Login
close
Login is restricted to DCN Publisher Members. If you are a DCN Member and don't have an account, register here.
Search

Digital Content Next logo

Menu

Tags containing: "cookies"

Advertising | Supporter Spotlight

Google’s delays give publishers time for identity experimentation

At this point, publishers know the cookie deprecation drill. You’d be forgiven if you’ve forgotten the very first deadline Google set for deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome. (It was Q2 2022. Believe it or not, they originally announced that deadline in early 2020.) We’ve seen Google extend the deadline twice since then. And they’ve done it yet again. We’re looking at a 2025 deadline, and once more, the digital industry needs to plan and act as though the third time will indeed be the charm. 

A shock? Probably not, all things considered. A disappointment? It certainly is for publishers. In reality, publishers have been building their data strategies over the last few years as though each cookie deprecation deadline will be the one. The stakes are simply too high to call Google’s bluff, considering its dominance of the ad market. 

But while it’s easy, even understandable, for publishers to feel frustrated by this stop-start process, it’s important to remember every delay gives independent tech providers more time to advance their own identity solutions, and gives publishers more time to experiment and test identity solutions. Digital professionals may consider Google the “800-pound gorilla.” However, by extending the cookie deprecation deadline, it might very well end up losing a few pounds.

To some publishers, Google’s latest move on cookies feels different. According to the company’s official statements, they’ve pushed the deadline to get ahead of compliance and regulation concerns. But as they have in the past, publishers suspect Google is punting because their own solution still isn’t positioned to dominate the identity market. If the old 2024 deadline had stuck, Google would risk ad spend shifting away from its walled garden. 

The truth is, Google’s Privacy Sandbox hasn’t caught on in the way some in the industry might have expected. DSPs aren’t spending enough there, and publishers aren’t seeing enough transactions for the Sandbox to be considered “dominant.” Lotame, for one, hasn’t tested the Privacy Sandbox, simply because we’ve seen zero interest and demand from our marketer clients. So why is that? One likely answer is that publishers and advertisers are seeing other cookieless IDs performing as well as or better than the Sandbox itself.

Google hasn’t cornered the market on identity, and the industry is better off for it. Publishers’ revenue needs and business goals are not uniform, so having multiple identity options can improve their chances of finding the solution that helps them thrive and compete in the media ecosystem. When we look at the third-party cookie deprecation timeline, it doesn’t matter “who started it.” What matters is this delay opens the door for more innovation, more options in the marketplace, and more time for publishers to explore those options. 

We can’t deny that casting a wide ID net – testing multiple solutions – requires time and resources. But some leading publishers are finding that non-Google IDs are providing them a revenue lift already, and are delivering today while the Sandbox remains a question mark. 

It’s just not in publishers’ best interest to sit around and wait for Google to solve their – and its own – identity problems. Publishers need to take matters into their own hands and use this time for testing and experimentation. For those who have found taking action to be daunting, this delay is a gift, and a chance to locate tech partners who can serve their specific needs. Other IDs are demonstrating it’s possible to solve for identity, preserve user-privacy, and drive ad revenue. The time to double down on identity testing is now. Publishers may have to wait for Google, but they can’t wait for performance.

Perspectives | Revenue | Supporter Spotlight

Reflecting on 2023: Seven pivotal trends in digital media monetization

As 2023 draws to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the pivotal consumer and market trends that have shaped the digital publishing world for our content and publisher partners. This year has been a testament to the industry’s resilience and innovation, especially in the realm of revenue optimization. From adapting to a world without third-party cookies to the rise of Connected TV (CTV), these trends have not just influenced our present – they pave the way for the future. For digital media executives, understanding these shifts is crucial to staying ahead in an ever-evolving landscape. To help navigate this dynamic environment, we’ve compiled a list of the seven key trends that shaped the media world in 2023: 

1. Emphasis on brand safety

Brand safety has taken center stage, aligning with the need for quality journalism and trustworthy content. Maintaining high editorial standards will be essential in 2024 to ensure a safe and credible platform for both users and advertisers. In line with this issue, about 40% of marketers expect an increase in brand safety concerns, highlighting the crucial role of publishers in fostering a safe and transparent advertising environment.

2. Sustainable and ethical advertising practices

The growing trend towards sustainability and ethics in advertising calls for a deeper understanding of these practices. In 2024, partnering with those who have sustainable business practices and understand their carbon footprint will be crucial. This shift in consumer preferences is evident as 92% of consumers trust brands that are socially responsible or eco-friendly, and 81% of shoppers prefer eco-friendly marketing and advertising, indicating a strong preference for sustainable and ethical practices. 

3. Subscription models and user experience

The growth of subscription models has highlighted the importance of balancing revenue generation with user experience. In the coming year, the focus should be on providing valuable content while ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience. As an example, one publisher, with more than 9.3 million subscribers, successfully embraced subscriber audiences to power ad revenue in 2023 demonstrating the substantial reach and impact of subscription models on advertising revenue.

4. Preparing for a Cookie-less world

The demise of third-party cookies has reshaped the digital advertising landscape, compelling publishers to embrace first-party data and contextual advertising strategies. However, progress remains slow, with over half (53%) of digital marketing campaigns still relying on third-party data. As we approach 2024, it’s vital to have your cookie-less strategy ready, to ensure a smooth transition and continued advertising effectiveness. Without a cookie-less strategy, publishers risk significant disruption in their ad targeting and personalization capabilities, which could lead to a decrease in advertising effectiveness and revenue.

5. Navigating algorithm changes and maintaining publisher revenue

In 2023, publishers faced significant challenges due to algorithm changes by big tech platforms leading to reduced inventory and revenue, while declining CPM rates further strained publisher profitability. To combat this, publishers should focus on producing high-quality content that their audiences value to regain control of data and revenue streams. This is particularly crucial in light of the recent revelation that social platforms in the US owe news publishers between US$11 billion and US$14 billion per year, highlighting the need for fairer revenue-sharing models.

6. Innovative video and interactive content

2023 saw a surge in demand for innovative, engaging, and non-intrusive video and interactive content. In 2024, working with partners who can deliver such content effectively will be paramount to enhancing the user experience. Interactive content sees 52.6% higher engagement than static content, making it an essential tool for capturing and retaining audience attention. Additionally, interactive content can be used to collect valuable data about audience behavior, which can then be used to inform future content strategies without relying on cookies.

7. Monetizing CTV inventory

As CTV’s exponential growth, driven by a staggering 19.6% ad spend increase in 2023 alone, opens new monetization avenues, finding the right balance in monetization and selecting the appropriate supply partner becomes key. By choosing the right CTV supply partners, brands can effectively target their desired audience and deliver high-quality, relevant ads that connect with viewers, resulting in enhanced brand awareness and engagement.

Looking back and moving forward

As we look back on 2023, the lessons we’ve learned are invaluable. The digital publishing landscape is ever-changing, and staying abreast of these trends is crucial for any media executive. By embracing these developments, preparing for what’s next, and collaborating with the right partners, you can tackle the challenges of the digital landscape in 2024 and beyond.

Advertising | Supporter Spotlight

How media companies can evolve their first-party data strategy

With third-party cookie deprecation looming on the horizon, first-party data is becoming increasingly important for media companies. Advertisers have grown accustomed to the granular targeting that cookies offered and seek solid solutions underpinned by strategy and technology that will deliver attention and engagement from a brand-suitable, high-quality audience.  

At Arc XP’s recent customer conference, Ryan Gladstone, Director of Product Management at Arc XP, and Nick Nyhan, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Upside Analytics, shared strategies that media companies can employ to leverage their first-party data most effectively. Here are the key takeaways:

Why should media companies care about first-party data?

First-party data is considered the highest-quality data available because the information is willingly provided directly from the source: your audience. Unlike second- or third-party data, first-party data is proprietary and more accurate and updated than when it comes through other sources. Moreover, you can use it on a granular level to improve how you serve and grow engagement, even creating bespoke audience segments unique to your market and content. That flexibility, coupled with accuracy and the ability to respond to browser changes and evolving privacy laws, makes first-party data a critically valuable organizational asset.

Strategically, first-party data is particularly important to gather and use to enrich both audience and advertising revenue models. When effectively deployed, the collection of first-party data leads to higher audience conversion rates. Organizations that gather first-party data are more valuable to advertisers and, therefore, are able to charge higher rates. Audiences are also more willing to provide first-party data if they see you as a trusted information source, if they hear it helps them have a smoother login experience, or a more relevant and personalized experience. When explained well, it is a win for you and your audience.

Start where you are: Crawl, Walk, Run

When developing your organization’s first-party data collection strategy, it can be helpful to conceptualize the journey with a three-level model. You have to crawl before you can walk, and you have to walk before you can run.

Level 1: Crawl

Segments are the key to driving more sophisticated business strategies with your audience. At level one, you’ll introduce some basic segmentation principles and practices to your organization’s data strategies. Start your journey by gathering data and creating easily addressable audience segments that you can use to advance both your audience revenue and advertising revenue strategies.

  1. Gather email addresses: If you’re not sure where to start, this is where to do it. Putting together an email list is a basic priority of first-party data. This single piece of information is the most important piece of data to many systems – from CRM (customer relationship management) to advertising and registration. If you’re going to ask for anything, ask for email addresses.

  2. Set up segmentation: Once a user has provided you with their email address, they’ll be more likely to provide you with other pieces of information, too. You can use this opportunity to ask questions of your audience that will help you begin to create audience segments.

  3. Start connecting the dots: Once you have email and basic survey data collection in place, you have almost everything you need to start creating simple but powerful addressable segments. All you need to do now is start tracking engagement. There are a lot of different ways to do that, but Google Analytics is a great place to start.

Level 2: Walk

When you enter the next stage, you should already have established the basic building blocks of your first-party data collection infrastructure. At this point, you can start to introduce new layers of sophistication to extend, fine-tune, and refine your existing strategies.

  1. Roll out progressive profiling: To extend the number and type of audience segments that you’re able to create, you’re going to need to gather more data. This will help you build out your profiles and get a more complete picture of your audience.
  2. Implement A/B testing: At this stage, one of your main goals should be to refine and optimize the systems you established in the Crawl stage. When considering changes to your website, for instance, it’s a great idea to run A/B tests on your audience to determine the most effective path forward. 
  3. Tailor your offers: The more data you have, the more explicitly you’ll be able to be target. However, you choose to segment your audience, try using the data to share relevant offers.

Level 3: Run

At the Run stage, you’ll be implementing greater levels of sophistication into your first-party data systems and using the information you collect to enable more complex long-term initiatives with more precision.

  1. Personalize your site: With enough data to work with, you may be able to tailor your entire site experience to each audience group. You might opt to show fewer ads to dedicated subscribers. Or you might advertise your own organization through in-house advertising to higher-propensity audience segments, but not others. That can make a huge difference and presents much larger revenue opportunities.
  2. Blend and extend your data: No matter how much you know about your audience, there are always opportunities to learn more. So in addition to progressive profiling, data can be potentially sourced from what is already resident within your CMS system or email systems, adding context about interest areas and times of engagement, further enhancing your knowledge and how to serve different segments.
  1. Share your knowledge: It’s not uncommon for media organizations to enter into an alliance with one another to share their permissioned first-party data. It’s as if you and your peers are each bringing a piece of a puzzle to the table and combining them to make something bigger.

Following these strategies can help you successfully build an audience segmentation strategy that navigates the impact of the third-party cookie deprecation while building a sophisticated approach that delivers advertisers genuine engagement with highly-desirable audiences.

Advertising | Supporter Spotlight

4 ways media execs can turn the death of cookies to their advantage

After what seems like an endless amount of anticipation, Google will begin phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome in six months, and fully within the next year. 

At this point, today’s media executives have spent years being told that they need to prepare themselves for the deprecation of third-party cookies in Chrome. They’ve been assured that the significant limitations of third-party cookies mean their demise is no great loss in the first place, and they’ve been given step-by-step instructions for transitioning away from third-party cookies altogether. 

The assurances are true. And the bits of advice are practical. But there’s more to the story—and it’s time for us to mentally take the next step on the journey to a cookieless digital ecosystem.

What if—just what if—the loss of third-party cookies is actually an opportunity for publishers to strengthen themselves for the long haul and position themselves for growth, rather than mere survival? While so many in the online ecosystem are busy calculating the anticipated downside of third-party cookie deprecation, there’s an opportunity for future-minded media executives to be flipping the narrative and telling ad buyers why cookieless targeting will be a boon to their campaigns.

Let’s take a look at four points that media companies should be emphasizing to buyers as our industry transitions toward cookieless targeting tactics.

Reinvigorating appreciation for quality 

Moving forward into a cookieless reality, the publishing industry is going to see renewed energy being put into contextual targeting, richer and more content-focused ad formats, and publisher-powered insights around user behavior, personas and people’s affinity toward content and brands. In other words, the value of content is coming back to the foreground, and that’s incredibly good news for today’s publishers. 

Media execs that lean into what they know about their visitors—who engage with certain content, including native articles and who have a high propensity to click on native display or interact with brand content and sites—are going to be able to offer unique targeting options to advertisers. Moreover, they’re going to be able to demonstrate the quality of their audiences as a result of the quality of their sites, enabling them to assign higher value to their inventory. 

Driving greater return on ad spend

Those that lean into cookieless targeting are also going to be able to demonstrate greater CPA and CPC performance for advertisers. That’s because certain cookieless targeting options, particularly ones that leverage publisher data to predict user behavior and directly connect buyers and publishers based on expected results, are able to eliminate third-party data fees. Media companies can promote to advertisers the added price efficiencies on non-cookied inventory, which results in higher win rates at lower clearing CPMs.

Offering more-efficient campaigns

Going one step further, cookieless targeting built around the power of publishers and their insights means advertisers can save the time and expense associated with onboarding data. That’s a big selling point for publishers that embrace the cookieless ecosystem and the value of their audience data. Furthermore, these publishers can help advertisers find new users to build retargeting pools, while also obtaining greater reach and reduced latency by serving Safari and iOS users (i.e., users lost within cookie-driven campaigns). 

Moving consumers from consideration to action

Finally, let’s talk outcomes: By reprioritizing content and content-driven ad formats within the advertising ecosystem, cookieless targeting lets advertisers find new prospects in the consideration phase and drive them to their site to increase click-through conversions and strengthen retargeting tactics. In other words, publishers can help their advertisers get a much better handle on their mid-funnels and ensure these high-value consumers are given every incentive to take action. 

The final push into a cookieless digital ecosystem is approaching fast, and given the headlines of the past three years, it’s understandable that most publishers are feeling trepidation. But the reality is that cookieless tactics and solutions are precisely what today’s online publishers need to realign their advertising offerings around the true value and quality that they can deliver. Ultimately, for the publishers that embrace it, the move to a cookieless world will be what drives long-term sustainability. 

Industry-Research | Video

Publishers focused on audience, automation and video

In today’s fast-paced digital world, media companies face intense competition across many different platforms. Echobox, a provider of social media management tools, offers new research, “Publishing Trends 2023,” highlighting media businesses’ priorities, challenges, and opportunities. The top three priorities for content companies include finding new audiences (53%), automation and AI (50%), and video content (47%). Staying ahead of the Facebook algorithm (53%), declining traffic (47%), growing digital subscriptions and diversifying revenue streams (both 34%) were commonly cited challenges.

Echobox surveyed a targeted sample of 32 leading media companies across the world. This global perspective includes respondents from 20 countries in Europe (67%), the Americas (20%), and Asia (13%).

Platform usage

Instagram emerges as a vital channel for publishers in 2023. In fact, the study shows that 66% of respondents believe Instagram will play a more significant role in their business this year. Publishers recognize the value of leveraging Instagram’s visual nature for content promotion and audience interaction.

TikTok is also gaining prominence, with 59% of publishers turning to this platform for video content distribution and audience engagement.

Media brands recognize the importance of capitalizing on the visual nature of TikTok and YouTube. By investing in video production and distribution, the report suggests that media companies can enhance their content offerings and attract a wider audience.

However, challenges persist on platforms like Facebook, primarily due to its lack of algorithmic transparency. Approximately one-third of media companies view Facebook as vital, and they want to maintain visibility and reach on this platform. Unfortunately, the opaque evolving nature of the platform requires publishers to constantly adapt their strategies, remain vigilant of algorithm changes, and seek alternative avenues to engage their target audience.

Embracing newsletters

Newsletters remain an area of growth for many media businesses. The report highlights that 56% of respondents plan to expand their newsletter offerings or start producing newsletters in the coming year. Publishers understand the value of direct communication and engaging subscribers in off-platform vehicles. By crafting compelling and personalized content in newsletters, media businesses can establish stronger connections with their audience and help drive traffic to their websites.

AI attraction

The report indicates that 63% of media companies acknowledge the growing importance of AI for their businesses. AI-powered tools and technologies offer immense potential to streamline operations, optimize content distribution, and enhance audience targeting.

Publishers can leverage AI to automate repetitive tasks, personalize content recommendations, and gain valuable insights into audience preferences. Media companies using AI can unlock new efficiencies, improve engagement, and achieve better business outcomes.

Ending third-party cookies

When thinking of the impending demise of third-party cookies in 2024, less than half of the respondents foresee a significant impact on their business. Specifically, 31% do not anticipate any effect and 13% state that they don’t rely on third-party cookies. Of the 50% of publishers anticipating significant impacts, half report they are prepared while the other half are not.

The Echobox report does highlight that, though the growth of newsletters has slowed, the first party data insights they provide does provide a means to offset the loss of third-party cookies.

Future focus

The results of Echobox’s 2023 publisher survey does show a certain amount of continuity from last year, as traffic remains a concern along with Facebook, while newsletters continue to demonstrate value. This year did see significant economic impacts as well as uncertainty around the role Twitter will play for media companies and advertisers. The report finds that publishers are investing resources in a wider array of social platforms in an effort to diversify their own audience demographics and to position themselves for increased adaptability to weather the evolving social landscape and consumer consumption trends.  

Advertising | Supporter Spotlight

Survey: Advertisers looking to attention metrics in 2023

Cookie deprecation is approaching and over the past few years the industry has been considering how to fill the gap. Publishers and advertisers are testing alternatives that will allow an ad-supported internet to continue to thrive. For the second time, we surveyed publishers and advertisers around the globe for an upcoming report examining the evolution of cookie deprecation on both sides of the industry. Here are a few of the key findings ahead of the full release later this month.

Attention holds promise as an advertising currency

Attention stands to benefit from the looming deprecation shifts, according to both sides of the industry. These solutions do not depend on third-party cookies, instead measuring exposure and engagement in a privacy-friendly way. Attention ranked 3rd for advertisers and 4th for publishers on a post-cookie solution ranking.

Among advertisers, 96% stated that they will rely on attention in either most or some of their ad buys in 2023. Publishers agree: 94% described attention-based capabilities as either “moderately important” or “very important” in 2023. Those same publishers stated that their offering was either “very good” (29%) or “good” (48%).

Solution uncertainty challenges publisher revenue expectations

Despite the focus on experimentation, potential solutions may have a way to go before they gain trust in the marketplace. Three out of four professionals we heard from were still in some phase of the testing process. With only one year to go until Google’s latest deprecation deadline, there is clearly more problem-solving to be done.

One of the more telling year-over-year changes showed that this uncertainty is impacting how publishers are thinking about post-cookie revenue. Though publishers who thought their overall revenue would decrease were in the minority, the number of respondents who predicted an increase saw a steep drop. In 2022’s survey, 63.8% of respondents anticipated greater revenue, while only 48% thought the same this year.

Conclusion

With DV’s unique position as a partner for both publishers and advertisers, it’s one of our highest priorities to stay in tune with the trends and drivers of the digital advertising industry as a whole (as you’ll see from our ongoing research). With uncertainty and opportunity abound, few topics have been as prevalent to the entire community as the imminent deprecation of third-party cookies.

This is the moment to push for collaboration with advertisers while there is still time for both sides to adapt and compromise. Third-party metrics like attention are just one way that both sides can build trust and alignment by speaking a common language. The ad-supported ecosystem will be in a much better position to thrive in privacy-friendly ways as these solutions take hold and become more actionable by both sides.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Industry-Research | Innovation

What’s behind digital media’s confidence – and priorities?

The Association of Online Publishers’ (AOP) new report, Digital Publishing: Outlook and Priorities 2023, offers insight into this year’s top priorities for media companies – which unsurprisingly featured revenue growth. Publishers are also focused on talent and building a diverse and inclusive workplace.

As digital media companies look to grow their businesses, they assess internal strategies and external macroeconomic and legislative influences. Both publishers and solutions providers report being well-positioned for the year ahead and rate their confidence level a 7.2 based on a 10-point rating scale.

The AOP surveyed 92 digital publishers and 16 solution providers; 26% of respondents are at the board level in their organization, and 51% are heads of departments.

Internal business priorities

Revenue remains a top priority for publishers. Subscriptions (17%), sponsorships (15%), and lead generation (13%) rank as top revenue sources for growth among consumer-based publishers. B2B publishers see stronger growth opportunities in lead generation (28%), events (22%), and sponsorship (20%). Digital publishers targeting business and consumer audiences rank developing new revenue streams through product innovation as their highest priority (3.9).

Developing new audiences is important for revenue growth. To that end, consumer publishers work across multiple platforms to drive content discovery while B2B publishers are more reliant on LinkedIn (44%).  

For advertising, publishers targeting consumer audiences report they depend more on advertising deals in the open marketplace. In contrast, B2B publishers divide more evenly across open and private marketplaces and non-programmatic. Further, 44% of all publishers expect revenue growth from private marketplaces and 42% from non-programmatic revenues.

Publisher respondents appear to be highly focused on their employees. Asked to rate how important different organizational priorities are [where 0 is not a focus at all and 5 is a very strong focus], B2B publishers ranked recruiting and retaining new talent as the most important priority, with a score of 4.1. Consumer publishers ranked ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace as the most important priority, at 3.9.

External factors

With new legislation a key focus, digital media companies are mildly confident of their knowledge of the UK’s Online Safety Bill. This legislation establishes a new regulatory framework to ensure tech companies protect users from illegal content and activity, specifically social platforms, and other user-generated content-based sites. Publishers rate their confidence in understanding the Online Safety Bill’s impact on their organization at 5.6 on a 10-point scale and solution providers at 5.3.

Some publishers report that their companies are preparing for this new law by consulting with their legal teams, providing a comprehensive editorial policy, and relying on browser options. However, many also reply that no actions are needed because quality content publishers do not target children.

Further, publishers’ confidence rating is 6.5 regarding their readiness for the end of third-party cookies, while solutions providers report lower confidence in readiness (4.8). Publishers prioritize their  investment in first-party data and user experience in preparing for the end of cookies:

  1. Enhancing the engagement funnel to build better first-party data (23%);  
  2. Implementing tech solutions to provide a 360-degree view of audiences (15%); and
  3. Investing in solutions to deliver a more personalized user experience (15%).

With a strong focus on first-party data, 58% of publishers are working to ensure their audience informs their business decisions and their investment in a data-led organization. Another 21% highlight the importance of internally managing and communicating audience insights throughout their organizations.

The AOP provides a snapshot of important focus areas for the year. A strong confidence level among media companies reflects positive internal alignment on essential strategies to develop and grow their businesses further. They are focused on building a diverse and strong talent pool. In terms of strategy, they are taking an audience-focused strategy and look to diversify revenue growth beyond advertising sales and subscriptions and increase sponsorships, lead generation, and event revenues.

Advertising | Perspectives | Supporter Spotlight

How publishers can take advantage of the holiday spending boom

Despite a looming recession, this holiday season looks bright for marketers and consumers alike. And there are definitely opportunities for publishers. A third of marketers plan to ramp up promotional efforts between now and December. On the consumer side, forecasts point toward spending upwards of $150 billion worldwide on Black Friday alone, with holiday online sales climbing 3% year over year. For publishers eager to sell valuable holiday inventory, Q4 2022 presents an opportunity to capitalize on retail’s biggest season.

2022 has also seen the continued expansion of Universal Identifiers, data clean rooms, and other cookieless targeting solutions that support privacy-compliant identity-driven advertising. Privacy concerns have led marketers to embrace these technologies to keep consumers’ information safe while ensuring they have access to the latest targeted product offerings. 

At the forefront of these developments is cookie-less advertising. As much as 40% of mobile web traffic is unaddressable without cookie-less solutions, making their adoption an urgent opportunity to expand the impact of marketing efforts. 

To take advantage of strong consumer tailwinds building up to Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and beyond, now is the time for publishers to amplify their marketing efforts with the latest in privacy-friendly, identity-driven targeting. 

Strike deals to capitalize on high demand

Q4 is the time of year when advertisers will be most eager to buy, and publishers most eager to sell. In addition, the quarter offers a unique opportunity for publishers to leverage their inventory to meet the pent-up demand of a post-pandemic economy. These circumstances come with benefits for both parties.

Brand marketers will be looking to hit their annual goals during a quarter when a large percentage of their sales are expected to come through. Retailers will have valuable inventory they need to offload before the season ends. These pressures incentivize deal-making and could help publishers snag highly valuable direct deals that could turn into lasting relationships with advertisers.

Publishers can accelerate deals and stand out from the competition by taking measures to capitalize on higher ad spend during the holiday season. For example, they may try out media formats that they would generally avoid, such as sticky ad footers that better capture audience attention. Publishers may also consider packaging custom audiences, day parts, or ad products to lure brands. By laying out how they can help advertisers hit their year-end goals, publishers can benefit from this holiday season and beyond. 

Use first-party data and transparent metrics to stand out

Some marketers are facing tighter budgets given uncertain economic conditions. On the positive side, challenging times shine a light on measurable, cost-effective and privacy-friendly marketing tactics and channels. Digital media companies with first-party audience relationships and metrics have the opportunity to make the case that they offer this channel — in which case, concerns about marketing spend could become a business driver and competitive differentiator.

The key to standing out in the ad market is for publishers to make the most of the information available to them. Equip advertisers with the tools to accurately analyze results, proving to their CFO and other internal stakeholders that spending with your company is part of a strategy that drives meaningful ROI. Also, make the case that effective advertising is not just about reaching audiences at scale; it’s about reaching them in the high-quality, trusted environments that publishers provide.

Plus, if economic conditions do lead to a decrease in ad spend, there are benefits to some brands pulling back. In the past, aggressive organizations have gained lasting market share by getting in front of customers when rivals fled. In the event of mixed economic messages this holiday season, publishers who can make this case to advertisers will be the most prepared to succeed.

Experiment with cookieless audience targeting 

New anti-tracking rules and regulations are an opportunity for publishers to get ahead in digital advertising. First-party data sets them up to provide audience targeting and analytics around content themes. Solutions like creative data partnerships, data clean rooms, and identity recognition can help scale offerings. These tools can allow publishers to be their own best advocates, helping advertisers target audiences in the market for their products, consensually measure impact across channels, and prove ROI. 

Importantly, these solutions are not only available to digital media companies that focus on fulfilling programmatic demand. Organizations that focus on direct sales – which are enjoying a resurgence given the increased value of first-party audiences – can also incorporate identity-driven targeting and cross-platform measurement into their ad products. 

With regulations like the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) taking effect in the new year, now is the time to start testing solutions and take advantage of the forecasted spending boom in Q4. Publishers can prepare by arming themselves with the tools to help advertisers understand the impact of their dollars. If they do that, they’ll be able to maximize the value of their rich content and first-party audiences while earning the Q4 budgets advertisers are eager to spend. And they’ll get ahead of competitors who will be scrambling to get compliant for the CPRA in January.

Advertising | Supporter Spotlight

Cookies got you down? 5 ways to avoid analysis paralysis

Google has once again delayed its deadline for the end of third-party cookies on Chrome, now slated for the second half of 2024 . This moving target has made it difficult for online publishers to focus on preparing for a cookieless future. The task of replacing cookies seems overwhelming, and the fear of making a bad decision is forcing many into “analysis paralysis.”

Don’t let uncertainty get in the way of your progress. The worst choice you can make amid these continued delays is to do nothing at all. Instead, look at this extended timeline as a chance to take deliberate steps that will strengthen your ad program now — and position you for success in a world without cookies.

Here are five ideas to get you started:

  1. Start testing cookie alternatives. It’s important to remember that more than 40% of all online traffic is already free of third-party cookies. That means cookie-free browsers like Safari and Firefox provide an ideal environment for testing and experimentation.

    Now is the time to assess your cookieless traffic. Set up tests to see what kind of results you can achieve without third-party data. Consider an investment in addressability to help drive higher CPMs. Explore membership in a data collective to combine and connect your own audience data with other like-minded publishers. Engage with advertisers to demonstrate your ability to deliver high-value audience segments without third-party data. Any work you can do today will not only increase the current value of your inventory, but also set you up for future success.

  2. Leverage audience attention to maximize ad value. Today’s ad ecosystem depends on cookie data for tracking user behavior, authenticating identity, and setting ad rates — but it doesn’t have to be that way. Publishers and ad buyers alike are beginning to recognize the power of audience attention and its potential for measuring and predicting ad performance.

    By tapping into the “attention economy”, publishers have a unique opportunity to regain control of inventory pricing. Using a reliable, scalable measure of attention — like engaged time — publishers can more easily identify, target, and sell highly desirable audience segments without relying on third-party cookies and increase ad revenue in the process.

  3. Look for new revenue opportunities. Experts predict that the eventual loss of third-party cookies may cost the industry up to $10 billion in ad revenue. If you’re like most publishers, your monetization strategy relies heavily on advertising — which means it’s time to look for new ways of driving revenue.

    The good news is publishers have countless options for diversifying their earning potential. Within the affiliate marketing space alone, you have a wide array of tactics like curated shopping, price comparisons, product reviews, and other types of commerce content. Every publisher should consider which techniques are the best fit for their unique brand and audience, but revenue diversification can help to smooth out the inevitable ebbs and flows across the industry.

  4. Optimize your ad operations. Digital advertising is a complex business and having the right ad ops team can help to ensure you’re earning as much ad revenue as possible. An expert ad ops partner can provide technical expertise and cutting-edge technology to fine-tune your strategy and maximize ad revenue — without the cost of hiring and managing a dedicated in-house team. And if you’re already outsourcing your ad ops function, it’s good business practice to re-evaluate your ad ops partner from time to time.

  5. Take a closer look at your technology stack. If you’re reviewing vendors and technology, this is a great time to examine your ad stack from top to bottom. That includes everything from your DSP, SSP, and DMP to analytics, optimization, and retargeting tools (and so much more).

The ad ecosystem is incredibly diverse, with a vast assortment of technology, solutions, and services to help you build a successful ad strategy. Having the right ad tech in place — and choosing the right partners — can help to ensure your ad program is ready for whatever the future brings. This moving target will certainly frustrate some. However, if you view the added time as an opportunity to test and prepare you not only re-frame the situation, odds are that you will develop a solid solution.

About the Author

Rebecca Cole is the Director of Content and Communications for Sovrn, a publishing technology platform that provides advertising tools, technologies, and services for content creators to build their businesses, remain independent, and thrive on the Open Web. Rebecca has more than two decades of experience driving increased attention through purpose-driven content. She has held communications positions in tech, energy, and consumer brands and was a journalist and editor. Rebecca has an undergraduate degree from The University of Iowa and a master’s degree in journalism from The University of Colorado Boulder.

Advertising | Perspectives | Supporter Spotlight

Clearing up misconceptions to make way for addressability

The need to evolve in the digital advertising world isn’t anything new. But the end of cookies has driven much speculation and we’re here to debunk some of the uncertainty that comes with it. Given the amount of discussion on the subject of cookies and identity solutions that’s taken place, it’s not surprising that certain common misconceptions have arisen. Let’s clarify what you need to know about identity and address the question of a critical factor in digital advertising: addressability.

“I can wait until the last minute.”

As tempting as it may sound to see what happens when everything is said and done, that approach isn’t in anybody’s best interest. As we’ve discussed before in “Why preparation is key,” solving for identity won’t be a quick fix or happen at the push of a button. Re-strategizing your approach to programmatic advertising requires a series of tests, trials, and adjustments to get it right. This process takes both time and effort. The sooner publishers lock in new solutions and curate new partnerships, the sooner the buy-side can adapt. These steps will enable us to enter 2023 as a unified industry with a tried-and-true approach for success.  

“I can only choose one identity provider.”

It’s not uncommon to have one provider for varying solutions. While you may only need one CMP for consent or one DMP for audience segmentation, the same doesn’t necessarily apply to identity. As you evaluate who to leverage for direct deals or contextual targeting, consider as many identity providers as you see fit.

Many publishers scout out a handful before narrowing it down to three to five during the research and development phase. From here, you should test to see which best suits your needs. While you become more familiar with your first-party data, adding additional partnerships enable extra coverage and support. It also allows you to finesse your approach and keep what serves you in your new advertising strategies.

“Identity is an additional stream of revenue.”

When discussing addressability, revenue often arises during conversation. Why wouldn’t it mean more revenue if you’re adding another partner to help you identify and target your users? Additional revenue may be a happy byproduct. However, it’s important to set the right expectations in terms of objectives and results.

Identity should serve as a privacy-first solution to identify and address users that would otherwise be unreachable once third-party cookies are gone. Thus, acting as an alternative means to continue to do what has taken place for years past. A different connection equals a new and improved bidding logic rather than an extra stream. When publishers can address an otherwise blind user, they will see increases to bid rates and bid CPMs in otherwise blind environments.

“I can’t leverage identity since I don’t have emails.”

A theme around email addresses has emerged. Unfortunately, this theme is taking precedence over the real issues here. Yes, having emails is the strongest connection for buyer preference. However, there’s more than one way to address a user that isn’t tied to email alone. Direct deals and contextual targeting can take you part of the way. Identity aids as another layer to help bridge any remaining gaps.

You can start with identity, end with identity, or choose identity alone and regardless – it will take you just as far. The good news for publishers and advertisers alike is that identity allows you to target your end-user and target them 100% of the time. Thus, allowing for both addressability and scale. Some partners may only support hashed emails, whereas others can support declared and inferred signals. This is the common currency that will take you all the way and then some. It is crucial to understand what you’re working with and who or what you need.

“I’ll let the identity provider do all the work for me.”

Third-party cookies allowed publishers to put their advertising needs in the hands of others. Thus, letting them focus on other efforts in parallel. The role of conjuring up a game plan is now in the hands of the publisher. SSPs will still play a role and will continue to be there in support. Yet, it’s now up to the publisher to understand their data and make the best use of it for their own return or gain.

Adopting an identity partner alone isn’t a solution. Identifiers should empower publishers to protect their data and protect their users while using said data to convert into currency. Identifiers enable publishers to have the means to address their users in a safe and controlled environment. However, what they do with those IDs is in their court. Use the time to gain a better understanding of your first-party data and ensure the rest of the ecosystem is equipping itself with support.

At the end of the day, we all have the same goal which is why working together is the best approach. Publishers can make the most of their advertising strategies by confronting these common misconceptions in the name of addressability. With the right finesse, breaking down these barriers ultimately paves way for a future that educates, enables, and empowers media owners to address more users at full scale. As well as allowing them to maximize their value of inventory with a new form of currency. The coming changes allow for new and exciting opportunities, should they be properly seized, and should proper expectations be set.

human silhouettes shaking hands with overlay of gridlines and stream of 1 0 bits
Advertising | Perspectives | Supporter Spotlight

DMPs and SSPs joining forces: a new trend in the privacy era

Digital advertising needs to be rebuilt and reinvigorated. Consumers want better privacy protection, engaging content, and an overall foundation built on trust and transparency to ensure loyalty. To achieve this, data management platforms (DMPs) and supply-side platforms (SSPs) are joining forces.

As we enter the privacy-centric era of digital advertising, third-party cookies will be replaced by first-party data, which is even more powerful and effective because the signals originate directly from a publisher’s page, works on every browser, and doesn’t require third-party syncs.

In the privacy-centric era, first-party data will be the new currency for digital advertising.

Overcoming the third-party data challenge

The deprecation of third-party cookies and the need for better audience consent for cross-domain and cross-app targeting demands that publishers and advertisers put privacy at the center of everything. Publishers, like consumers, want control of their data.

By replacing third-party cookies with first-party data solutions, the combination of a DMP and an SSP will deliver that control, keep privacy at the center of business, and help to unlock the full potential of their inventory — including deeper audience insights. This deeper view will not only benefit publishers, but it will make it easier for advertisers and their DSPs to target and reach their audiences more accurately across mobile, web, and connected TV.

DMPs and SSPs are more powerful together

When leading DMPs and SSPs combine their valuable media and data capabilities, it makes for a powerful combination that will raise the fortunes of publishers and advertisers alike.

In March, TripleLift announced that it acquired our company, 1plusX. This supply-side platform bought a first-party data management platform to activate first-party data to help its publisher partners better monetize their inventory once third-party cookies are phased out. This is the first acquisition in the company’s history, which speaks to the importance placed on privacy and identity, and the confidence SSPs have in partnering with DMPs built for the privacy era. Combining a scaled SSP and a savvy DMP is a pathway forward for thousands of publishers and ad buyers. This acquisition has created that pathway.

TripleLift is not the only SSP that is planning for our industry’s privacy-centric future. Earlier this year, Magnite announced that it acquired Carbon, a platform that enables publishers to measure, manage and monetize audiences. Other partnerships aim to bridge the gap between consumer identity and the privacy-first web. As a result, publishers and advertisers will get more accurate data for campaign targeting without the need for third-party cookies or mobile ad IDs. Buyers and sellers would then in theory be able to transact based on consumer insights without data leakage or scale reduction.

Mergers and acquisitions will lead the way in MarTech

Companies everywhere are looking to accelerate their ability to fill the gap that the depreciation of third-party cookies will create. Bringing together the power of media and data, as happens when DMPs and SSPs join forces, is just one way that M&A will lead the way. As time marches on and we approach the end of third-party cookies as we know it, we will see mergers and acquisitions among independent MarTech and AdTech companies accelerate. And it will be the mergers and acquisitions that prioritize privacy and first-party data that will win the day. Because in a world without third-party cookies, if your data strategy isn’t a first-party one, then what data strategy do you really have?  

Advertising | Perspectives | Supporter Spotlight

Publishers push past the cookie and take control of their data destiny

The start of 2021 seems like a lifetime ago by any measure. But if you work in the world of digital advertising, the landscape certainly looks very different today than this time last year. Back then we were expecting 3rd party cookies to be removed from Google’s Chrome browser imminently resulting in a rush to prepare for this new world.

Google may have postponed their deprecation timeline. However, the reality is that – thanks to updates from Apple and existing policies from the likes of Firefox – the online digital landscape globally is already 40% cookieless, rising to 60% in markets such as US and UK*. Last February, we surveyed of 419 of the world’s top publishers to see how they were preparing for the cookieless world and we recently conducted the survey again to see how much had changed.

Over the past month, 449 of the world’s best publisher brands, representing a cross-section of both small and medium sized publishers and the largest media companies, responded to questions about their plans for the deprecation of the cookie and which industry initiatives they’re looking at implementing and the results are illuminating.

Education progressing but confidence isn’t high

The number of publishers who have limited to no knowledge of cookies and the cookieless future has fallen from 10% to 6% and those who have a strong understanding of new initiatives has risen from 24% to 31%. However, those in the middle who are unsure of new solutions and how they affect their business are still far ahead in the majority at 63%, relatively unmoved from 66% 12 months ago. While it is good to see there’s movement in publishers’ education, there’s a long way to go if they are to thrive in today’s cookieless world.

Google can wait, media can’t

What’s plain to see is that 12 months of changes have sent a clear message to publishers: The time for action is now. Do not delay. When asked how platform and regulatory changes in 2021 impacted their planning for the cookieless future, 78% said that such changes either had no impact or had accelerated their plans.

While this might seem counterintuitive at first glance, it’s fantastic to hear that publishers are not waiting for others to dictate their future when it comes to 3rd party data. Media titles need to move quickly to create clear and sustainable offerings for advertisers that aren’t susceptible to changes. They must lean into their strengths vs social platforms, which currently have the lion’s share of digital budgets.

Ain’t no party like your 1st party

The most encouraging outtake from the survey however is that publishers are doubling down on sustainable revenue practices that are within their control. We asked: “Do you see the deprecation of 3rd-party cookies and/or IDFA/Device IDs as a threat or an opportunity for publishers?” The good news is that we’ve seen a 100% increase year on year. Half of all respondents now say such changes “…give us the opportunity to differentiate through our 1st-party data and the quality of our content”. 

In similar fashion, when asked about which data/targeting solutions are they likely to adopt, only 27% said that a privacy sandbox would be considered. Most (63%) see 1st party data as an answer, 59% appropriately see contextual within their offering, with unique ID seeing a good percentage at 43%. 

This focus on owned data and content may not be revolutionary for those who’ve been fighting the battle for quality journalism for a long time now, but it’s exciting to see it within this context. Indeed, many of us in media have played this record before. However, 3rd party cookie deprecation changes this landscape dramatically.

Publishers’ who have stayed the path, developing deep connections with their audiences and building trust (at a journalistic and UX level) will have significant advantages as we move into this new world. And while the exact “how” might not be worked out, it’s fantastic to see the digital media landscape increasingly bullish as the privacy debate plays out.

The goals are set, now it’s about execution

While this all sounds great, there are some visible hurdles that need to be cleared. Logins could be an opportunity to develop sophisticated targeting solutions for brands. However, only 45% say they have a strategy for increasing the use of logins and 93% of global publishers say 50% or less of their users actually do so. Logins pose questions across the publisher journey. In fact, 45% worry about the impact on user experience and 49% are worried about the impact on traffic.

Others also show concerns about monitoring inventory monetization capabilities (33%), technical implementation of logins (31%) and conflict with subscription models (18%). The directive here? While logins should be part of publishers’ solution for a cookieless world, it cannot be the only tool they use. They must also adopt solutions such as a cookieless tag to supplement this to provide greater scale for advertisers. That there’s no time to waste, cookieless is here and digital media can press home their advantages, but there’s a lot of work to be done before they’re ready. 

In 2021, we said that publishers need answers in order to be fully ready for a cookieless world, and while a lot of those questions still yet to be answered, the question about whether publishers can thrive in a sustainable data world does seem to be resolved.

It will require more tests, increased implementation of technologies and a press to find concrete answers today that can resolve the questions being asked. There are already viable solutions in market and it’s time for publishers to properly get started, if they have not already done so. But once those challenges are overcome we should be left with better user trust, better media outcomes and better monetization opportunities for publishers – which sounds like a sustainable media ecosystem to me.

*Source: Teads global platform data (October 2021)
©2024 Digital Content Next. All Rights Reserved.