Ad technology platforms aren't magic. They're sophisticated networks.

Beware the Magic Agency

As digital strategists, we like to think we’re magicians pulling quality impressions out of the proverbial hat. While that sounds cool, it is simply not the case. Ad technology platforms are extremely sophisticated networks of technology that are stocked with mind-blowing amounts of information. The network is impressive, but it is not magic. Anyone in ad tech claiming to be a magician creating quality impressions by flipping the magic switch isn’t telling the whole truth. Don’t get sucked into an agency claiming they have a magic button in their “special platform.”

In ad tech there are a lot of buzzwords: artificial intelligence, algorithm, and auto-optimizations are just a few. Some of these words have been skewed from traditional definitions to mean something wholly different. Technology and a lack of ad tech knowledge may be to blame for pie-in-the-sky expectations. As a business looking for an agency to handle online advertising, keep in mind the ad tech industry can do a lot to leverage your advertising strategies to perform better and reach goals, but there is no magic button. Anyone who tells you different is probably serving you fraudulent metrics.

Best practice agencies will create a digital environment where humans and technology work together to serve impressive campaign metrics. Technology should not be allowed to strategize on its own; it needs the critical mind only a human can possess. The artificial intelligence found in magic buttons cannot find the trends a human can by manually pulling reports and pivoting data. Optimizations are more powerful when humans make the connections using technology as a resource. This is opposed to magic algorithms that do not have reporting data to back-up how it has served so impressively. If your agency cannot explain to you how their algorithm works to deliver results, and then show you, you are buying the magic button.

If a high volume of clicks with no origin data is appealing to you, go for it, but don’t confuse quantity with quality. Ad tech has so much available data for businesses to target their audience better than ever before. We can buy ads programmatically through online display, video, connected television and audio platforms, like Spotify, to reach your perfect audience. Specifics like web browser language settings, behavioral analytics and demographic information is all available as well. For example, does your business look for yogis with a coffee habit and a family dog, or how about a sports fan who loves traveling to luxury hotels? We can do that and more. Ad tech can get an ad in front of the right person, at the right time, on the right day, but we still can’t actually click the ad for the consumer.

Ad technology platforms are extremely sophisticated networks of technology that are stocked with mind-blowing amounts of information.

While it may sound like a great deal getting metrics for pennies added to your CPM by turning a toggle button, be wary of algorithms claiming greatness without the data to back it up. Further, demand transparency from the agencies who carry these buttons around in their magician’s hats.

Want customized digital solutions without the magic show? Give Quantifi Digital a call.