LEVERAGING AUDIENCE DATA

What is Programmatic Behavioral Advertising?

Programmatic Behavioral Advertising is a type of digital advertising where ads are automatically placed and optimized based on the behavioral data of users. Rather than showing the same generic ads to everyone, this method targets users based on their interactions, interests, and actions online, offering highly personalized ad experiences.

Programmatic advertising uses automated systems and data-driven algorithms to place ads in real-time. It makes use of data from various sources to optimize targeting, ensuring that ads are delivered to the right person, at the right time, and in the most effective way possible.

Buying 3rd Party Audience Data: What is 3rd Party Data?

3rd Party Data refers to audience information that is collected by an external company or organization, not directly from the user. It is data that comes from outside sources and is typically aggregated and sold to marketers or advertisers to help improve targeting.

Examples of 3rd Party Data

Demographics: Age, gender, income level, education level, etc.
Interests: Data based on what types of content a person engages with, such as health, technology, or sports.
Behavioral Patterns: Tracking how a user interacts online, such as websites they visit, products they view, or apps they use.
Geolocation: Data about where a user frequently visits based on their device’s location.

How is 3rd Party Data Collected?

Websites: When you visit websites, they often use cookies to track your online behavior. This data is then collected and sold to data providers.
Mobile Apps: Mobile apps track your location, interactions, and in-app activities. Apps may share this data with data providers, allowing advertisers to target you based on your behavior.
Retail & Transactional Data: Data collected through your purchases or interactions at physical stores or online e-commerce sites may also be aggregated and sold.

The Pros of Leveraging Targeted Audience Data Segments in Advertising Campaigns

Using targeted audience data segments allows advertisers to create highly personalized campaigns that are more likely to resonate with the audience and result in higher engagement and conversions. Here are some key benefits:

Improved Relevance: By targeting users based on specific behaviors, ads are much more relevant to the viewer. For instance, showing ads for hiking gear to people who frequently visit outdoor blogs or websites.
Higher Engagement: Because users are receiving ads that align with their interests and past actions, they are more likely to engage with the ad, whether by clicking, watching, or converting into a sale.
Better ROI: By using more targeted data, advertisers can avoid wasting money showing ads to people who are unlikely to convert, leading to lower cost-per-acquisition (CPA) and a better return on investment.
Optimized Ad Placements: Behavioral targeting data allows you to adjust the timing, platform, and placement of your ads, ensuring they are shown when the user is most likely to take action.

Overlaying Behavioral Data on Every Media Campaign

One of the most powerful aspects of programmatic behavioral advertising is that targeted audience data segments can be overlaid on top of every media campaign to ensure ads reach the most relevant individuals. This means that, whether you are running a display ad, a video ad, CTV, or DOOH, the data can be used across multiple media channels to ensure your ads are shown to the right people.

How It Works:

You can layer behavioral data on top of your existing campaigns, ensuring the ads are delivered based on specific user interests or actions. For example, if you’re running a campaign to promote a new fitness product, you can overlay behavioral data to target people who have previously searched for fitness content, visited workout websites, or have used health-related mobile apps.
This cross-channel targeting ensures a seamless experience for the user as they are exposed to the same message across multiple devices (desktop, mobile, TV, etc.) and platforms (Google, Facebook, streaming services, etc.).

How Behavioral Data is Gathered

Behavioral data is collected through various means. Here's how the data-gathering process works:

1. Online Behaviors (Cookies & Tracking)

Cookies are small pieces of data stored in a user's browser. Websites use these to track user actions like pages visited, products viewed, and time spent on the site.
Retargeting: If a user visits an e-commerce site and browses a product but doesn't purchase it, cookies allow the site to track the user's behavior and then show them ads for that product across other websites or platforms.

2. Location Data from Mobile Apps

Many mobile apps, especially maps, fitness, and retail apps, collect data on your location in real-time. This data can track where you go, how often you visit certain areas (such as specific stores, neighborhoods, or events), and even what time of day you're there.
For example, if you frequently visit gyms, advertisers can use this data to serve ads for related fitness products or services while you're on the go.

3. Website Tracking and Data Sharing

Websites and online services use pixels and cookies to track users' actions (like clicks, page visits, and purchases). This data is often shared with third-party data providers who aggregate and anonymize it before selling it to advertisers.
For instance, if you’re browsing a news website and click on an article about travel, the website might collect this interaction, which could later be sold to a data provider. Advertisers can then use this data to serve travel-related ads to you later on other platforms, knowing that you have shown interest in travel-related content.

Examples of Behavioral Data

Online Behaviors:
- A person visits several technology blogs, watches product reviews on YouTube, and adds items to a shopping cart on an electronics website. With this data, advertisers can show them display ads for electronics on other websites, stream video ads on YouTube, or even serve CTV ads for the latest tech products.
Location Tracking:
- A user frequently visits coffee shops, attends fitness classes, and checks in at trendy restaurants via mobile apps. Advertisers can use this location data to show ads for coffee brands, fitness products, or local dining options when the user is near similar places.
E-Commerce and Retail Data:
- A user browses a specific pair of shoes but doesn’t purchase them. The retailer can then retarget that user with ads for those shoes, or similar products, across the internet, knowing they are interested in footwear and are likely to convert.

Programmatic Behavioral Advertising is an incredibly effective way to target consumers based on their actions, preferences, and behaviors. By leveraging third-party audience data—which includes behaviors tracked via cookies, mobile app usage, and location data—advertisers can create highly targeted campaigns that increase engagement, conversions, and ROI.

This data can be overlaid on top of any media campaign, whether you're running display, video, CTV/OTT, or DOOH ads, allowing you to engage the right audience at the right time across multiple platforms. With behavioral data driving your advertising decisions, you're able to serve the most relevant ads to users who have already shown an interest in your products or services, ensuring that your marketing efforts are as effective as possible.