
Programmatic buying has existed for several years as a way to bid in real time on targeted ads, but it has evolved quickly to being much more. While traditional media buying can sometimes lead to unpredictable results, programmatic is highly targeted right down to capitalizing on the “micro-moments” the iGaming player experiences in their day via the channel most likely to get their attention.
Programmatic is data at the core
Programmatic strategies target fine-tuned audience segments by leveraging a huge amount of multi-channel data. But, programmatic isn’t simply a robot buying up ad space. It’s important to remember that despite the technocratic title, good programmatic involves a lot of human expertise that can potentially drive up the price tag.The pay off
Advanced targeting techniques like programmatic marketing deliver an average 30% improvement in cost per action, according to Google, when compared to traditional ad buying. While purchasing fewer ads for more money might turn some people off, programmatic can boast higher ROI than traditional ad buying.Programmatic and iGaming
iGaming businesses can benefit from programmatic marketing. Its dexterity allows marketers to break out of a saturated ad space to reach their audience in a more niche way.For example, 20% of time spent on media is within a mobile environment, but only spend for example, is on mobile, according to Google. Programmatic marketing is ideal for targeting consumers on their mobile devices because of the use of second screens during major sporting events, for instance.
Programmatic done right
Take Nike’s the Phenomenal Shot campaign. During the World Cup, Nike created and delivered 3D ads immediately after a goal to encourage engagement and shares on social media. 500K remixes were made by users and they received 2.2 million engagements for Nike, according to Google.Considering over 60% of searches during a big game happen on mobile devices according to this Google case study, programmatic buying can be an effective way for sportsbooks to capitalize on customer mobile engagement.
Programmatic vs traditional media buying
Here’s a quick look at how programmatic buying compares to the traditional media buying channel that many brands currently implement.Programmatic | Traditional media buying | |
Pros | Fine-tuned control of targeting across devices | Trusted sources that understand their niche and can give feedback |
Real time spend optimization based on results | Audiences come pre-segmented | |
Taps into micro-moments which increase ROI | Opportunities for negotiating performance deals based on results | |
Cons | Highly competitive space which can drive up conversion costs | Low level of targeting |
Lack of control on ad placement | Long wait time for campaign results | |
Challenges in identifying reputable programmatic services | Costs can be unpredictable |