How do you ensure quality and transparency in your programmatic media buying partnerships and platforms?

2 Choose your partners and platforms carefully

Not all programmatic partners and platforms are created equal. Some may offer more features, flexibility, and control than others, while some may have more hidden fees, fraud, or low-quality inventory. To ensure quality and transparency in your programmatic media buying partnerships and platforms, you need to do your due diligence and research their reputation, capabilities, pricing, and policies. Look for partners and platforms that are certified by industry standards, such as the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG), the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), and the Media Rating Council (MRC). Also, ask for references, case studies, and testimonials from other clients who have used their services.

3 Use data and technology wisely

Data and technology are the backbone of programmatic media buying, but they can also be the source of confusion and complexity. To use data and technology wisely, you need to understand the different types of data available, such as first-party, second-party, and third-party data, and how they can help you target your audience more precisely and personalize your messages more effectively. You also need to be aware of the data privacy and security regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and how they affect your data collection and usage. Moreover, you need to leverage the technology tools and solutions that can help you automate, optimize, and analyze your programmatic campaigns, such as demand-side platforms (DSPs), supply-side platforms (SSPs), data management platforms (DMPs), and attribution models.

4 Monitor and optimize your campaigns

Quality and transparency are not static, but dynamic. They can change over time, depending on the market conditions, consumer behavior, and competitive actions. Therefore, you need to monitor and optimize your programmatic campaigns regularly and proactively. You need to track your KPIs and metrics, such as impressions, clicks, conversions, cost per action (CPA), return on ad spend (ROAS), and viewability. You also need to audit your partners and platforms, such as by using third-party verification tools, such as Integral Ad Science (IAS), DoubleVerify, or Moat, to check for fraud, brand safety, and ad quality. Furthermore, you need to test and experiment with different variables, such as creative formats, bidding strategies, and targeting options, to find the best combination that delivers the highest return on investment (ROI).