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According to eMarketer, mobile video ad spending in the US is estimated to grow 47% in 2016. (Going from $2.7 billion in 2015, to $4.08 billion in 2016.) By 2018, mobile video is expected to be a $6 billion a year market alone. It’s pretty clear to see, we’re in the midst of a tremendous opportunity.
Centro DSP offers a host of mobile campaign options, including mobile video. In fact, did you know Centro DSP sees over 175 million mobile video impressions (in the US) every day? They come through a variety of exchanges: MoPub, One by AOL (formerly Millennial Media), Google AdX, SpotX, LiveRail, and Dailymotion, to name a few.
The CPM rates for mobile video are relatively high compared to standard banner inventory. That’s because video is obviously a higher impact format, especially with in-app interstitial ad units, which compose the majority of mobile video inventory. In-app interstitial video is particularly appealing to advertisers because of the attention that full-screen videos garner. We can all agree that when a mobile video ad takes over your phone screen, it’s an experience that is hard to ignore.
With respect to the skippability of mobile video ads, videos that are 15 seconds are generally non-skippable, while 30-second videos (and longer) are skippable after 5 seconds. And, in terms of pricing, average CPM rates for mobile video inventory range anywhere from $6 CPM to $19 CPM, which means it’s important to bid accordingly in your campaigns.
Keep in mind that video inventory inside mobile apps is fully compatible with other mobile targeting capabilities in Centro DSP, such as hyperlocal location targeting (via GPS coordinates) and mobile data segments (currently available from PushSpring and Ninth Decimal).
To create a mobile video campaign, simply navigate to the “New” menu and select “Mobile Video Campaign” from the ‘Mobile’ menu. As always, set up is quick and simple but if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our customer support team at [email protected].
"Millennials have a collective $200 billion to spend in 2016. Tapping into the largest generation to date and creating a loyal army to evangelize your brand should always be a primary marketing objective, right?"
Read more from Centro's Ryan Manchee in MarketingProfs
"There is another, inexorable force transforming ad tech: cost-of-sales."
Read more from Centro's Kelly Wenzel on MediaPost.
The long tail of the digital advertising beast has primarily been thought of as a weak appendage, hanging around the shadiest neighborhoods on the Internet. It was tangled with the burrs of low-quality, low-traffic sites, and to many, it wasn’t even worth the cheap impressions that it supposedly delivered. But times have changed. The beast has evolved, and the new long tail is strong, sleek, and delivers surprising bang for your buck.
Let’s look at the data. SMI reported that in 2014 and 2015, 58% of digital spending went to only 20 digital partners.
Based on the numbers above, there’s 42% of spending left on the table, which is now spread out among more than 1,500 other digital partners. These “other” partners that now constitute the long tail are not the second-rate UGC and portal sites of yore, but high-quality sites like LinkedIn(!), Financial Times, and trusted local news properties.
Given the nearly 50/50 spending split and the major improvement in the quality of the inventory, buying strategies for the long tail are just as important as they are for the top partners. In other words, if they aren’t part of your plan, they should be.
Three ways to buy and work with the new long tail:
Programmatic:
Allowed list Buying: This is the exact opposite of what programmatic buyers call audience buying. Instead of looking at consumer traits and buying that behavior across the entire web wherever they might be, allowed list buying targets a specific list of sites an audience is visiting.
How does it work? Simply input the list of sites into a DSP and set a relatively high-bid CPM to secure the inventory. A drawback of this method is that there is no guarantee you will appear on all sites. Delivery might skew heavily to 5 or 10 out of the list. Additionally there is quite a bit of oversight required by the programmatic buyer to ensure bids are set correctly and the campaign is delivering. If you or your client can deal with the unpredictability of this approach, the advantage to allowed list buying is that you will get inventory cheaper than you would by working directly with the sites. To really make this strategy deliver, ensure you have as many relevant sites as possible on your allowed list and complement it with traditional audience buying to hit delivery goals.
PMP: Though relatively new, private marketplace (PMP) deals have seen a lot of growth in the past year. PMPs combine elements of both traditional direct sales and programmatic buying.
How does it work? With PMPs, you have a direct relationship with the publisher and the ability to negotiate a custom deal, along with the efficiency of automated workflow and real-time, per impression targeting. PMPs typically net you slightly cheaper rates than going direct, along with the ability to streamline buying by using your preferred DSP to execute. They also usually have more creative sizes and options available than would a pure programmatic buy (though not as much creative freedom as going site direct). However, PMPs can be trickier than it seems to set up (at least at first) and there are multiple types of PMP deals, each with its own nuances, so campaign management will require extra care and attention.
Site Direct:
Site Direct (with a software assist): This is the ideal buying method for those key long-tail partners that are just outside the “top 20” list but still hold tremendous potential. Companies like Centro provide software that facilitate the buying and negotiation of site-direct, guaranteed IO deals for multiple long-tail partners.
How does it work? You get access to all the benefits of site direct — guaranteed inventory, no limitations on creative, and make-goods on missed goals — and your team is removed from the back-and-forth communication and paperwork that eat up so much time. Using technology partners to help you manage the long tail frees up your team to invest in more profitable activities, such as reporting, research, and client management, as well as strategic and creative thinking.
The promise of high-quality, lower-cost inventory and access to prime audiences makes the long tail a strategic addition to your digital advertising plans. And when you use a smart mix of the buying strategies above, you’ll also be able to maintain successful relationships with your top partners, all while avoiding burnout and inefficiencies on your team. Whatever bad rap the long tail once carried, it’s clear those days are long over.
At Centro, we know that keeping up with the trade pubs and latest trends can be tough and time consuming. To make that easier, we’ve compiled all the articles, reports, and other bits of awesomeness you may have missed, but should definitely read. Enjoy our latest list below!
IAB: Identifying Cross-Channel Audiences Key to Marketers In 2016
A recent IAB study identified cross-device audiences as the greatest priority for marketers in 2016, followed by programmatic media buying. See TapAd’s recent $360m exit. Also check out these projections for Top Trends in Mobile Advertising and Data Science.
The mix of holiday and mobile brought in $5.6 million for the leading social network. 80% of that was powered by their push in the mobile space. This upward trend isn’t slowing either -- eMarketer expects Facebook to receive nearly 1/3 of all US display dollars this year (31%).
Build, Buy or Rent: Snapchat's Biggest Challenges Building an Ad Platform
With advertising in its infancy on the rising social media juggernaut, Snapchat is actively pursuing the best means to appeal to advertisers through more meaningful targeting and an ability to drive performance. This is very reminiscent of Facebook from 2+ years ago.
A new mobile, social app called Peach burst onto the scene in January. It’s a hybrid of several apps (Snapchat, Slack, and Twitter), has generated a lot of chatter, and even a NYTimes piece. But don’t get ahead of yourself! As Berger states, “Research we conducted demonstrated that things that catch on faster tend to die out faster.”
FTC Takes Aim at Native Advertising
As display placements dwindle, native is enjoying its time in the sun. With that attention comes the FTC who recently released a 12 page guide on native advertising. Most above-the-board native suppliers have little to worry about. However, the biggest area to watch is naming conventions. Some of the more frequently used terms like “promoted” (as seen on Facebook and Buzzfeed) have been deemed too ambiguous and confusing to consumers. To date, no action has been taken against these sites and the units are still in rotation.
Top PTV Trends: Disruption and Opportunity in 2016
Get the top four programmatic TV trends to look out for this year, according to SpotX, including highlights on the industry’s first move toward guidelines, led by the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB).
2016 State of the Broadcast Industry Report
Ooyala explores key topics affecting the broadcast industry, including the impact of over-the-top devices, changes in technology, and the growth of live streaming.
Google Backs FCC Proposal for New Set-Top Box Rules
The FCC is seeking to create a new means for consumers to watch TV content on Smart TVs, tablets, and other devices. To date, many consumers are battling the hassle of leasing set-top boxes through a cable company with limitations on where and when to view. If passed, the FCC proposal would enable devices like Roku, Apple TV, and smartphones to display cable content directly.
Header Bidding: The Industry’s Cronut?
Has header bidding become adtech’s biggest buzzword? Learn more about what header bidding is and why it may not currently be necessary for video.
Thanks for tuning in and be sure to look out for next month’s Digital Innovations Awesome List!
Monthly Educational Presentations Provide Background on Emerging Digital Media Trends;
Centro Delivers Advice and Expertise for People Who Work in Advertising
New York - February 10, 2016 – Centro (centro.net), a provider of enterprise-class software for digital advertising, today announced the Q1 2016 schedule for its 3Ton30 webinars. Centro’s Tips, Trends and Techniques (3T) series is an educational program designed to help professionals in the advertising industry master digital media. Via the 3Ton30 monthly webinars, Centro experts will distill the most important topics in digital media-buying into 30-minute presentations.
Full recordings of past webinars are available on www2.centro.net/3Ton30. Users can also follow the series on Twitter via #3Ton30. Aubry Parks-Fried, Centro’s senior manager of social + native, kicked off the 3Ton30 webinars in January with ‘Understanding Native Advertising on Social Media.’ Aubry has more than a decade of experience orchestrating social strategy for major brands. At HarperCollins Publishers, she drove development of a social community that grew to reach more than 4.2M people each month.
Centro’s webinar series occurs every third Wednesday of every month and will tackle a variety of topics, with live Q&A. The schedule is as follows:
“With Centro’s experience working with digital media professionals of every level in a variety of agencies, we’re receiving continuous requests for education. Every month, our experts will take a quick dive into advertising tech’s most pertinent topics,” said Leah Holzman, VP of marketing, Centro. “From advancements in media-buying technology to the latest way to leverage data, Centro’s webinars will share instruction and guidance – all in the time it takes for professionals to go on a lunch break.”
Centro initiated 3T education programs in 2015 to provide the advertising industry with resources for knowledge and instruction. Centro started with in-market forums and panels on programmatic advertising trends across eight cities in the U.S. Marketing and media professionals with requests for specific topics for future Centro 3T webinars and events can send a note to: [email protected].
Centro is an advertising technology company with 700 employees across North America. Its software platform automates the entire lifecycle of media transactions between agencies/advertisers and publishers, encompassing guaranteed and biddable ad inventory on every major digital channel.
About Centro
Centro (centro.net) is creating a platform to make digital advertising easier. Its enterprise-class software centralizes, organizes and automates all digital media campaigns across all channels, accessing both guaranteed and biddable inventory, to achieve any objective. Our holistic approach gives marketers a single system of record to fulfill their research, planning, buying, optimization, reporting and reconciliation needs. Since 2001, Centro has successfully planned and executed more than 250,000 campaigns across all digital display platforms and ad format types. Headquartered in Chicago with 32 offices in North America, Centro has received numerous accolades for its commitment to employees and workplace culture.
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Contact:
Anthony Loredo
646-462-4888
Last year, in response to an industry-wide thirst for education, Centro launched the 3T roadshow. Our internal digital experts visited marketers around the country to deliver 3T wisdom: Tips, Trends and Techniques for dominating digital.
This year, we’re bringing back 3T in true digital style. Monthly, online 3Ton30 webinars break down the latest trends in digital media all in 45 minutes or less. The third Wednesday of every month features a new expert unpacking a new digital topic. The 30-minute presentation and 15-minute Q&A format delivers digestible information for busy marketers with tight schedules.
February 17th at 1:30 p.m. EST premiers the next installment of the series, where Centro’s Director of Video, Heather Robertson, will tackle one of the biggest topics in the current digital landscape: digital video advertising. But with so many different digital video formats, it can be tough to know which one to use. Not to worry! Heather will explain the four essential video formats, the appropriate situations and platforms on which to use each, and how a proper mix of in your digital video plans will lead to successful campaigns and results.
Whether you’ve worked with the four primary video formats before or you’re a total newbie – the webinar on February 17th is full of tips and best practices for every marketer looking for a whole new level of engagement with their audience this year.
Click here to learn more information and to save your spot. Registrants will receive a handy prep sheet to guide them through the webinar. Can’t make it this month? Keep your eyes peeled for 3Ton30 webinars every month in 2016.
Election year is such an incredibly exciting time. In the coming months, campaigns will hit a fever-pitch trying to reach every potential supporter, everywhere. Simultaneously, voters will narrow in on their preferred candidates. Which means those of us in digital media must rapidly develop smartly executed, integrated campaigns – ones that will earn the greatest ROI and ultimately, the most votes.
As the race continues, many an industry event is spent discussing the rising role of digital in the election. What’s the trajectory of spend? Do advanced targeting capabilities simply reach more voters or the right ones? And what about the incredible power of polling data and how to use it wisely?
MediaPost recently held their annual Marketing Politics event in Washington, D.C. The event focused on key strategic decisions political marketers will face in the coming months. I not only had the pleasure of attending this popular event, but of sitting on a discussion panel, too. Both on and off the stage, it was a day filled with incredibly astute and forward thinking discussions.
Here are 5 key points I took away from the event that I think will be valuable for you to consider during this election year:
For a closer look at the event, you can find the session videos here.
Each issue of Political Digital Digest brings you the latest news and developing stories about the innovative role digital media is playing in the 2106 election. Everything you need to know is right here, right now.
When managing programmatic RTB campaigns, maintaining a high standard of inventory quality is a crucial task. If left unaddressed, low-quality sites make performance optimization futile, as they poison the effectiveness of your campaigns from the outset.
To combat low-quality sites, it’s recommended you vigilantly monitor fraud. You can automatically do this with 3rd party fraud detection technology, which looks for blatant signs of fraud (e.g., ads with zero chance of ever being seen, or impressions coming from suspicious IP addresses). Centro DSP, for example, has real-time fraud technology baked-in from Pixalate.
But oftentimes a human touch is also needed. When looking through your media reports, look for unknown publishers and investigate them, since they could be sources of low-value inventory. Also, when reviewing your performance reports, look for indicators, such as unexpected spikes in CTR or other proxy metrics. Oftentimes a CTR above 1% is good reason to be suspicious, especially in an industry where the average is below 0.1%.
Surge CTRs like this often come from bot traffic. Further investigation generally shows the time each of these impressions spends on the site is very short – as little as a second or less. This is another good indicator that your CTR spike may be fraudulent.
If you find sites and publishers that look suspicious or contribute to low quality, add them to a block list. As shown in the screenshot below, a block list is a line-delimited list of domains you want to explicitly exclude from your campaigns, ensuring your ads don't get served on them. Block lists are something you create and maintain over time.
An actively managed block list is a great way to block sites that may jeopardize your campaign. So keeping an updated block list is not only an important practice, but also a competitive advantage.
But there are downsides to managing block lists, too. It’s a highly manual operation, it’s inherently reactive, and in the end, block lists aren’t totally foolproof. Regardless, the pros far outweigh the cons and block lists should be used as an important measure of safety for your campaigns.
To learn more about Centro DSP and request a demo, click here.