Scaling a programmatic platform – What’s the myth behind it


Programmatic undoubtedly brings greater control, transparency, and performance to an agency. Regardless of the benefits, many agencies still hesitate to switch. The fight against adopting a new ad technology is rooted in the fear of change.

Taking control of programmatic in-house requires talent and resources and can be a material

Many agencies still hesitate to switch

change in an agency’s practices and processes. However, it doesn’t result in a loss, but a gain. There’s, of course, going to be a learning curve as well as a time and monetary investment. But once the initial investment is made, the agency will see the return. The programmatic approach allows agencies to increase output and the volume of the business and decrease long-run average costs. The economies of scale from both a cost and learnings perspective show that programmatic is the smarter choice.

Unity is the impetus for performance.

Leadership has to align with teams at all levels of the organization. If teams are divided, initiatives are doomed to failure. It takes discipline and commitment from all sides, as with any company-wide initiative, to adopt a programmatic platform. Involve every person on the team in the conversation as well as planning discussions. Doing this helps ensure the platform operators have the same set of goals and objectives as the leader driving the change. Defining processes and standards up front will also support a deft execution.

Get over the educational hump. Knowledge is everywhere.

It’s the information age. Upskilling team members is easier today than before. As the ad tech ecosystem continues to evolve and transform the media landscape, a growing number of platforms are investing in client education. Agencies should find a partner who will provide guidance and learning assets while team members develop a proficient programmatic ad operation. Fortifying the team with resources will also support continuous learning and growth. In addition, reading up on online publications can offer valuable insights into digital advertising and both tech and business perspectives.

Ad tech platforms grow value for agencies.

Now it only takes weeks to adopt a platform as opposed to months. Ad technologies are highly intuitive, and thereby help teams acclimate and learn the necessary skills faster. Agencies should also consider the efficiency and innovation of a self-serve programmatic platform. It generates enormous amounts of real-time data which can inform decisions on how and where to optimize campaigns. Media teams can spend less time managing vendors and consolidate to one partner and focus their efforts on strategy and reaching out to prospective clients.

Scale with programmatic to improve efficiency and increase revenue.

Traditional media buying is no longer feasible for small agencies. Programmatic is the way forward for those who want to save time and money. While the challenges such as costs, talent, and resources are real, there’s risk inherent in everything. In this case, the significant benefits and opportunities of programmatic outweigh the risks.