How to Choose the Right DOOH Vendor Platform

(Source: emarketer.com)

Not only are public-facing digital displays now more numerous than ever before, they’re also rapidly becoming more accessible. Automation, advanced analytics and new ways of buying DOOH ads – such as with programmatic advertising – are all making digital advertising available to smaller businesses with limited spending power. 

If you’re an SMB looking to tap into the advantages of digital out of home, you’ll need a DOOH advertising platform that works for you. Below, we explain why and what to look for in your search.

Digital out of home media has traditionally been inaccessible for all but the largest companies with the most resources to spare. This is because: 

• Digital signage is a relatively new technology and there has previously been a lack of real estate, which drove up prices 
• Media buying processes have previously been slow, with several third parties involved between buyer and media owner. This has made traditional OOH a huge time investment for SMBs. 

With the arrival of programmatic DOOH, however, this is changing. Programmatic DOOH automates the media buying process, so that you bid on inventory that will show your ad based on a set of criteria you choose. 

You might want your ad shown at certain times of day or in certain conditions, for example. Stella Artois, for instance, displayed adverts for its cider when temperatures reached 2oC above average, as sales data suggested this was when people were most likely to purchase.

(Source: pinterest.com)

The ability to respond to real-world conditions opens up a huge opportunity to target specific audiences, rather than the more generalized approach traditional OOH offers. Programmatic buying also opens up the possibility of real-time campaign analytics for a truly data-driven approach to digital out of home advertising. 

Programmatic DOOH makes all of this possible via automated bidding platforms that remove third-party agencies (and the expenses and time delays they incur) from the process. These platforms are the reason why digital OOH is more accessible to SMBs than ever before – time investment is no longer an issue, and analytics make it significantly easier to optimize campaigns for the highest ROI. 

To unlock these benefits, you need a pDOOH ad platform that works for you. Here are three ways to identify whether a potential platform is a worthwhile investment.

Powerful analytics capability is an absolute must-have for DOOH vendor platforms. Real-time visibility into key performance metrics is one of programmatic DOOH’s major advantages. Without it, you’re missing out on its true potential.  

Check what options each DOOH vendor platform you’re considering offers in this area. Ideally, you should be able to access all of the information below by logging into your DOOH vendor platform. Reports should be in real-time to enable ultimate flexibility and optimization potential. 

• Planned and spent budgets by campaign, publisher and creative
• Audiences reached and number of impressions delivered
• Individual screen delivery and performance, including number of playouts
• Overall ad spend and effective cost per mile (eCPM) – i.e., the amount you pay per thousand people who see your digital advertisements

Combining these insights with marketing data from other sources allows you to build an in-depth picture of your campaign success.

Another key advantage of programmatic DOOH is the time savings it offers. With the right platform, SMBs with limited resources can simply upload their creative, find the ad space they need and launch their campaign.

Your ad platform should cover a DOOH network of thousands of screens, allow you to easily select the right ones for displaying your ad and then play your ad as soon as the conditions match your specifications. 

Your DOOH vendor platform should also automate the process of bidding for the inventory that fits your needs. The experience should feel as seamless as automated bidding on online ad space. After you specify your parameters – such as budget and key targeting criteria – bidding on suitable inventory should be automatic.

This might seem like common sense, but far too many businesses fall foul of poorly designed third-party software. Having the functionality you want is one thing – but the user interface also needs to be clear, intuitive and easy to follow. 

You can get an insight into how easy a potential DOOH platform is to navigate by requesting demos from potential vendors, or else signing up for a free trial. It’s always best to explore the platform a little before committing to any expenditure. 

In particular, look for one- or two-click processes that aren’t overly complex. As well as saving you time as you use it, a well-designed platform this makes it much easier for new users to find their way around. You’ll significantly reduce costly mistakes and staff time lost to training as a result.

A good DOOH vendor platform should offer plenty of real-time reporting and analytics options and automate the ad buying process, all whilst remaining intuitive and easy to use.

The Neuron is an ad buying platform that connects you instantly to the inventory you’re looking for. It only takes a couple of clicks to upload your creative, set your campaign live and use analytics to optimize your strategy as your advertising campaigns progress. 

Try The Neuron today