Constantly generated, and hugely valuable, data is increasingly important, as the marketing world knows. In order to turn varied insight into effective action however, Data Management Platforms (DMPs) are required – so how do marketers know which solution will suit their needs and particular goals best?
The choice depends on your persona. Advertisers and publishers specifically, need effective DMP solutions to gain the clear insight needed to inform media purchasing and selling. But DMPs are almost as varied and complex as the data they contain and the market is evolving fast with DMPs themselves expanding to a more comprehensive audience platform that can effectively bridge the CRM and digital, offline and online worlds; choosing the correct solution depends on key business objectives, and whether marketers are on the media sell or buy side.
Advertiser side DMPs
For advertisers, the goal is to use data insight to inform purchase effectively and increase ROI. Valuable offline data assets such as prospect or customer databases need to be considered within the solution, and consumer preferences used to enrich the data.
DMPs for advertisers recognise these needs; striving to make the most of current offline data assets, by either combining it with other data sources (online first party data and a range of third party data), or by expanding its reach through lookalike modelling capabilities.
Publisher side DMPs
Publishers on the other hand have different needs, and are instead focused on the requirement to access data in order to make the most of advertising revenue.
The data that is valuable for publishers is primarily that used to monetise the advertising inventory – online first party web navigation data. This data is typically anonymous, dynamic and unstructured, so DMPs for publishers must be able to capture and transform it into actionable segment insight; recording insight on online behaviour, and segmenting audiences accordingly.
Other considerations beyond sell/buy
Aside from buy or sell, the distribution capabilities of a DMP are key considerations:
- Programmatic display. This is the most basic. The automated purchase and sell of desktop display, video and mobile ads using RTB: programmatic advertising is integral to most online campaigns. Many DMPs focus on display primarily, however this only covers one channel, and a more comprehensive solution may be needed.
- Cross-channel targeting. Can the DMP target a range of different channels? By integrating premium display (direct buy), more recent DMPs enable cross-channel targeting via SMS, email etc.
- Data linking assets. Does the DMP use mainly cookies? Or does it also consider persistent IDs (unique to an individual) or fingerprint data? A new generation of IDs are starting to be used across many channels; they may be an important consideration.
- True attribution. Is a comprehensive, precisely targeted solution required? Enabled by the most expansive and advanced DMPs, data from a range of sources (offline, online, first and third party, plus transactional data) can be taken, related to unique individuals, and then used for targeted action across a number of channels.
AOS
Acxiom Audience Operating System (AOS) follows the latter consideration, taking multiple sources and channels into account as a comprehensive solution to attribution issues.
Incorporating data from a wide range of sources, both on and offline, AOS combines those sources at an individual level through Acxiom persistent IDs – also using those IDs to link audiences; enabling a targeted single customer view across multiple devices.
An integrated platform designed to cohesively combine all data, first party, online and offline across media channels and technology, AOS gives marketers, publishers and agencies the ability to plan, buy and precisely optimise multi-screen audiences across channels, applications and devices.
To find out more visit www.aos.acxiom.com
