Author name: khazi@cubera.co

Marketing is becoming more personal, and marketers are slowly becoming data analysts. Naturally, marketers are now using tools to better their advertising. Retargeting has been a breakthrough in the digital advertising world. Here, the most promising individual customers can be directly targeted and made into actual consumers. Retargeting gives brands a second, third and even fourth chance at winning over potential customers. Let me explain with a personal example. Recently, I wanted to buy a ready-made hot chocolate mix online. I added it to the cart and was ready to pay when my mom called. By the time I finished the conversation, I’d forgotten about the purchase, and the item remained in my basket. But for the next 3 days, all my ads on Instagram, YouTube, and even random online articles were about the same hot chocolate mix. There were ads showing off its velvety texture, videos of happy customers savouring their mugs, and even offers to entice me to come back. And you know what? It worked. The constant reminders led me to complete my purchase. Cha-ching! Another sale for the hot chocolate brand, thanks to a well-executed retargeting campaign. That, in a nutshell, is the magic of retargeting. I, a user, showed interest but did not convert and was thus subject to the retargeting campaigns of the hot chocolate brand. It stayed on the top of my mind, reinforced my interest, and ultimately boosted their conversions. Let me be clear though, retargeting is not about hounding potential users until they give in. Think of it as a gentle nudge that strategically shows them tailored and relevant content. The reality is that most people do not convert on their first visit to a site. According to Shopify data, an astounding 97% do not! The psychology of retargeting is that familiarity breeds trust. The more they see your brand around, the more the users think it is reliable and are more likely to convert.  People hate missing out; trust me, the FOMO is very real, and advertisers usually double down on it. Nobody wants to pass up on a good deal or a limited-time offer. Only 12 hours left to buy an item? Are only 4 pieces of it remaining? These subtle pressures nudge users toward making a decision- a fast one. Retargeting is also cost effective while building loyalty. You should minimize how much time you waste reaching a newer, wider audience that might turn a cold shoulder towards your product. Instead, you can create a rapport with potential and existing customers and build loyalty. Shein ads follow me around even after I complete a purchase. So, when winter rolls around and Shein shows me their new sweater collection, I am more likely to purchase from them as I am familiar with the brand, and it has been on my mind since the last purchase. Voila! Shein now has a loyal customer. BEWARE: The Risks of Overdoing It Overexposure can annoy. Seeing the same ad repeatedly can come across as intrusive or even creepy, leading users to develop a negative perception of your brand. Make sure to strike a balance- frequency capping is your dear friend for the same. Privacy concerns are real. Consumers have become increasingly aware of how their data is being used. Hence, retargeting campaigns can sometimes raise eyebrows. Be transparent about your data policies and ensure you adhere to privacy regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), whichever applies to you. If you’re ready to level up your advertising strategy, explore the power of retargeting with Cubera’s Edge. It is beyond just chasing clicks. Remember, the game goes on until the sale is made. Retargeting is a power-up that helps you get there.

If you have just stepped into the world of programmatic advertising, welcome! You are now about to embark on a rollercoaster ride that can transform how your brand connects with its audience. But before you formulate intricate advertising strategies, one crucial step is setting up the basics of your DSP (Demand-Side Platform) campaign. When you are eager to launch your first campaign, the temptation to rush through the setup is real. However, the initial stage of setting up is where you define your campaign’s identity. Its goals and even its boundaries are defined here. In fact, it is where you give your campaign direction. After all, anything successful starts with a well-defined plan. Thoughtfully configuring your basic settings gives your campaign a clear roadmap. Let us say you are planning a road trip. You do not just hop into the car and drive, right? You pick a destination, check your budget, and try the best route with the least potholes. When you configure your basic settings, you are mapping out your advertising journey. You decide What you want to achieve. How much you are willing to spend. And where and when your campaign will “travel” to. Skip this step, and you will be wandering. This, nobody wants- not you, not your brand, and certainly not your wallet. Naming your campaign sounds almost insultingly simple. I know what you’re thinking- “How hard can it be?”  But let me tell you, when you’re juggling multiple campaigns, a solid naming system is a lifesaver. Your DSP will usually have these three ad formats: banner, native and video. These are standard options, and they provide versatility in reaching different types of audiences. Don’t you worry though, this doesn’t lock you in. Later, you can customize your campaign by adding as many creative types as you like, such as interactive ads and even high-impact visuals. Starting with these formats ensures your campaign is adaptable, covering a broad range of publisher inventory. Next up: timing. This step is all about defining when your campaign will run and ensuring you are operating in the right time zone. Let us say you’re launching a holiday sale. You will want your ads live well before the shopping rush, but off of the web before the ‘post-holiday fatigue’ sets in. Here’s where things start feeling real- money. Your DSP will ask you to set a budget, both for the campaign overall and for each day. You’ll also get to decide how the budget is spent: Spend as fast as possible: Great for flash sales or urgent promotions. If you’re promoting a limited-time offer, like “25% off Black Friday Weekend.” Pace evenly through the day: Ideal for campaigns where steady visibility is necessary. If you’re new to DSPs, start small. Think of this as your test drive. Once you see how things are performing, you can increase your budget and make a splash. Categories: Playing Cupid for Ads Here is a part that many people overlook: choosing advertising categories. This step helps match your campaign with publishers and audiences that actually want to see your ads. For example, if you are running a campaign for outdoor gear, you’d like your ads to show up on sites about hiking, travel, or adventure sports- not, say, celebrity gossip blogs. Meeting the ‘right match’ is important here too! Your DSP uses categories from the International Advertising Bureau (IAB). You’ll have two options: Include Categories: Your ads will only appear in the categories you pick. Exclude Categories: This ensures your ads avoid specific topics or industries. It’s like curating the guest list for a party. You want the right crowd to show up. Let’s see how these steps look when they are put together for your ‘organic skincare’ launch: Campaign Name: GlowSkin_Launch_IND_Q1 Formats: Banner, Native, and Video for a versatile approach. Dates: January 3 to March 31, targeting the “new year, self-care” mindset. Timezone: IST to focus on your Indian audience. Budget: ₹4,30,000 total, with a ₹18,000 daily cap for consistent visibility. Spend Strategy: Pace evenly throughout the day. Categories: Include “Health & Beauty,” “Self-Care,” and “Natural Products.” With this setup, your campaign is locked, loaded, and ready! Start your advertising journey with Cubera’s DSP’ Edge’ now.

Anybody who’s worked in digital advertising knows that identity is the backbone of this entire ecosystem. Whether it’s targeting the right audience, capping how many times someone sees an ad, or measuring conversions, identity signals make it all possible. But while the concept of identity feels obvious to most ad tech pros, the mechanics behind it are often less clear. How exactly do publishers establish user identity? How do platforms process these signals to enable advanced advertising features? Let’s unpack all of this. This guide will cover: • The major types of identity signals • How publishers collect and transmit these signals • The pros and cons of each identity type • Where each identity signal is heading in the future What is an Identity Signal? Let’s start with the basics. An identity signal is essentially a unique value tied to a user, their device, browser, or even personally identifiable information (PII) like an email address or phone number. These signals are created by websites, publishers, identity vendors, or operating systems and passed along to advertisers via SSPs (supply-side platforms). Advertisers use these signals to: 1. Target audiences based on attributes, behaviors, or interests. 2. Cap ad frequency to avoid overexposing the same user. 3. Measure outcomes, like clicks and conversions, by tying ad exposures to user actions. To get into the weeds, let’s break down how each signal works, starting with the oldest kid on the block: cookies. Cookies What Are They? Cookies are small text files stored on a user’s browser by websites. When it comes to advertising, the focus is on third-party cookies—files dropped by ad platforms rather than the website the user is visiting. How Do Cookies Work? Imagine this: You visit a snowboard website. A cookie with a unique ID like “1234” is dropped on your browser. The website’s SSP reads that cookie and attaches your ID to an ad request. Now advertisers on DSPs (demand-side platforms) can use that ID to show you snowboard ads. The process becomes more complex with cookie syncing, where different platforms map their unique IDs for the same user (e.g., “1234” for the SSP becomes “5678” for the DSP). Pros: • Easy to implement and universally supported on the web (for now). • Enables cross-site tracking and retargeting. Cons: • Privacy nightmare: Users often don’t know cookies track them across sites. • Fragile: Many browsers, like Safari and Firefox, already block third-party cookies. • Dependent on Chrome: Google keeps pushing back its cookie deprecation plans, but the writing’s on the wall. Future Outlook: Cookies are hanging by a thread. Chrome’s planned cookie consent system will likely limit their reach even further. While they’re not dead yet, relying on them long-term is risky. IP Addresses What Are They? An IP address is a unique identifier assigned to your network router by your internet service provider. It’s like a digital home address for your devices. How Do IP Addresses Work? Every time your device sends an HTTP request (e.g., loading a webpage or an ad), the server reads your IP address. Ad platforms use this to identify users at the household level. This cross-device capability is why you might see ads for your dad’s CPAP machine after Thanksgiving dinner. Pros: • Universally available: Every ad request has an IP address (unless masked by a VPN). • Cross-device tracking: All devices on the same network share the same IP. • Essential for connected TV (CTV): Links ad exposure on TVs to user actions on phones or laptops. Cons: • Inaccurate: Tied to households, not individuals. • Privacy-invasive: Users have no control over IP collection unless using VPNs or privacy tools. Future Outlook: Privacy-focused tools like Apple’s iCloud Private Relay and Microsoft’s similar features are chipping away at IP tracking. While it’s unlikely to disappear entirely, its role in advertising will diminish over time. Device IDs What Are They? Device IDs are alphanumeric identifiers assigned by operating systems to devices like smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. Examples include Apple’s IDFA and Android’s GAID. How Do Device IDs Work? Native apps can access these IDs to track user activity within apps and across devices. For example, a DSP can use an IDFA to serve targeted ads on a user’s iPhone and measure conversions on the same device. Common Platform IDs: • iOS and tvOS (iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs): IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers) • Android (Phones, Tablets): GAID (Google Advertising ID) • Amazon Fire OS (Fire TV, Fire Tablets): AFAI (Amazon Fire Advertising ID) • Roku (Streaming Devices, Smart TVs): RIDA (Roku Identifier for Advertisers) • Samsung (Smart TVs, Mobile Devices): TIFA (Tizen Identifier for Advertisers) Pros: • Persistent across app sessions. • Cross-device capability (to some extent). • Gives users some control: Device IDs can often be reset manually. Cons: • Apple’s ATT (App Tracking Transparency) framework has drastically reduced IDFA availability on iOS. • Limited to specific platforms: Each operating system has its own device ID format. Future Outlook: Device IDs remain essential for platforms like Android and CTV, but Apple’s restrictions highlight their fragility. Their role will persist, especially in ecosystems that benefit from advertising growth. Deterministic Identifiers (Hashed Emails) What Are They? These identifiers are based on PII, like email addresses or phone numbers, that are hashed (encrypted) to create privacy-compliant identity signals. How Do They Work? When users register on a website, their email is hashed into an encrypted value. This hash can be matched across platforms, enabling cross-device and cross-site tracking. Solutions like Unified ID 2.0 and LiveRamp’s RampID standardize this process. Pros: • Privacy-centric: Users can opt-out or reset their identifiers. • Cross-device tracking: Ties together ad exposures and conversions across devices. • Durable: Less likely to be blocked or phased out compared to cookies or IP addresses. Cons: • Friction: Requires user registration, which smaller publishers might struggle to achieve. • Vulnerable to burner emails: Users can bypass tracking with temporary email services. Future Outlook: Hashed identifiers are poised for growth as cookies decline. They’re especially valuable for platforms requiring logins, like streaming services. However, adoption will hinge on industry-wide collaboration and standardization. Probabilistic Identifiers What Are They? These identifiers use multiple signals—like IP address, user agent, and browser configuration—to create a probabilistic match for a user. How Do They Work?  By combining non-unique data points, probabilistic identifiers build a “fingerprint” of a user. While less precise than deterministic methods, they’re

We live in a world where screens dominate our lives, but just like us, not all screens are created equal. Smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even smart TVs provide unique experiences to each user. Naturally, we must master the art of tailoring our ad campaigns to specific devices to maximize impact and engagement. Device targeting does matter. Imagine that you are advertising a ‘Candy Crush’ like game to kill time. Would you target desktop users? Not. Your audience is more likely to engage with the ad on their smartphones when bored waiting in lines or just sitting idly. Similarly, an ad for a premium projector would ‘shine’ on laptops, not mobile devices. Research shows that people are more likely to make impulse buys on their mobile phones. The smaller screen size, quick access, and on-the-go browsing foster a sense of immediacy. A 2017 Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services study found that consumers using touchscreen devices are more likely to make hedonic purchases—those driven by pleasure compared to those that offer use. However, for more expensive purchases, say plane tickets to Hawaii, users tend to feel more comfortable making this purchase on a larger screen, where they can view detailed information and conduct a thorough research. If your product or service is unsuitable for certain devices, exclude them from your campaign. For example, a new wellness app that is only compatible with iOS should not be advertised on an Android device; it is a waste of your ad budget. Let us say you are promoting a food delivery app. Your main targets are mobile devices. Now, since you are targeting hungry customers, you will focus on lunch and dinner time hours, featuring ads displaying limited-time deals or free delivery. You may include a one-tap order feature integrated with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Mobile users are often on the go and ready to make quick, impulsive, and convenient decisions about meals. From a technical perspective, APIs for payment gateways allow advertisers to integrate their campaigns directly with checkout processes, creating a seamless ad-to-purchase experience. Combined with mobile device targeting, easy payment options leverage impulse buying tendencies by simplifying the user journey and transforming ad engagement into secure payment completions within seconds. This precise targeting, paired with effortless digital payment, boosts conversion rates and enhances attribution metrics, as each transaction is fully traceable in real time. As helpful as device targeting is, it is important not to overdo it. Restricting your campaign to too few devices can limit your reach. For example, if you only target smartphones, you might miss an audience segment that generally prefers tablets or desktops. Additionally, some devices may have higher ad costs due to competition. Mobile ad placements have high competition due to the sheer volume of users and the dominance of mobile-first platforms like social media apps. Always balance your targeting with your budget and campaign objectives. By understanding how your audience interacts with different devices, you can create ads that feel relevant. Whether you are tapping into the impulsive shopping habits of mobile users scrolling through Amazon or for a desktop user’s new sofa set, device targeting ensures your message lands on the right screen at the right moment. So, the next time you launch a campaign, look beyond the message. Think about the medium. Worried about choosing the right ‘medium’ for your ad campaigns? Choose to use Cubera’s DSP – Edge for smooth sailing!

Time targeting enables advertisers to schedule their campaigns and run them at specific hours or days of the week. It is an essential feature for those who want to align their ads with a user’s activities online. With timed targeting, you can: Run ads only during your working hours. Promote time-bound offers, like lunchtime deals or ‘End of the Year’ sales. Avoid wasting money on inactive targets. Setting up time targeting cannot get any more straightforward: Start by selecting the time zone you want your campaign to follow. This could be your local time zone or that of your target audience if they are in a different region. Once your campaign is live, keep an eye on performance metrics. If you notice certain hours or days are underperforming and not getting enough engagement, tweak your schedule to focus on high-impact periods. Consider how IPL (Indian Premier League) advertising spaces or Super Bowl commercial slots sell for jaw-dropping prices (in 2024, a 30 second commercial slot during the Super Bowl cost a whopping 7 Million USD). Why? Because brands know their audience is glued to the screen during these sporting seasons. The same principle applies to your campaigns. Your ads must show up when your audience is paying attention and is more than ready to engage. Aberdeen Strategy & Research’s report on Purchase Data highlights that timing is crucial to reaching your intended audience. Without accurate timing, even the best ads can fail to make an impact. Take my mom, for instance. She loves gardening and often scrolls through Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts after 10 p.m. If she sees ads for gardening materials during her nightly scroll, she is much more likely to click on the ad and buy something. But show her those same ads at 9 a.m. when she is busy prepping for the day ahead? Forget it- they would be nothing more than an annoying interruption. Thus, timing is a tool and a strategy to connect with your audience when they are most receptive. Recall your most recent day off. You most likely ended up doom-scrolling all day but did not realise that you were exposed to hundreds of ads in the process. But how many of them do you remember? Maybe 2 or 3 at the maximum. Timing, content, and relevance really does matter if you want to make an impact. But sometimes, this ‘timing’ is not very straightforward. Imagine you are a restaurant advertising your Lunch Menu. You cannot simply reach your audience when they are hungry—you must also consider catching them when they are planning. Showing ads for lunch specials at 1 p.m. could cause you to miss the window when most people decide where to eat. A more effective strategy for a restaurant might be to run ads during morning commutes when people are scrolling through their phones, deciding what their day looks like or in the evenings when they are winding down and planning meals for the next day. For example, showing ads with “Pre-order your lunch for tomorrow and skip the wait!” during the evening could help secure customers ahead of time. By thinking ahead about when your audience makes plans, rather than acts, you position your brand as part of their decision-making process. Choosing the right time depends on what you advertise. Tweak it right and it can make a big difference in your ads’ performance! Don’t know where/when to start or how to make a switch? Use Cubera’s DSP- Edge, to kickstart your campaign!

Imagine running an ad campaign for your business without considering your consumers’ location. You might be advertising snow boots to someone in Thailand or promoting a new Dosa joint to people thousands of kilometres away who don’t even know what that is. Not exactly the best use of your money…. this is where geotargeting comes into play. It is a simple yet incredibly effective step to ensure your ads reach the right audience in the right place. What Is Geotargeting? Geotargeting allows advertisers to deliver content based on a user’s geographical location. It is an accurate way to include or exclude countries and regions from your campaigns. Whether you’re promoting a global e-commerce store or a local coffee shop, geotargeting ensures your message is seen by whom it matters. How Geotargeting Works When setting up geotargeting, you have two primary options: Select Countries from a List: Use a comprehensive list of countries to specify your ad’s coverage. Simply tick the countries you want to include in your campaign or exclude those where your ads are not relevant. Manual Map Targeting: You can also use a map interface to define your coverage area. Draw boundaries around cities and even specific zip codes to ensure pinpoint accuracy. This option is perfect for hyper-local campaigns, such as promoting ‘Winter Wonderland’ in London or a marathon in New York City. Why Geotargeting Matters Advertising in irrelevant locations can drain your resources fast. With geotargeting, you are not wasting money showing ads to people who are unlikely to engage. For example, suppose you’re a small bakery in Atlanta. In that case, geotargeting ensures your ads don’t accidentally reach viewers in Los Angeles or New York, as they are audiences that can’t visit your shop. Different locations have different cultures, climates, and needs. Geotargeting allows you to create ads that resonate with specific regions. During the same ad campaign, a clothing retailer could promote summer wear in Florida while highlighting winter gear in Stockholm. How to Effectively Use Geotargeting: If you are hosting a global campaign but know your product does not ship to certain countries, exclude those regions to avoid disappointing potential customers. If you focus on specific markets, fine-tune your targeting to include only those areas. Location isn’t the only factor that matters. Combine geotargeting with demographic filters like age, gender, or interests to further refine your audience. For example, a ski resort might target users aged 18-35 who show interest in outdoor activities, but it will not be effective if shown to residents of a retirement town. Once your campaign is up and running, monitor how it performs in different areas. If certain regions outperform others, allocate more of the budget to those locations. You can also exclude underperforming areas to maximize your ROI. Let us say you run a merchandise shop that sells products inspired by famous Rock Bands. By using geotargeting: You can create separate campaigns for each city you are present in or are willing to ship to. Exclude cities where you do not ship or operate to prevent wasting your ad budget. Target main cities where people are more likely to purchase such merchandise. While geotargeting is powerful, it is possible to overdo it. If you set your targeting parameters too tightly, you might miss out on potential customers who live just outside your defined area or who travel to your location. Try to strike a balance between precision and reach. Geotargeting goes beyond just pinning locations on a map; it gives you the control to make every ad count. So, next time you are setting up a campaign, take the time to map out your audience- quite literally. Your future customers are waiting, and geotargeting can help you find them wherever they may be! Make use of robust geotargeting features with Cubera’s DSP- Edge!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has fundamentally transformed the advertising landscape, thus enabling brands to connect with audiences with unprecedented precision and creativity. Take, for example, how Yum Foods, the owner of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell fast food chain units in the US, used AI-driven marketing to send out personalised ads to their customers. Some customers only used to place bulk orders, like during the Super Bowl, and some regularly placed orders on the weekend; each was targeted with personal ads delivering precisely what they needed. Quoting Joe Park, the Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Yum from the Wall Street Journal, “We delivered emails that were customised at an individual level. When we look at factors like the time of day, the day of the week, the subject line in the email, the content, and more, you can optimise that for marketing use cases like upselling, retention, referrals and even win-back strategies. “ “Compared to traditional digital marketing campaigns, they generate double-digit increases for us in consumer engagement, leading to more increased purchases. I think it’s just the early start of what it could do. “ This evolution of using AI-powered strategies is particularly evident when we consider audience targeting and engagement. Transforming Audience Targeting & Engagement With a suite of AI-powered marketing tools, companies like Cubera are at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging technologies such as AI cohort generation services to optimise customer engagement and ad efficiency. Integrating AI into advertising has revolutionised how brands identify and interact with their target audiences. Traditional segmentation methods, often time-consuming, have evolved into AI-driven, real-time audience modelling. The audience segmentation is now more streamlined and less prone to errors as AI allows dynamic corrections.   AI allows marketers to make data-backed, real-time decisions, leading to higher engagement rates and optimised ad spending. AI ensures brands bid on high-value impressions, reducing wasted budget, thus resulting in an improved ROI. Predictive analysis, in fact, can help target customers before a purchase has been made. Netflix uses AI to analyse user behaviour and suggest personalised content. This same approach is now being used in advertising by brands to leverage AI Applications and predict what content or ads will engage each user the most. Predictive Analytics: AI forecasts consumer behaviour, allowing brands to anticipate needs and tailor content accordingly. Programmatic Advertising: AI automates media buying, optimising ad placements in real-time to reach the most relevant audiences efficiently. Content Generation: AI-powered tools generate custom ad copy, visuals, and videos based on audience preferences. Key Capabilities of Cubera’s AI-Powered Tools Cubera has developed AI-driven AdTech innovations that help brands optimise their campaigns Cubera’s AI-powered DSP Edge automates media buying, ensuring ads reach high-intent users immediately. Cubera’s ad exchange Vertex facilitates real-time bidding (RTB), using AI to match advertisers with the best conversion placements. Cubera’s AI Cohort Generation Services builds audience segments using contextual and behavioural data instead of relying on third-party cookies. Coca-Cola’s AI-Powered Ad Personalisation Coca-Cola has begun to use AI extensively in their marketing. They believe that AI (Artificial Intelligence) and HI (Human Intelligence and Ingenuity) are the pathways to tomorrow. Using AI, Coca-Cola also generated a Christmas Card in 2023 for their Festive Experience. Recently, they used AI-driven audience segmentation to tailor their ad creatives to different demographics. They moved from a ‘static’ and ‘traditional’ business model to a real-time behavioural segmentation model. This resulted in a better return per dollar for the company. To further push boundaries, Coca-Cola partnered with Snapchat’s Arcadia Creative Studio to develop an augmented reality (AR)-powered vending machine. This machine allowed users to engage in immersive, interactive experiences such as trying on virtual merchandise and exploring trending Snap AR filters. The campaign resulted in over 40 million media impressions and an average user engagement time of 90 seconds. Omnichannel AI-driven strategies, from vending machines to mobile apps and social media, created a seamless brand experience that drove customer loyalty. Marketing done right! The Future of AI in AdTech The future is here. In the 90s, the introduction of the Internet posed many questions. Everyone was in a frenzy- What is the Internet? How are we going to use it? All these questions are much like how people question AI tech now. But today, we cannot function without the Internet, and soon, we won’t be able to function without AI.  Ads will be AI-driven, predictive, and hyper-personalised. Emerging trends include: Generative AI for Ad Creativity: AI will create ad copy, images, and videos tailored to individual users in real time. Multimodal AI for Cross-Channel Advertising: AI will integrate text, image, and video data to enhance ad relevance across devices. Final Thoughts AI is revolutionising customer engagement, audience targeting, and ad optimisation. Companies like Cubera Tech are leading the charge, offering AI-powered tools that help advertisers boost performance while staying ahead of industry changes. Would you like to explore how AI-powered AdTech can transform your campaigns? Want to maximise ad performance with AI-driven audience segmentation? Contact Cubera for a personalised AI-powered advertising solution!

The ad tech ecosystem- because the natural world’s ecosystems weren’t complicated enough, we had to invent our own. Once upon a time, nature had predators, prey, and the occasional confused tourist. Now, we have SSPs hunting for premium inventory, DSPs bidding like Wall Street traders, and AI lurking in the shadows, silently optimizing everything. Somewhere, deep in a rainforest, a sloth is side-eyeing us, thinking, Really? You built an entire artificial ecosystem just to make sure someone sees an ad for sneakers at the perfect moment? Yes. Yes, indeed, we did. Welcome to 2025. In the grand theatre of digital publishing, only the fittest survive—and by “fittest,” we mean those who can turn ad space into cash with Darwinian precision. How do you ensure your digital inventory survives and gives you bank? Survival of the Fittest: Best Practices for Digital Inventory Monetization Digital publishing is a battleground. Some publishers rake in millions, while others wonder why their banner ads only pay pennies. The difference is strategic monetization. Here’s what you, as a smart player, should be doing: Ad Placement: Where You Put It Matters More Than You Think. If you think anywhere works, congratulations, you’re leaving extra money on the table. Not all ad slots are created equal; anything above the scroll is prime real estate. Place high-impact ads where users don’t have to move a finger. But remember, don’t be a pop-up psycho. Yes, they convert, but overuse them, and users will flee like they are in an apocalypse. Diversify Ad Formats: Because One Size Never Fits All Native Ads blend seamlessly into content, meaning higher engagement and fewer annoyed users, while Video ads report 20-30% higher CPMs than standard display ads. You can choose from many more, but make sure they fit your product. Remember to cap Ad frequencies. Show the same ad too many times, and users develop “ad blindness.” Limit their exposure to keep engagement high. Programmatic Advertising: The Digital Gold Rush Beyond automation, think of optimization of Ad Operations. Instead of waiting for one ad network to decide your fate, multiple advertisers bid simultaneously. More competition = higher prices = more money. According to Adtelligent, publishers have reported revenue increases of up to 30% by allowing multiple advertisers to bid simultaneously on the same inventory. From 2022 to 2024, advertisers in the United States spent 127 billion USD to 168 billion USD on programmatic digital display advertising. The video header bidding advertising market is expected to generate US$193.4 billion of total ad spending through just mobile in 2028.  However, navigating header bidding and optimizing ad operations isn’t always straightforward unless you have the right partner. Cubera Tech’s advanced programmatic solutions ensure seamless ad integration, higher competition, and, ultimately, higher payouts for publishers. User Experience: Ads That Work Without Making Users Rage-Click ‘Exit’ You can have the best monetization strategy in the world, but if users hate your site, you won’t have an audience left to monetize. Speed is everything. Pages that load slowly drive users (and ad revenue) away. Load ads as users scroll to improve page speed and ensure ads get viewed. Studies have shown that as page load time increases from 1 second to 3 seconds, the probability of a user bouncing from your site increases by 32%. According to skilled.co 47% of users expect a page to load within 2 seconds or less. Walmart found that conversions increased by 2% when their page load time improved by 1 second. So, publishers, get your websites up and running smooth- like an adtech smooth operator. Because if your site lags, your revenue lags harder. First-Party Data: Your Secret Weapon The cookiepocalypse has descended upon us. I cannot remember the last time I opened a website and wasn’t attacked by an overly eager “cookie girl” popping up with “Hi! Do you accept cookies?” 🍪 And just like in real life, you’re torn between politely accepting (because who says no to cookies?) or awkwardly backing away because you just wanted to read an article in peace. Meanwhile, the website is standing behind her, silently hoping you’ll say yes so it can track your every move. This means that third-party data is on its way out. You now need to use your own audience data. Advertisers pay more for targeted impressions. Collect first-party data and sell premium audience segments. Test everything, including different layouts, formats, and refresh rates, as this makes the difference between a lousy ad placement and a great one. A CASE TO GO BY: Business Insider’s Revenue Boost with Video Ads: How They Turned Empty Space into Cold, Hard Cash You know what’s worse than an unfilled ad slot? Nothing. Literally, nothing because that’s exactly what’s sitting there: wasted space, wasted revenue, and a wasted opportunity. Business Insider, a global media company, recognized an opportunity to enhance its advertising revenue by incorporating video ads. In 2023, they partnered with an AdTech company to implement this strategy. Despite a strong digital presence, Business Insider identified they had untapped video advertising potential. They had the traffic. They had the audience. What they didn’t have? A way to fully capitalize on their digital real estate. They lacked proprietary video content, which limited their ability to leverage traditional video ads. Developing an in-house outstream video player also posed technical challenges and resource constraints. And while banner ads serve their purpose, they are like putting a tip jar on a multi-million-dollar platform. It screams, ‘Give what you can’. By collaborating with the AdTech platform, Business Insider integrated outstream video ads into its platform via an open-source ad integration solution. The results? Their ad slots did not stay empty for long: 26% CPM (Cost per thousand) Growth – Advertisers were very interested in getting on Business Insider’s pages. 50% Ad Spend Increase – Because when ads perform, people throw more money at them. 5% Slot Fill Rate – Every bit of available ad space? Monetized.   The swift integration enabled Business Insider to monetize their content with minimal effort. Plus, designed to be non-intrusive, these ads maintained a

Reaching a consensus on issues such as transparency might seem challenging. But in 2025, it is an obligation, a non-negotiable standard for brands, regulators, and consumers. The unchecked proliferation of opaque advertising practices has led to widespread consumer distrust. There is a saturation of advertisements in digital media, and this has motivated the development of strategies that exploit (in a seemingly viable way) digital resources on the internet. This has compelled regulatory bodies to intervene with stringent mandates. Advertisers who continue to resist transparency are jeopardizing their credibility and setting themselves up for inevitable regulatory scrutiny. The Impact of Transparent Campaigns on Audience Trust and Engagement The new-age consumer is tech-savvy, well-informed, and increasingly intolerant of deceptive advertising practices. Transparency, therefore, is no longer merely ‘value-add’ but a foundational necessity for brands that endeavour to sustain and cultivate consumer trust. A 2024 industry report by eMarketer revealed that up to 78% of consumers are more likely to engage with brands that give clear insights into their advertising strategies. The implication is clear. Brands that fail to develop trust through transparency risk alienating their audience in the existing hyper-competitive digital space. The digital ad ecosystem has long relied on third-party cookies, a practice that once offered advertisers unparalleled tracking capabilities. Every website you visit has a small pop-up prompting you to ‘Accept’ cookies. Who does not have a little bit of a sweet tooth anyway? However, as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the EU, CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) in the U.S., and similar frameworks tighten restrictions, reliance on cookies has become increasingly dicey. The end of cookie dependency means there has been a shift that necessitates ethical, privacy-first audience targeting methodologies. The industry, in short, must adapt or become obsolete. Much like Nokia, you either adjust or will most definitely be ousted in the industry you currently dominate. Existing Laws and Regulatory Compliance Regulatory bodies worldwide have begun taking decisive steps to enforce transparency and accountability in advertising. As mentioned earlier, several key legislations include: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Enforced in the European Union, GDPR mandates that businesses obtain explicit user consent before collecting personal data. It also grants users the right to access, rectify, and erase their data. Non-compliance with this legislation can result in fines of up to €20 million or 4% of the company’s annual global revenue, whichever is higher. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) – A landmark U.S. privacy law that gives California residents the right to know what personal data is being collected, request its deletion, and opt out of its sale. Businesses failing to comply can face significant penalties and lawsuits. FTC Truth in Advertising Standards – Enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, these rules ensure that all advertising is truthful, non-deceptive, and backed by evidence. Violations of these terms can lead to fines, legal action, and reputational damage. Failure to adhere to these regulations almost always results in legal repercussions and the obvious erosion of public trust. This thus sets a dangerous precedent for non-compliant brands. How Cubera’s Suite of Tools Ensures Transparency at Every Step Cubera, a new entry to the AdTech Ecosystem, values transparency and has an integrated suite of tools designed to eliminate inefficiencies and restore trust in digital advertising. Cubera values the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse of digital assets) advertising principles. A Transparent DSP – Edge, offers real-time ad spend tracking, ensuring brands know precisely where every dollar is allocated. A Fraud-Free Ad Exchange – Vertex, implements blockchain-backed verification to eliminate ad fraud and unauthorized reselling. It uses robust encryption and security protocols to ensure that advertisers’ and publishers’ data remain fully protected, maintaining the highest security and compliance standards. An AI-Powered Audience Discovery Platform – Cube, prioritizes first-party data, ensuring that targeting mechanisms comply with evolving privacy standards. It can identify hyper-contextual cohorts that can be precisely targeted.  Through these innovations, Cubera’s reinforces its commitment to ethical advertising, bridging the gap between advertisers and consumers in this era of heightened scrutiny. P&G’s Commitment to Transparency – Craft or Crap? Marc Pritchard, Procter & Gamble’s global chief brand officer in 2017, gave a keynote address at the US IAB (The Interactive Advertising Bureau) Annual Leadership meeting in Florida on January 29, 2017.  Quoting him, “All of us in this room bombard consumers with thousands of ads a day, subject them to endless ad load times, interrupt them with pop-ups, and overpopulate their screens and feeds with just plain bad work. Is it any wonder ad blockers are growing 40%?” A 40% growth in ad blockers is indeed concerning to advertisers. P&G identified issues such as hidden fees, unreliable metrics, and ad placements alongside inappropriate content, which wasted advertising spend and posed significant risks to brand reputation. As part of their action plan, P&G cut over $140 million from their digital advertising budget by pulling ads from platforms that failed to meet their transparency criteria. Surprisingly, this significant reduction had “no negative impact on the growth rate,” as reported by P&G’s CFO, Jon Moeller. According to a report by ad sales insights platform MediaRadar, between January and August 2017, P&G advertised on only 80% of its original number of sites- a reduction to 1,251 websites from 1565 in 2016. This move underscores the necessity of partnering with an ethical ad tech company to ensure compliance and efficiency from the get-go. Transparency is about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, ensuring every advertising dollar is spent in a way that upholds brand safety and consumer trust. Future Trends for Transparent Advertising The advertising industry stands at a crossroads, but after all, the step toward better transparency is inevitable. Highlights regarding future trends that will shape the future of transparency include: Blockchain usage – Ad Verification thus gets strengthened, and accountability improves across the process. Privacy-First Data Strategy – By simply asking consumers, publishers follow more ethical practices as they now rely on consent-based targeting models. Third-party data is collected from brokers who often collect information from a multitude of dubious sources, further exacerbating privacy risks. AI-Driven Fraud Detection