Exploring Advertising Technology and the Responsibility of Digital Marketers and Business Owners

For years, Digital marketers and businesses have leaned heavily on paid media channel platforms like Google, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and Amazon hoping to drive growth, visibility, and engagement. These platforms offer impressive targeting capabilities, reaching millions of users across the globe. But as businesses flood these spaces, they’ve become increasingly crowded and expensive. It’s like everyone’s fishing in the same pond, but fewer fish are biting.

The costs are rising, and so are frustrations. Many digital marketers and businesses feel confined to what are often called “walled gardens.” These platforms keep advertisers in their ecosystem, limiting data transparency, while increasing competition and costs through auction-based ad placements.

But is there a way out? Could the Open Internet, a vast and largely untapped ecosystem of websites, apps, and platforms be the answer? Could it unlock new opportunities for businesses feeling boxed in by the limitations of the big platforms?

Digital marketers and businesses might be overlooking the potential of the Open Internet and what this means for the future of digital marketing.

What Exactly Is the Open Internet?

You’re a business advertising on Facebook, Google, or Instagram, just like everyone else. You’re spending more each year to get the same or even less reach. It’s becoming harder to stand out because you’re all chasing the same users, in the same space, with the same tactics.

Imagine if you could place your ads where your audience naturally spends their time, blogs they read, on the apps they use, in the podcasts they listen to, or even the digital billboards they pass on their commute. That’s the Open Internet.

It’s an ecosystem that includes everything from niche websites and apps to streaming services and digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising. Instead of being restricted by the rules and competition of the big platforms, you get the flexibility to reach people in the places they naturally visit.

Think about it. You’re no longer just competing for a sliver of attention on crowded social feeds. Instead, you’re meeting your potential customers where they already are. That’s what makes the Open Internet such an interesting option for businesses that want to break free from the usual suspects in paid media.

Is Programmatic Advertising the Key?

The Open Internet sounds vast, maybe even overwhelming. But this is where programmatic advertising comes in. Let’s break down if you’ve heard the term tossed around but aren’t quite sure what it means.

Programmatic advertising automates the process of buying digital ad space. Instead of manually negotiating where your ads go, programmatic platforms use advanced algorithms to do the heavy lifting for you. With real-time bidding (RTB), you can place ads on websites, apps, or even streaming services across the Open Internet, targeting the right audience at the right moment.

Let’s say you’re a business selling fitness gear. You could use programmatic advertising to place your ads on a popular fitness blog, on a fitness app, or even alongside a video tutorial about workouts. The technology ensures that your ads are shown to people who are most likely to be interested based on their demographics, browsing habits, or even the content they’re currently viewing.

Why Programmatic Advertising Works for Businesses

The beauty of programmatic advertising lies in its efficiency. It’s like having a personal assistant who continuously checks in on your campaigns and makes tweaks to optimize their performance. Here’s how it helps businesses:

Real-time Optimization

Your campaigns can be adjusted on the fly based on how well they’re performing. If an ad isn’t delivering the desired results, programmatic tools will shift the strategy to make sure your budget is being used effectively.

A Broader Reach

By tapping into the Open Internet, you’re not just stuck with the audience limits of Facebook, Instagram or Google. You can reach people across a much wider range of websites, apps, and other digital spaces that may be more relevant to your brand.

Contextual Relevance

Ads placed next to content that aligns with your product or service are more likely to be effective. For example, if someone is reading an article about hiking gear, seeing your ad for hiking boots at that moment makes a lot of sense.

With programmatic, you’re not just throwing money at ads and hoping they stick. You’re placing them in the right spots, at the right time, for the right audience.

Are Walled Gardens Becoming More Open?

Now, you might be wondering if the big platforms Facebook, Google, and Amazon are catching on to this. And the answer is yes, to some degree. While they still tightly control their ecosystems, we’re seeing some moves toward greater transparency and collaboration with the broader digital landscape.

Take Google’s Privacy Sandbox, for example. It’s part of their efforts to adjust to a future without third-party cookies. They’re working on new standards that allow advertisers to track users while respecting privacy. And then there’s Google’s Display & Video 360, which lets advertisers run campaigns across the Open Internet while still using Google’s tools for targeting and optimization. Similarly, Amazon’s DSP now allows programmatic ad buying across the web, not just within its ecosystem.

These moves show that even the giants recognize the value of a more open and integrated approach to advertising. While they’re not fully opening their doors, they’re starting to acknowledge that advertisers want more flexibility and control over their campaigns.

The Big Picture

So, what’s the takeaway here?

The Open Internet is a largely untapped resource that offers businesses a way to break free from the increasing costs and restrictions of traditional paid media channels. Programmatic advertising is the tool that allows businesses to navigate this vast ecosystem, making it easier to place ads where they’ll be most effective.

As more brands discover the potential of the Open Internet, we might start seeing a shift in how digital marketing strategies are built with less reliance on walled gardens and more focus on meeting consumers where they naturally spend their time.

The Open Internet could very well be the missing piece that takes your paid media strategy to the next level.

By Adesina Toheeb Damilola, Digital Marketing Expert.