkout services are all ways that retailers can engage consumers in store and win this holiday season.

Want to learn more? Connect with our team at sales@clearpier.com


Why are Brand Marketers Turning to Performance?

The bottom line for brands is that Performance provides true, measurable KPIs where ROI tracking wasn’t possible before.

Last Thursday, AdExchanger published an article about how one brand is shifting attention to Performance.

Namely, Reebok is beginning to explore how Performance can help them garner more measurable results in their US marketing strategy. David Oksman, Reebok’s Head of US Marketing, stated that Performance is increasingly entering Reebok’s brand equation, largely because of its ability to map audiences through their sales funnel.

Tracking audiences and understanding how deep they are in the sales funnel and moving them through your CRM not only allows for potential retargeting and more precise messaging, but also helps close the ‘leaky’ funnel one might have with content or brand engagement alone.

Indeed, on Performance Oksman stated “we make sure that we’ve got objectives and KPIs set up not just at the top of the funnel, but across the entire consumer purchase funnel, in order to maximize content.” He added, “The content [Reebok is] creating as well as the dollars we’re spending on media are really just about finding the right efficiencies in order to maximize reach. The balance of content creation and media investment is something we’re thinking hard about.”

Brands are beginning to demand more attributable results and accountability from their campaigns. And with that demand, more forms of media – paid content, ads, and TV – are becoming measurable beyond just engagement.

With such pivotal news we asked Debrani Ghosh, Programmatic Client Services Director at ClearPier, what her thoughts were on the growing shift.

What are your thoughts about brands shifting gears towards Performance?

The bottom line for brand advertisers is that Performance provides true, measurable KPIs where ROI tracking wasn’t possible before. But it’s effecting more than just our ad strategies.

Performance is also changing the client-vendor relationship in many ways as well. We’re seeing brands demand more from their campaigns and they’re doing so by putting vendors in the spotlight to be the main ROI drivers.

And as a result, vendors have to step up their game across data and insights capabilities, technology, client services and education to stay competitive.

Is shifting to Performance a smart move?

Absolutely. What’s the point in spending your ad dollars without measurable KPI objectives? Performance coupled with data encourages results and helps reduce waste compared to traditional methods.

For example when brands work with ClearPier on a Performance basis, we’re able to identify your potential consumers beyond site demographics, down to the page level with first-party data layering. So the result is you don’t have to spend time or money in the prospecting stages to gather more info. It’s also a controlled environment because of our direct relationships with each publisher, so beyond Performance, clients are also assured brand safety.

Does the future of all marketing belong to performance?

E-commerce trends indicates that an estimated $34 Billion will be spent online by Canadians alone this year. Worldwide, retail e-commerce sales will reach $1.9 Trillion this year. The rise in e-consumption will dictate changes in marketing budgets globally as well.

Total Retail Sales Worldwide, 2015-2020 (trillions and % change) via eMarketer.com.

And if brands are demanding more results, you can bet that they’ll also be shifting more of their marketing dollars towards Performance.

Want to learn more? Connect with our team at sales@clearpier.com


5 Proven Monetization Tips to Boost Your Ad Revenue

In the digital landscape, publishers must experiment with strategies but keep ad quality top of mind.

So you’re a publisher with amazing content. You’ve got plenty of traffic, loyal followers, and diverse audience demographics. Producing content and ensuring top quality user experience is a labor of love for publishers. But another concern is how to monetize your properties effectively. You know that your ad space is valuable, but how can you get the most out of that revenue stream?

We sat down with ClearPier’s very own Director of Publisher Relations, Megan Sun, and Director of Business Development, Parag Joshi to chat about successful monetization strategies. Sun and Joshi have nearly two decades of experience in the media buying space between them and extensive expertise in publisher business development and ad quality. Here are their top 5 proven ad revenue boosting monetization tips for publishers.

1. Remember that Content is King

Joshi: This may sound obvious, but I think it’s important to emphasize the role that content plays in how much revenue you can generate. Ensure that you stay clear about your site’s raison d’être because your site’s purpose is precisely why audiences visit in the first place.

The most profitable publishers remember that their first priority is to always produce quality content, because they know this sustains audience engagement. Maintaining quality of content is the basis to driving all of your revenue models across ad inventory, native sponsorships, affiliation, subscriptions, and more.

parag_joshi_round

“Whether it be conversions for ticket sales or tracking how many users are coming from your site through their landing pages, the better your performance is according to metrics, the higher your fill and CPMs.”

Parag Joshi / Director, Business Development
CLEARPIER

2. Get to Know Your Audience

Sun: Everyone says this but it’s so important to actually exercise this. You need to get to know your audience. Understanding your audience will help publishers realize the brands that will be most likely to purchase your inventory. There are platforms out there like Google Analytics, comScore, and Woopra that can provide insightful analytic data for publishers.

Once you know this, you can cater your content to fit the demographic and drive better performance for advertisers trying to target this specific audience segment. For instance, if you know that the majority of your users are women ages 18 to 34 with children, then you’ll be able to come to the conclusion that brands in the family and parenting categories would be a great fit for your site. With this insight, you can package your inventory appropriately.

3. Be Aware of Important Advertiser Metrics & Test for Optimization

Joshi: When it comes to your ad inventory, keep in mind that advertisers have a goal and to reach these goals they’re constantly optimizing against key metrics. Keep metrics like click-through rate and viewability in mind and test lazy loads (ads that only load upon scroll), or the positioning of your ads in different areas on your pages to see which perform best. Re-examine the data and see which ad unit size receives the best performance so you can weed out the lower performers.

There are also a lot of site optimization tools, like Visual Website Optimizer for example, that show you heat sensors patterns on where your users are most likely viewing your ads or engaging with your content. These tools also show you if your content is too long form and whether or not users are scrolling all the way down the page. If results show that your users do not scroll all the way down, then placing an ad at the bottom of the page will have poor results. Whether it be conversions for ticket sales or tracking how many users are coming from your site through their landing pages, the better your performance is according to metrics, the higher your fill and CPMs.

4. Keep Ad Quality Top of Mind

Sun: Publishers should be experimenting with their ad revenue strategies, but when it comes to their inventory it’s critical to keep ad quality top of mind. In platforms like ClearPier’s, there are features to control the types of ads being shown to the end user.

Publishers should always be making an effort to stay in control of the type of ads that run on their site because negative or inappropriate placements directly affect not only user experience, but also impacts a publisher’s brand reputation. This in turn effects the advertisers that will choose to work with you and could drive prospective clients away.

megan_sun_round

“Publishers should always be making an effort to stay in control of the type of ads that run on their site because negative or inappropriate placements directly affect not only user experience, but also impacts a publisher’s brand reputation.”

Megan Sun / Director, Publisher Relations
CLEARPIER

5. Consider Reinvesting Budget with a DMP

Sun: The goal for all publishers is to keep on driving that revenue up. As your ad revenue grows, consider reinvesting some of that budget and working with a DMP (data management platform). This will help you understand your audience at a more granular level and can be extremely attractive to clients.

Why? DMPs can create logical deductions based on a user’s browsing habit. Let’s take from the example we had above. Let’s say the majority of your users are women ages 18 to 34 with children. DMPs allow you to combine your data with theirs to reveal what percentage of these users are reading the sports section of your site. As a result, you discover that this audience segment actually splits into more than just family and parenting. This audience also encompasses a millennial audience interested in sports and health.

Understanding your audience is valuable to advertising partners because it helps advertisers when it comes to targeting. If you are able to offer clients the ability to target specific users and specific content at site-level across article genres, sections, home page, and more, then you’ll be able to scale up your monetization efforts.

Learn how ClearPier can help give your ad revenue a boost. Become a partner.