Imagine you’ve run a campaign and your ad appeared on a well-known site. On the surface, it seems like a win - a feather in your cap even. Get your screengrab, frame it, put it on the wall beside the picture of your kid’s graduation. However, upon closer inspection, the key performance indicators (KPIs) tell a different story - the viewability was awful, meaning a significant portion of the audience never even saw the ad. And interaction rates were non-existent, suggesting that even when people did see the ad, it didn’t capture their attention in any meaningful way. Is it still worthy of your wall real estate now?
This scenario highlights a common issue in digital advertising: the snobbery surrounding brand placement. There’s a misguided belief that associating with ‘high-profile’ titles exclusively will automatically equate to high-profile success. But success in advertising should be measured by impact and engagement, not solely by association. If your target audience isn’t spending their time on these high-profile sites, then where is the benefit of your investment? Ignorance towards where your audience actually engages, and then neglecting the data trying to direct you to them, is a critical oversight at best - and negligence at worst.
The Role of KPI Reporting
This is where the true value of campaign reporting comes into play. KPIs provide a clear, quantifiable way to measure the effectiveness of your advertising efforts dependent on what you are needing your campaign to achieve. Core metrics such as viewability, click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and engagement levels offer tangible insights into how well your ad is truly performing.
1. Viewability: Ensuring your ad is actually seen by the audience.
2. Clickthrough Rate (CTR): Measuring interactions onto your brand/product destination link.
3. View Completion Rate (Video): Measuring how many viewers watched your ad in its entirety.
4. Conversion Rates: By utilising a UTM* you can track how many viewers take the desired steps, post-ad interaction.
And going a step further, our Converge Select platform also offers you access to measuring Attention (in partnership with Lumen) and Carbon Emission Output (via Scope 3) across all aspects of your campaigns.
By rigorously analysing these KPIs, advertisers can make data-driven decisions rather than relying on the perceived prestige of a placement.
Bridging Style and Substance
The goal here isn’t to abandon high-profile placements at all, but more to be aware that if/when you are using them, that they are part of an effective sitelist - and at Converge, we work to ensure that style and substance can not only coexist, but even enhance each other:
1. Targeted Placements: We utilise Kantar/TGI custom survey data to understand who your target audience is, how they behave, and where they spend their time online, and then use Context Targeting to ensure relevant placement of your campaign. High-profile sites can be extremely valuable, but only if they align with your brand message and audience habits.
2. Creative Optimization: Even the most prestigious placement will fail without compelling creative. Use A/B testing to find what resonates with your target audience and utilise UTM’s across your campaign to gauge where the real value wins are coming from.
3. Holistic Strategy: Combine premium placements with high-engagement platforms. This might mean mixing well-known sites with niche titles or social media platforms where your audience is also active.
4. Continuous Monitoring: Utilise real-time KPI tracking to adjust your strategy as and when you need to. If a particular placement isn’t performing, be ready to pivot, and don’t be afraid to make seemingly bold decisions for the benefit of the campaign overall.
The future of successful digital advertising lies in balancing the prestige of brand placements with the tangible results shown through KPIs. This balance ensures that your advertising efforts are not just seen but are also impactful.
Embracing KPI reporting means you’re not just shouting into the void from a pedestal; you’re engaging in meaningful conversations with your audience. By focusing on both style and substance, advertisers can ensure their campaigns are not only visually appealing but can achieve their desired outcomes, ultimately leading to a much stronger return on that initial investment.
