What is the future of programmatic advertising?

Programmatic advertising will continue its linear progression in 2022 with a growth of 11% in video, 6% in display and 53% in audio for a global market of almost €2 billion.
This method of buying is now in the majority among advertisers, advertising networks and agencies, and is gradually replacing over-the-counter buying, which is often perceived as too rigid in relation to the media issues facing brands.

But before asking what the future of programmatic advertising is, let's take a quick look at what it is for the uninitiated.

What is programmatic advertising?

Programmatic advertising is the use of automated technology to buy and sell advertising placements of all types on the internet. It has already revolutionised the advertising industry by offering marketers more efficiency, accuracy and flexibility.

Sometimes criticized for its lack of transparency or difficulty in measuring results, the future of programmatic advertising looks even brighter as it continues to evolve and offer new opportunities to brands.

What can we expect in the coming years?

Here are some of the trends that will shape the future of programmatic advertising:

> Increased use of artificial intelligence (AI): Programmatic advertising will increasingly rely on AI to optimise ad delivery, personalise content and improve targeting. This will allow brands to create more relevant and engaging ads to address their target audiences.
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> Greater emphasis on privacy and data protection: The entire ecosystem - agencies, publishers, advertisers, data providers, tech partners - will need to ensure that data is collected and used responsibly and ethically in order to gain consumer trust.
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> Integration with other channels: Programmatic advertising will be further integrated with other channels, such as social media, video and audio, to create a seamless omnichannel experience for consumers. This will allow brands to reach consumers across multiple touchpoints and deliver a more consistent brand message.
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> Increased use of programmatic advertising in TV: Programmatic advertising is already expanding to TV, offering brands the ability to target TV audiences with the same precision as digital advertising.
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> Increased use of contextual targeting: As privacy concerns grow and consumer data is increasingly restricted, the use of contextual targeting technologies will increase. Contextual advertising uses the content on the page to determine which ads to serve, rather than relying on user data.
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> Growth in programmatic audio advertising: As streaming and podcast services continue to grow in popularity, audio is a powerful growth driver for programmatic advertising. Brands can now target listeners with personalised audio ads based on their listening behaviour.
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> The rise of connected TV advertising: The number of connected TVs in households has never been higher. Still little addressed by advertisers in Europe, connected TV continues to grow at the pace of new content available. The opening of Netflix to advertising and the upcoming arrival of Disney+ are turning points for the format.
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> Using blockchain for transparency and security: Blockchain is being used to create more transparency and security in programmatic advertising. By using blockchain, brands can ensure that their ads are delivered to the intended audience and that they get what they pay for.
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> More emphasis on creativity: While programmatic advertising is very effective, it can also lead to pitfalls such as thinking that media optimisations alone will achieve goals. Brands are putting more emphasis on creativity and creating ads that stand out from the competition.
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> Using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for advertising: AR and VR are becoming more common in advertising, and programmatic advertising is no exception. Brands can use AR and VR to create immersive advertising experiences that engage consumers and drive brand awareness.
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> The rise of in-game advertising: This is already a reality but the market is still in its infancy in 2023. As the gaming market is constantly growing, the ability to address its numerous audiences by creating non-intrusive experiences is a major challenge for the coming years. Currently developed mainly on mobile games, everything suggests that the possibilities will be extended to a much wider catalogue of games.
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> The field of possibilities for programmatic advertising seems almost limitless, given the pace of technological developments and the digitalisation of traditional media.
The future looks very exciting for an ecosystem in constant motion that is constantly innovating to improve the performance of brands and the ethics of our profession.

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