With programmatic spending expected to reach $69 billion by 2020, programmatic traders are the heavy lifters of the advertising industry. And yet, surprisingly, not every advertising platform considers their specific needs when designing and releasing their products. Perhaps that’s because there’s a lot of misunderstanding about what traders actually do all day.

So, what’s at the top of today’s programmatic traders’ wish list? The answers might surprise you.

1. Omnichannel Focus

Every year, the concept of “omnichannel” becomes more important – and it’s always at the top of many traders’ lists. Historically, traders haven’t had direct access to emerging channels without going through a managed service provider, so any DSP that can diversify its offerings goes a long way. Platforms that give a trader access to mobile, desktop, TV, DOOH, audio and native all within one interface are in demand.

2. Native Tools

No trader wants to have to use four different opensource platforms in order to serve one account, but it’s an unfortunate reality for many. Forget geotargeting in one place, facilitating tags in another and forecasting in yet another; the more tools that are native to a DSP, the happier the trader who’s using it.

3. To Set it and Forget it

Wouldn’t it be nice if not all DSPs needed to be so hands-on? If a trader could plug in his desired KPIs and budget, press “go” and forget about it? Many traders wish for a platform that will do much of the basic, less strategic work for them, including providing recommendations for changes to make if performance goals aren’t being met. This opens up much-needed time in their busy schedules to be more strategic.

4. … But Not All the Time

Sometimes, it’s good for a trader to be able to get their hands dirty. The best DSPs, traders say, will give them the option to turn autonomous features off and give them full control for the sake of scale or performance. As great as automation can be, at times it’s necessary to turn off due to the complexities of each campaign. For example, machine learning viewability (MLV) is great, but if the client is more concerned with scale, it makes more sense to turn off MLV and run on inventory where the trader has seen good performance. It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears – traders wish for the level of control that’s just right.

 5. Better Reporting Features

Reporting on campaign performance is a key part of a programmatic trader’s day-to-day. Knowing where a performance stands can make or break a campaign, but unfortunately, reporting can be a hassle to compile. That’s why this list rounds out with a wish for customizable, more in-depth and easy-to-read reporting features in an ideal DSP. Transparent, insightful reporting data is key for traders to draw insights and optimize performance. Machines are lessening the overall workload, but the ability to interpret reporting is where traders continue to prove their worth. A DSP that streamlines analytics and recommendations reduces strain on a trader and enables them act on insights faster and more effectively.

While programmatic traders are the ones who get their hands dirty every day in multiple DSPs, the platforms aren’t necessarily built with them in mind. Adelphic’s developers understand traders’ wants and needs, however, and are on a mission to improve the platform to be as in line as possible with what programmatic traders need to succeed.

Below, just some of the ways Adelphic makes programmatic traders’ lives easier.

Bulk Editing Features

Want to change the bid price for all 500 of your ad orders? With Adelphic, you don’t have to go into the platform and make changes one by one. With bulk-editing features, it’s as simple as downloading a form, updating it and re-uploading it – saving time and improving workflow.

More Automation Options

Bulk editing is a favorite, but other built-in automations like machine learning viewability and eCPM optimizations prove hugely valuable for traders short on time.

A DSP Fit for Goldilocks

Automation, as mentioned above, is key to saving time and improving efficiency in traders’ busy lives. But not every trader wants the same features automated, and Adelphic is customizable to adapt to each user’s unique needs. Automations can be overridden if a user so chooses.

Engineering on Demand

Is there a feature you want added? Is there something in the platform that might work better for you if slightly tweaked? Adelphic offers engineering on demand, so that custom asks, no matter what they are or who you are, are possible.

Actual Humans

Whether you work for a massive holding company or are in-house at a boutique agency, Adelphic will answer your calls. No matter who you are, you can always get in touch with an actual human with questions or requests.

Omnichannel Focus

Every year, “omnichannel” means something different. But every year, having direct access to emerging channels (like audio and DOOH currently, for instance) is crucial. Adelphic is committed to being a true omnichannel DSP, offering mobile, desktop, TV, Audio and DOOH.

Power-User Certification

While most DSPs offer some kind of training and certification program, Adelphic’s is designed for power users who have some prior DSP experience and little time. Forget the “101-level” intro courses that last 45-minutes or more – Adelphic Certification is succinct, practical and designed for power users who want to get to work.

With many players in the location data space, it can be a challenge for marketers to know how to choose the right partner.

While it often feels overwhelming, the evaluation process is crucial. Once you select a data source, you associate your brand not only with the quality of the product you are using but also with the integrity of the partner you choose. As not all data is created equal, it is paramount to thoroughly assess vendors and data sets for both quality and accountability.

Here are five key questions to ask to ensure you are choosing the best location data to fit your needs are, according to Lawrence Chan, EVP, Data Ecosystem at location data firm Cuebiq.

1. How was the data collected? Methodology matters, as good data leads to actionable insights but poor-quality data leads to misleading insights. You will find that the data collection methodology, which impacts the overall quality and consistency of the data, varies by vendor.

2. What sources were used? You may find that certain data sets were created by combining multiple data sources, often to achieve scale. In this case, you’d want to understand what “multiple sources” really means.

3. Is the data accurate? It’s all about location (pun intended). You’ll want to ensure that if the data point is marked as a “ping” at Starbucks, the location was actually a Starbucks and not an AMC theater a block away. Accuracy often goes hand in hand with scale, because you’ll likely want high-quality data with great reach. You might find it helpful to set clear benchmarks for your evaluation, based on both your specific needs and industry best practices.

4. Can you measure dwell time and if so, how? It is paramount to be able to verify if the users visited a store or were just walking by. A ping is not a visit and dwell time, a term introduced by Cuebiq to designate time spent at locations, is the qualifier to tell real visits apart from fake ones.

5. What is the vendor’s privacy framework? It is paramount to be aware of and screen for partners’ data collection practices, to ensure that they themselves are in a safe position. And in today’s landscape, users are asking — rightfully so — for practices that may go beyond existing regulations and grant them the transparency, control, and access to data that they deserve, along with data provider accountability.

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Our Q&A series shines a spotlight on the biggest challenges, questions and trends in the programmatic marketplace with commentary from industry experts, clients and partnerships.

Today’s Q&A is with Lawrence Chan, EVP, Data Ecosystem at Cuebiq, a location intelligence and measurement company that specializes in offline consumer behaviors.

A 10-year veteran of mobile advertising and marketing, Chan focuses on identifying innovative opportunities and strategic partnerships to drive Cuebiq’s expansion.

Q: There have been numerous advancements in location data quality in recent years. What stands out most?

Marketers are now able to leverage location data that is much higher quality than what was available even just a few years ago. That’s due in large part to the development of new data collection methodologies, such as Cuebiq’s proprietary location-based SDK (software development kit), which brings marketers location data that is both accurate and high-scale and collected with a forward-thinking privacy framework. The combination of these three factors is critical for location data to be representative of the population and lead to meaningful insights.

Q: The phrase “SDK data,” which you mentioned above, is significant when it comes to evaluating the quality of location data. What exactly does it refer to and why is it important to understand?

Location data can be collected in several ways, one of which is through a software development kit – an SDK. In layman’s terms, Cuebiq’s SDK is a line of code that our mobile app partners embed in their apps, which collects first-party data from anonymous users who opted-in to the location data collection. Through an SDK like Cuebiq’s, you know exactly where the data is coming from and can ensure users are providing consent to data collection. This is why SDKs are the recommended methodology to collect data that is high-scale, accurate and dense, and follows a forward-thinking privacy framework — all of which are necessary for quality location data.

Q: Measuring travelers’ physical visits seems to be the best way to close the loop for marketers in the travel vertical. Is that the case, and if so, how does dwell time factor in?

Yes, measuring visits is the best way for travel marketers to close the loop, since it enables them to understand whether their campaigns are actually driving consumers to locations or not. Dwell time is key for marketers to consider, since it tells the difference between real versus fake visits to a location. For example, one user location data point (or as we call it a “ping”) near a hotel does not mean that users actually vacationed there — they could have been just walking by. In order to determine whether or not anonymous users spent time at any given location, you need to consider how long they spent there. At Cuebiq, we verify all visits to locations using dwell time, to distinguish actual visits from non-relevant data points.

Q: User privacy is extremely important for brands and agencies, especially when it comes to leveraging location-based data. What should marketers keep in mind as they evaluate different location data partners?

User privacy has moral and ethical implications, which should be key drivers for all players in the ecosystem. But user privacy is also a business imperative for brands and agencies as they identify the data sets and data partners for their stacks. In fact, in today’s data-driven landscape, brand safety is no longer just about the environment in which ads run, it is also tied to the origin of the data that brands use for their initiatives. For this reason, it is vital that both brands and agencies be aware of and screen their partners’ data collection practices to ensure that they themselves are in a safe position.

When evaluating potential partners, marketers need to consider their approach to user privacy. Does the partner require user consent to collect location data, and enable users to opt out if they so choose? Is the partner transparent in how they’re using the data? Has the partner been certified by industry privacy organizations? These are some important questions to ask.

Q: How does the value of location data differ for brands who have physical locations versus those that do not?

Brands with a physical presence typically use location analytics to map and measure the real-world behaviors of their consumers and understand whether their campaigns are working. Take, for example, a grocery chain that runs an OOH campaign to drive consumers to their stores. Location data will enable them to measure if the consumers who saw those ads actually visited the stores.

For brands that don’t have a physical presence, location data can still provide a trove of insights. On a tactical level, it allows them to target consumers based on intent. For example, an online retailer can target consumers who shop at a brick-and-mortar competitor of theirs.  On a strategic level it can shed a light on consumers’ behaviors for a specific vertical or a set of competitors. Think of direct-to-consumer brands that may want to expand from e-commerce to a mixed model including brick and mortar, a trend that we see more and more today. By understanding offline consumer behaviors for their vertical or a specific set of competitors, these brands can expand their consumer knowledge beyond what happens online.

Q: What stands out about Cuebiq’s integration with Adelphic?

Viant and Cuebiq’s partnership is rooted in Viant’s commitment to bring clients the best solutions to drive their marketing efforts. Both Viant and Cuebiq are equipped to deliver actionable insights and measurement leveraging high-quality data. Additionally, Cuebiq’s forward-thinking privacy approach to collecting location insights provides clients with the precision and safeguards they desire as key integration benefits from our two worlds at their fingertips.

Today’s Q&A is with Carolyn Hudson, Director of Business Development, North America, at TargetSpot. A supply-side network of audio brands, TargetSpot is a division of AudioValley and is the second-largest audio inventory supplier in the U.S., specializing in music, sports, news, multicultural content and podcasts. In her role, Hudson is charged with spearheading publisher supply partnerships in programmatic streaming audio and podcasting.

Q: AdWeek reports that more than half of all audio content will be shared digitally by 2020. What do you think are the reasons for digital audio’s rapid growth?

Digital audio is growing increasingly pervasive in our lives, just as the mobile channel was over a decade ago. Digital audio is an engaging, entertaining and informative medium. Further, it is highly portable for wherever and whenever a consumer can listen. And the consumer can listen in so many interesting and innovative ways now – it’s not just in their hands via a mobile device, it’s everywhere from their smart TVs in their living rooms to smart speakers in their kitchens to the connected dash in their cars. For all of these reasons, it is a growing “addiction” for consumers.

Q: Where are most people listening to digital audio – on mobile devices, in their cars, or elsewhere? Are certain demographics more likely to be tuning in on different devices than others?

Overall, today and in relation to our platform, most listening is occurring on a mobile device. However, consumer engagement with technologies that feature digital audio is rapidly changing. Connected device listening is an area of tremendous growth, and connected cars will get there quickly, too. With 98% of cars coming off the line being connected in 2020 according to Accenture, the uptake can be easily imagined. Currently, we find success in targeting demographics based on the type of content listeners consume.

Q: Reach is an obvious benefit of digital audio advertising, but what are some of the other differentiating strengths of the medium?

Digital audio is a very engaging medium. Consumers develop a valuable affinity with personalities delivering or narrating audio content – from sports to news to their favorite podcasts. And in turn, this is a powerful and influential relationship for brands to be a part of. Additionally, digital audio is a brand safe and relatively fraud-free environment to advertise within.

Q: Podcasts, especially, have seen their popularity continue to increase. What makes podcasts such an appealing option for marketers who wish to build relationships with their audiences?

Podcast personalities have become influencers themselves in their topic of coverage, point of view and expertise. Content delivered by an influencer can be a very powerful proposition for a brand to contextualize its message within this environment.

Q: What is unique about TargetSpot’s partnership with Adelphic?

Adelphic and TargetSpot’s partnership has scaled up significantly over the last few months and will continue to do so. Viant also takes full advantage of TargetSpot’s global audio supply in marketing different content and capabilities, including streaming audio and podcasts, to its clients.

Q: As we look to the future of audio advertising, what do you predict will be the biggest developments, trends or changes in the space?

We are in the midst of a pivotal evolution within the audio space – currently and for the near future. I think two of the top trends in the space will be accelerated consolidation within the industry and a proliferation of connectivity that will have to drive a marketing strategy.

Our Q&A series shines a spotlight on the biggest challenges, questions and trends in the programmatic marketplace with commentary from industry experts, clients and partners.

Today’s Q&A is with Jodie McAfee, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Inscape, a provider of automatic content recognition (ACR) technologies that enable advertisers and broadcasters to access minute-by-minute ad consumption trends.

A veteran of the TV and advertising industry, McAfee has used his expertise in advanced video advertising, interactive TV and content acquisition to launch advanced advertising at Samsung TV and has helped grow companies like Inscape for more than two decades.

 Q: There’s lots of buzz in the industry about TV automatic content recognition (ACR). What do marketers really need to know about how it works?

Simply, if you don’t use ACR data for TV marketing, you’re running on analog systems in a digital world, and it’s probably costing your company money, and making you slower and less accurate in your assessments.

ACR data from smart TVs delivers the cleanest, fastest and most comprehensive glass-level viewing data of internet connected TVs available. It’s also one of the least understood pieces of technology in the TV ecosystem.

ACR data obtained from smart TVs reflects what’s being watched regardless of input device. People increasingly consume content not just on linear TV, but on mobile devices, PCs, connected TV devices and smart TVs. ACR technology uses screen-level measurement to identify what programs and ads are being watched in near real-time. Without collecting personally identifiable information (PII), ACR technology can identify what show is being watched and what IP address the device is connected to.

From the perspective of business outcomes, having an anchor device in the home with an IP address attached to it opens up a stream of new possibilities.

Q: There are a number of different ACR solutions available. What makes them different from one another?

The first thing to know is that Samsung and Vizio comprise 72% of the smart TV market. Vizio’s data subsidiary Inscape, which accounts for roughly 20% of all connected TVs in America, is the largest single source of ACR data in the U.S., which is fast approaching the 10 million opt-in mark. The data is collected from all sizes and makes of TVs and is spread across all DMAs in the U.S, making it representative. Inscape delivers data on a second-by-second basis in raw form so the data can be used in a variety of ways and its fidelity can be verified quite simply.

Q: Are there any notable ACR trends or observations that marketers would be interested to learn about?

According to the IAB, more than half of U.S. adults now own a streaming-enabled television, up from one-third in 2015. By 2021, there will be 114.3 million smart TVs in the U.S., up from 81.2 million in 2017, according to eMarketer. Smart TVs are definitely coming into their own and TV[R]EV predicts that smart TVs will be in close to 75 percent of American homes by 2022.

Consumer behavior continues to shift away from linear, scheduled viewing toward on-demand, cross-platform content – meaning third-party viewing data is not enough. Both advertisers and content producers need access to the most accurate viewing data available: What’s actually happening on the screen. If marketers are using TV data that is heavily modeled, it’s bound to be messy, inaccurate and contain huge inefficiencies.

Q: Do all ACR providers have access to the same source of data, or is some viewership data unique to certain providers?

Not all ACR is made the same. Inscape uses a patented system that is more lightweight on the TV device, and delivers more accurate results because it maps multiple points of verification into the process. Some take the equivalent of a screen shot which gets messy.

Also, Inscape is the only ACR provider with access to VIZIO smart TV data, which is more than nine million opted-in TVs. Other ACR providers combine data from several smaller OEMs, and in some cases also include audio ACR from smartphone apps.

 Q: Finally, what are some key questions to ask prospective ACR partners?

 We like to point to a great list of questions prepared by our partner Viant, in their Introductory Guide to ACR Technology:

1. How does the provider link personal devices to household televisions?
2. What is the source of the provider’s data? TV manufacturers or Smart TV and mobile applications?
3. Does the provider model for scale? If so, what is their deterministic footprint?
4. Can the solution provider measure cross-device ROI along with TV tune-in?
5. Is the solution provider’s reporting delivered in real time?

Our Q&A series shines a spotlight on the biggest challenges, questions and trends in the programmatic marketplace with commentary from industry experts, clients and partners.

Today’s Q&A is with Matt Wong, VP of Channel Partnerships at PushSpring, a leading provider of data and insights for verified iOS and Android mobile app audiences. In his position, Wong is charged with helping clients effectively understand and leverage PushSpring’s offerings.

Q: Marketers know it’s important to reach audiences across all of their devices, but how essential is it to reach users specifically within their mobile apps?

We recommend that all campaigns be run across devices to message users within the media they consume most – mobile applications being an important part of this mix, given they comprise more than 90% of our time on mobile devices, according to eMarketer.

 Q: What can be learned from understanding which mobile apps users are downloading?

Installed applications tell us a lot about a user’s interests, hobbies and attributes.

Apps can be highly personal and reflect interests or associations not easily found in other data sets without PII or registration data. One’s travel loyalties, retail and entertainment preferences or frequent hobbies are a few items easily identified through applications.

For instance, if a device has a specific airline app installed, the owner is extremely likely to have flown that airline or be a member of the airline’s loyalty program. There are also “archetypal” apps, which one would only have installed on their device if involved with a particular activity or life stage. An example would be a pregnancy tracker, with the logical assumption being that a user would only download this app if actually planning for or expecting a child.

Q: How should that information influence media buys?

Apps tell us a lot about their users and ownership information should be used as part of the media planning process. The ability to target based on one’s preferences or interests is extremely compelling and acts as a definitive attribute to qualify users into a particular audience.

For planning purposes, we recommend understanding the life stage and additional interests or related categories of a user, which would qualify them for a particular audience. Conquesting a competitive brand’s mobile application is often the immediate opportunity that comes to mind for marketers. However, while that is one tactic to use, it’s not the only effective option for the campaign.

Think about an insurance provider who is looking to gain new users. It would be easy to create an audience targeting competitive insurance providers, but how often does one really switch insurance companies? If this is the only audience on your plan, there’s a high likelihood you won’t attain the results you’re looking for. Instead we recommend also using life stages – for instance, targeting devices with apps that indicate life changes such as engagement or marriage, having a child or buying a house, which are all activities that might encourage someone to review their insurance needs and seek a new provider.

Q: What is unique about PushSpring’s partnership with Viant’s DSP Adelphic?

Adelphic and PushSpring’s partnership allows for custom audience creation with seamless media execution. The ability to create custom segments leveraging the PushSpring Audience Marketplace and easily execute across Adelphic’s platform (potentially adding additional layers of targeting) gives advertisers a unique way to leverage two best-in-class platforms with transparent, custom data and media options.

Q: As we look ahead to 2019 and beyond, what do you see as the biggest upcoming developments or trends for data?

First: leveraging first-party data

While not necessarily new, I’m very excited about the ongoing investment that advertisers, marketers and brands are making to incorporate first-party data into their marketing efforts. Leveraging CRM/first-party data alongside best-in-class third-party data provides broader options for segment creation and leveraging a brand’s organic customer base, allowing more intelligent engagement with all types of customers.

We also expect to see various types of look-a-like models being created from CRM seed data, with the objective of acquiring new customers who “look like” current ones, and building segments from unique seed sets to compare tactics.

Second: all the data…

People are complicated. We’re multi-dimensional, have various interests and all act individually. This complexity has affected the way advertisers think about identifying audiences, as using one targeting tactic isn’t always as impactful as leveraging multiple data types, and accounting for individual preferences or differences. For any advertiser, finding audiences that are both targeted and scalable is a constant balancing act. At PushSpring, we see an increasing number of advertisers leveraging multiple types of data instead of limiting themselves to just one data source. The ability to combine different targeting tactics allows true scale while maintaining the integrity of the desired audience.