With a new year ahead of us, it’s time to re-evaluate strategies, learn from the past year’s data, and start the new year fully informed. And in 2022, we know programmatic advertising is going to be a major player.
That’s why I sat down with programmatic expert Karina Pepe from StackAdapt, ChatterBlast’s programmatic platform of choice, to dive deep on programmatic trends for 2022. Karina and I work closely executing clients’ digital dreams, and with years of experience in programmatic advertising, she’s nothing short of a whiz. Let’s dive into what Karina predicts will be important in 2022.
Video and audio take the cake
If TikTok has taught us anything, it’s that video content is making major moves. Video content from years prior performed at half the rate that it is now. In office settings, a user was much less likely to watch a video at volume, but now at home, that has changed. Karina speculates even further about what that means for programmatic: “Video, specifically connected TV (CTV) is growing now more than ever. With the pandemic, people are working from home more, [and] the TV is on more often.”
She’s seen a massive increase, in audio, too, where a lot of advertising is moving towards programmatic. “Audio and CTV are being bought differently — direct buys are fading, and people are going more the programmatic route,” she adds. “And as an industry, people are becoming more educated on programmatic. So marketers are trying to shift as well, as it makes more sense for targeting.”
We can also draw the conclusion that an easier buy for marketers will mean an increase in the audio and video work we see in the coming year.
The rise of the QR code
“[With CTV] we’ve seen an interest in QR codes,” Katrina says. “People seem to be leveraging the QR code quite a bit more, where before people were skeptical of who would scan.” She explains that this tactic a great way to gain more insight into CTV. It’s more than just online video; the metrics and data offered through the QR code provide a great way to connect the two elements.
I can't think of anyone who has had a better year than the QR code. What a comeback.
— Grace Mulvey (@GraceMulvey1) December 17, 2021
We also see this as a great way to capture a user with multiple devices. According to a 2020 study (and this might even be outdated after the holidays of ‘21!), the average American household has ten connected devices. That includes smart phones, laptops, set top boxes, tablets, Apple watches, and more.
“CTV and QR codes are a way to integrate the different devices. Things like that will become more prevalent, integrating the different devices with a singular ad impression,” Katrina adds. “We also will see IP address tracking becoming more important. Right now people lean on IP addresses a lot, household ID, etc.”
First-party data for the win
People have long been awaiting the demise of the third-party cookie, which has given advertisers plenty of time to prepare alternative methods of tracking. One thing to lean on is first-party data and contextual targeting.
Those pop-up messages you get on every site saying they use "cookies" to collect info? Yeah, those might not be around forever.
Here's why ➡️ https://t.co/HtfUn7ntTq #digitalmarketing pic.twitter.com/asIB5oDF2D
— ChatterBlast Media (@ChatterBlast) January 27, 2021
Karina explains that from StackAdapt’s perspective, “[We’re] focused on building out our Browsing Audiences and Page Context AI features, which allow you to target based on what a user is consuming, rather than their past behavior. Utilizing a DSP, which has a focus on contextual advertising, will ensure that your campaign strategies are future-proof, regardless of what happens with cookies.“
This can also be part of a larger conversation about building customer trust, like managing user identities responsibly and integrating privacy as a key part of a customer relationship. Marketers are able to use that first-party data to better understand (and more accurately target) users, and to foster strong customer relations even further.
First-party data takes the guesswork out of targeting, but Karina also offers predictions for targeting in the current atmosphere: “I’ve seen an increased interest in contextual targeting and site retargeting… Advertisers are trying to reach people who are further down the funnel, with verified interest,” she says. “So site retargeting and contextual targeting will increase in 2022.”
Want an even deeper dive? Check out StackAdapt’s latest podcast on contextual targeting.
The future of programmatic is looking bright — get in touch if you need expert guidance to get started.
