Don’t believe the critics: The future of advertising technology is bright. Companies spent over $500 billion spent globally on advertising in 2016, and there’s a wealth of ad tech companies uncovering innovative ways to reach modern consumers.
Here are six ad tech companies to look out for in 2017. Although advertising trends tend to be short-lived, each of these companies understands the need to evolve and meet the needs of today’s publishers and consumers alike.
1. Perion
Perion understands the challenges of capturing consumers’ microscopic attention spans by emphasizing bold advertising solutions — particularly on mobile, where the majority of its campaigns are focused.
The company acquired Undertone in late 2015 and has since worked with major brands like Microsoft and social powerhouse Cycle.
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2. AppNexus
Already a major name in the ad tech space, AppNexus boasts as many as 9.3 billion impressions transacted daily and represents over 500 clients. Combining machine learning with endless arrays of data, the company emphasizes consistent updates and ongoing flexibility for ad publishers.
But given its current dominance within the industry, what’s AppNexus doing to build buzz?
Well, the company’s recent announcement to team up with fellow ad tech players to tackle Google and Facebook head-on is certainly making waves. After all, anything that spells greater competition in the world of ad tech is a plus given that those two titans are responsible for one-fifth of ad revenue. All eyes will be on AppNexus’ crusade in the near future as the company looks to loosen Google’s and Facebook’s stranglehold on today’s ad dollars.
3. MediaMath
Another name involved in AppNexus’ consortium, MediaMath takes an unconventional approach to advertising. Its focus is on creating a conversation, not being the loudest voice in the room.
According to MediaMath, publishers face two core challenges: making the most of each impression and using audience data to maximize sales. Through the company’s omnichannel platform and machine learning, MediaMath helps advertisers and publishers deliver relevant ads to their respective audiences.
Specifically, the company’s predictive audiences feature aggregates anonymized data from audiences to help marketers understand their most valuable customers. This ultimately provides advertisers a more comprehensive overview of their audiences, which is necessary to make meaningful conversations with their customers.
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4. LiveRamp
LiveRamp’s mission is to deliver relevant and personalized ads to consumers with an emphasis on security. As there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for publishers leveraging ad tech, person-level data is at the core of LiveRamp’s platform to help meet the needs of consumers on a human level.
Currently, LiveRamp is touting the concept of a united identifier, or single cookie, which could follow consumers across devices. As the product is not yet ready, though, the public will have to wait and see whether or not such an identifier becomes a reality.
5. AdRoll
Speaking of cookies and following customers from Point A to Point B, AdRoll’s AdRoll’s retargeting solution has access to over 500 ad exchanges, including Facebook and Google. That strategy has helped major clients such as Clinique cite a 8.5x ROI and 265 percent increase in sales thanks to AdRoll’s platform.
Beyond retargeting, AdRoll also offers advertisers with prospecting solutions based on consumer behavior on-site. Through this information, advertisers can understand new potential audiences to pursue based on the actions of existing customers. AdRoll notes that its platform has a reach of over 1.2 digital profiles, which allows for prospecting on just about any vertical — not just Facebook’s Lookalike Audiences or Google’s Similar Audiences.
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6. StartApp
As mobile ad spending skyrockets, publishers and advertisers alike are on the hunt for fresh ways to reach consumers on the go. StartApp works on the development side with publishers to produce killer mobile ads with in-depth analytics.
Working to be an ad tech pioneer through VR and 360-degree ads, StartApp claims its native advertisements fit seamlessly into any app. Through smart targeting, StartApp also has a keen understanding of user experience.
As advertisers continue to fight for the precious attention of consumers, the future of ad tech is fascinating. From new mobile engagement options for publishers to smaller companies taking on big names such as Facebook and Google, this year is poised to be a massive one.
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