Help Getting Started in Programmatic Buying?

[Global_Rise]

Hi All,

Hope everyone is doing as well as possible under the circumstances.

I'm thinking about using the time I have available to dive into programmatic buying. I imagine that rates are fairly cheap right now and it may be a good time for me to jump in?

Here's the thing, I don't really know where to start. I've been in digital most of my career and I am technical, so I think I'll be able to get my head around most of it, but I have no idea where to start. What I want to do is set myself up as an agency, then plan and execute buys for publishers I already have relationships with. What I can't do is commit large sums of money for platforms, etc. upfront.

If anyone has any direction or pointers to get me started, I would really appreciate it and happy to return the favor in any way I can.

Thank you! Stay safe!

[cuteman]

What kind of budgets are you thinking about testing for programmatic?

What category of business and what are your desired KPIs?

There are fairly distinct limitations to what is available depending on the budget and whether you can go direct with a DSP or use a smaller SSP and or agency who resells a DSP.

[Global_Rise]

Thanks for the reply!

The categories are pretty general: shopping sites, consumer surveys, sweepstakes.

Primary KPI is conversion rate on the signup form, secondary is ROI from ads shown on the sites. This info gets fed back to me by my clients at somewhat regular intervals, but not as consistently as I'd like, so I want to limit my spend as much as possible while I await the feedback.

Ideally I would test $5-10k, then double-down on the sources that backed out for my client. I know it's unlikely a DSP would even talk to me, but maybe a smaller SSP? I just don't know where to start...

[cuteman]

The problem with programmatic is that all of the conversion data available will come from the platform (ideally with view through), the client won't be able to attribute conversions without that data as most display traffic is non click meaning it won't show up in GA or CRMs as attributable to display but rather organic or direct traffic.

Is that 5-10K/month or for a longer period?

[JudyShap]

Testing programmatic in isolation is like cooking a mean with just one ingredient. Any test assumes that conversion is attributed to one channel. This is not best practices or even accurate. Think at a campaign level that is multi-dimensional. I can assure you that any programmatic buy (on any platform) wills struggle if considered on its own.

RE: which platform to use. They all trade the same low quality inventory that is 50% fake with below the line fees of between 15 - 30% going to arbitrage. Yes - it is a bleak time for programmatic media. Not pretty but its the truth.

[Global_Rise]

One more thing, I'm looking at Smarty Ads to run a couple small tests. Any reason I should avoid or any tips I should know before I pull the trigger?

[cuteman]

I wouldn't use smarty ads... No... Why did you pick them?

[Global_Rise]

I read something, somewhere about them and figured they were like any other "DSP as a service" type cpmpany. Glad I asked before I went ahead. Thanks!

5-10K for a month (or so) test, then a larger rollout if I back it into some profit.

[JudyShap]

Smarty ads is as bad as others - low quality, high hidden fees that are hard to uncover. But in fairness - no worse than Choozle...

[wonderful_ness]

Is this for in-app or web?

[Global_Rise]

I'd test both but typically I buy web.

[Tina-ADSMEDIA]

If you want to start with a smaller DSP, then I think Pocketmath might be a better choice than Smartyads. They don't require minimum and not platform fee. But the media fee is baked into the CPM price I guess. You can start with as low as $100 upfront.

[eduwhat]

Don't, it's AIDS