There are very few tech innovations that can compete with the internet or the online web. The arrival of the internet has transformed B2B as well as B2C marketing. Today, at a time when global internet penetration is at its peak, marketers need to determine which online channel will help them achieve their business goals. While social media marketing and traditional digital marketing continue to be popular choices, marketers are gradually realizing the potential cost and other benefits of B2B programmatic advertising. 

Today’s business landscape is chaotic, super-crowded, and rife with serious competition. Businesses without a solid game plan and direction can quickly lose their way and eventually shut down. Therefore, companies across both the B2B and B2C spheres, need to rope in additional efforts to stay relevant by improving their online presence and finding the right connection with their customers. 

B2B programmatic advertising is one of the best ways to increase your brand’s visibility. If you are wondering how you can master B2B programmatic advertising and help your business grow, you have arrived at the right place. This article zooms in on what programmatic advertising is and how even non-technical mortals can ace B2B programmatic advertising in 2023. This easy-to-understand programmatic advertising guide is everything you need to learn about present-day programmatic advertising. 

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What is B2B programmatic advertising?

B2B programmatic advertising essentially means the use of automated programmatic technology that puts the buying and selling of digital advertising space on autopilot. It paves the way for efficiently targeted advertising campaigns, real-time data analysis, and optimization. Today, the adoption of B2B programmatic advertising is growing at a rapid pace as it helps businesses reach their target audience with great affordability and efficiency. 

Still not convinced if programmatic advertising is right for your B2B business? Read our blog on how programmatic advertising is super effective for B2B businesses. 

Schedule a demo to know more about our B2B programmatic advertising services

What is included in B2B programmatic advertising?

There are multiple elements involved in B2B programmatic advertising. These include:

There are several key elements that make up a B2B programmatic advertising campaign:

  • Demand-side platform (DSP)

A software platform that allows advertisers to purchase and manage programmatic ad inventory from multiple sources.

  • Supply-side platform (SSP)

A software platform that allows publishers to manage and sell their ad inventory programmatically.

  • Data management platform (DMP)

A system that collects and organizes data about consumer behaviour and demographics, which is then used to target specific audiences with advertising.

  • Real-time bidding (RTB)

A system that allows advertisers to bid on ad inventory in real-time, based on the audience they want to target.

  • Ad exchange

A marketplace where publishers and advertisers can buy and sell ad inventory programmatically.

  • Creative management platform (CMP)

A system that allows advertisers to create and manage multiple versions of their ads, which can be optimized based on performance data.

  • Analytics and Reporting

A system that allows advertisers to track and analyze the performance of their campaigns in real-time, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their campaigns.

  • Ad fraud prevention

Technologies that help identify and prevent fraudulent activity, such as bots and click farms.

How are programmatic advertising and Google Display Network (GDN) different?

Before we explore the differences between programmatic advertising and Google Display Network (GDN), let’s see what they have in common. 

Programmatic ads and GDN offer impressive targeting options that are based on audience interests, topics, keywords, demographics, and more. The way programmatic leverages data is slightly different than GDN as far as targeting with programmatic is concerned. While programmatic ads use a range of 3rd party agents to use in-depth data, GDN targets users using Google search data. This is why programmatic advertising is considered to be a little more sophisticated than GDN.

Now, let’s take a look at price differences. Here, GDN is a clear winner as it offers a range of pricing options, including cost per mile (CPM), cost per click (CPC), and cost per action (CPA). On the other hand, programmatic advertising offers only one pricing option, i.e., cost per mile or cost per thousand. It is calculated by multiplying ad impressions by 1000. 

The bulk of programmatic advertising technologies (DSPs) require an ad expenditure of at least $5,000 to $10,000 per month. That is if you want advertisements that require no upkeep.

B2B advertisers are bound to pay a minimum fee based on the amount specified in the DSP’s contract if they spend less than that.

This is not the case with GDN and therefore, it is a far more appealing alternative for individuals who are just starting out in B2B advertising or operating on a shoestring budget. 

Benefits of B2B programmatic advertising

Tracking performance of an online ad campaign

Here are some of the advantages of B2B programmatic advertising. 

  • Targeted advertising

Programmatic allows for more targeted advertising by using data about consumer behaviour and demographics to reach specific audiences. This can be particularly beneficial for B2B marketing, as businesses often have a specific target audience of other businesses or particular decision-makers.

  • Efficiency

Programmatic automates the buying and selling of ad inventory, which can make the advertising process more efficient for B2B marketers. This allows them to focus on creating effective campaigns and messaging, rather than on the mechanics of buying ad space.

  • Cost-effectiveness

Programmatic allows for real-time bidding, which can help B2B marketers to get the most cost-effective ad inventory. Additionally, programmatic can help B2B marketers to optimize their campaigns in real-time based on performance data, which can help to improve the return on investment.

  • Data-driven decisions

Programmatic provides B2B marketers with detailed data and analytics about the performance of their campaigns, which can help them to make data-driven decisions about how to optimize their campaigns for better results.

  • Brand Safety

Programmatic also allows one to define certain parameters, such as brand safety, which can help B2B marketers to ensure that their ads are displayed in a safe and appropriate context, reducing the risk of brand damage.

We hope this programmatic advertising guide has been helpful so far. You can also go through our article on the 8 amazing benefits of programmatic advertising services to get an in-depth understanding of its advantages. 

How can you begin your B2B programmatic advertising journey?

Now that we have a basic understanding of B2B programmatic advertising and what it entails, let us answer the most important question: how can marketers incorporate programmatic advertising into their B2B marketing strategy?

Marketers should always remember that every programmatic DSP has its own network of ad exchanges that are associated with publishers and programmatic SSPs.

You must aim to find a DSP that provides access to SSPs (publishers) that your target audience is more likely to visit. You should also focus on choosing a DSP whose network includes your niche publications. This approach ensures that you save a considerable amount of time, optimize your budget, and receive a stronger return on investment. 

You also need to wrap your head around three main ad-buying categories, including real-time bidding (RTB), programmatic direct, and private marketplace (PMP). 

  • Real-time bidding (RTB)

Real-time bidding  RTB), also known as open bidding, is a real-time auction in which any advertiser or publisher can participate. This is a practical and affordable way of procuring media with a massive reach.

  • Private marketplace

A PMP is very similar to RTB. However, here, publishers make online auctions available only for a few groups in an invite-only ecosystem. 

  • Programmatic direct

In this non-auction category, media inventory is sold by publishers to one or more advertisers at a set cost per mile (CPM). This is typically a one-on-one arrangement in which the publisher pays a fixed price for a predetermined number of impressions.

B2B programmatic advertising – a boon for medium to large-scale businesses

The B2B world is evolving. The arrival of technology coupled with determined marketers is setting new benchmarks in terms of performance, results, and more. Programmatic advertising has played an important role in helping them get there. Today, as B2B marketers have access to personalized and smart targeting tools in programmatic advertising, the playing field is only getting better. 

B2B programmatic advertising has worked well for companies that have a higher ad spend and want to roll out targeted ads at every step of the customer journey. One of the best ways to optimize your ad campaigns and spending is to leverage the expertise of an experienced marketing agency that can help you identify the pulse of your audience. Besides, an agency can also help you curate effective marketing strategies. 

Get in touch with our team to learn more about our B2B programmatic services and how we help our clients grow.

Schedule a demo to know more about our B2B programmatic advertising services

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Image 1 Source: Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash