Artificial Intelligence (AI) has wedged its way into our daily lives, revolutionizing how we work. From Gmail's suggested replies to HubSpot's AI Assistant, AI has simplified tasks such as responding to emails and planning our schedules. However, its impact on business marketing is more profound and is poised to reshape the digital landscape. Search Engines Shift to AI-Driven Models In our 2024 Paid Media Predictions, we highlighted a significant shift in the search engine landscape. Google and Bing are transitioning towards AI-driven models, heralding a new era in digital marketing. This shift necessitates a reevaluation of traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies. What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)? As the relevance of the "SE" in SEO undergoes transformation, the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) takes center stage. GEO adapts to the evolving algorithms of AI-powered search engines by harnessing the capabilities of AI to create and optimize content. The emerging generative models of search engines prioritize speed and efficiency, resembling chatbots more than the conventional keyword-driven search model. To align with these changes, content must be easily digestible and provide direct answers to users' queries. Imagine sifting through a lengthy response when seeking information from an AI model—it's impractical. This is where GEO steps in, focusing on content that is both relevant to user queries and structured for optimal comprehension by AI models. How to Optimize Content for GEO Recent research from Cornell University emphasizes the need for strategic content optimization to enhance visibility in generative engines. Tactics such as: changing content to be more authoritative incorporating relevant statistics quotes from reputable sources, and simplifying language can boost content visibility by up to 40% (Aggarwal et al., 2023). GEO adopts and refines these strategies, recognizing their enhanced importance in the context of AI-driven models. While some tactics are universally beneficial, it's crucial to tailor them to the specific needs of each business. For instance, a clothing company might prioritize "Gen Z fashion tips" over technical jargon, while health snack food brands may focus on authoritative content and statistics instead of excessive keyword use. Understanding your target audience's search intent and how AI interprets their question is key. Early adopters of GEO will gain a competitive edge as this technology matures and becomes more mainstream. GEO is the Future of Digital Marketing The shift to generative search is still in its infancy, and as a result, so is GEO. However, businesses that proactively plan and optimize for this paradigm shift will position themselves as industry leaders as the technology evolves. Early adoption of GEO allows businesses to fine-tune their strategies based on real-world feedback, ensuring they are well-prepared for the future. In conclusion, AI's integration into search engines is ushering in a new era for digital marketers. As SEO transforms into GEO, businesses need to adapt their strategies to cater to the unique demands of AI-driven models. The early implementation of GEO provides businesses with a strategic advantage, allowing them to stay ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Embrace the change, optimize for the future, and unlock the full potential of Generative Engine Optimization.

Amazon joins the ranks of streamers offering ad tiers, and new data shows viewers embrace the format. Back in June 2023, we discussed Amazon Prime Video's announcement of a forthcoming ad-supported streaming subscription tier, and while we were sipping eggnog and counting down, they rolled it out! Come January 29th, subscribers face a choice: pay an additional $2.99 monthly or embrace intermittent ads during their beloved Prime Originals. This announcement from Amazon mirrors an industry-wide trend: a surge in ad-supported payment tiers across streaming platforms. Surprisingly, user acceptance of this model is soaring. Embracing the Rise of Ad-Supported Streaming Contrary to expectations, consumers are showing a growing inclination toward ad-supported streaming. Recent data from Antenna highlights a notable shift. During the first half of 2023, 25% of new sign-ups opted for ad-supported tiers, a substantial leap from the 20% recorded in 2021. This remarkable upswing within a mere two-year span signifies a changing dynamic in viewer preferences. Platforms in the Spotlight: Ad-Supported Success Stories In the realm of ad-supported streaming, Hulu stands tall, reigning with the largest user base on these tiers. Nevertheless, competitors like Peacock and Paramount+ are gaining ground swiftly, offering their own ad-supported alternatives. Forecasts suggest that by 2024, almost two-thirds of users on these platforms will gravitate towards ad-supported tiers. Notably, newcomers Netflix and Disney+ are primed for substantial gains, with projected increases of 69.7% and 45.1% in their ad-watching audiences, respectively. We'll see how Prime Video fits into the mix! "The influx of ad-supported streaming as a whole will give media buyers a big-picture sense of how their CTV ad spend measures up against other channels like retail or social media." A Lucrative Intersection: CTV and Advertisers For streamers, the surge in ad-supported subscriptions translates into a dual benefit: a broader avenue to engage audiences and a steady influx of revenue from advertisers. This burgeoning trend means a consistent stream of income for platforms, as users increasingly opt for ad-inclusive tiers. The financial upturn is not only a testament to user acceptance but also a lucrative opportunity for marketers seeking to tap into engaged audiences. For brands, the proliferation of ad-supported streaming spells favorable news. The expansion of premium, targetable inventory on Connected TV (CTV) heralds a significant breakthrough. The increased ad supply alleviates the long-standing struggle with CPM inflation, offering brand marketers a broader canvas to showcase their offerings to a more receptive audience. However, as we previously discussed, Amazon is a walled garden, meaning that limited viewership analytics and first-party data will be released to advertisers. But the influx of ad-supported streaming as a whole will give media buyers a big-picture sense of how their CTV ad spend measures up against other channels like retail or social media. The forthcoming months promise an exciting trajectory for both streaming services and advertisers. It's not just a trend; it's a seismic shift in how viewers engage with content. We're keeping a close eye on all the latest developments in CTV and programmatic advertising, so subscribe to our free, weekly newsletter to know what the experts know.

What's on the horizon for digital marketing, AI in advertising, retail media, and more. It's officially "let's circle back after the holidays" season, so before we do, let's look ahead to the paid media trends on deck for 2024, as predicted by the media buyers at Exverus. Omni-funnel Commerce AI in Advertising AR Marketing Campaigns Evolution of Paid Search Marketing Data Privacy in Marketing Omni-Funnel Commerce That’s right: omnichannel is out, omni-funnel is in! For retail & CPG businesses of all sizes, speaking to your audience and collecting their data from across all digital and in-person channels cohesively is crucial. Shoppers are increasingly ordering goods online and picking them up in-store, or seeing an OOH ad and purchasing the item digitally, or any other number of combinations. Your brand’s voice, image, and user experience have to be consistent across all touchpoints in the purchasing journey. Retail media ad spend is projected to outpace TV by 2028, and with good reason -- it's a full-funnel marketing tactic for reaching your desired audience. Retail media networks provide a wealth of first-party consumer data to help advertisers target consumers more precisely (and in more creative ways) when they're already in a purchasing mindset. Social Commerce is also a full-funnel strategy, combining the wide reach of social platforms with the immediate purchase ability of e-commerce. Learn more about how your brand can excel at social commerce here. "The lines are blurring between social and search, with Instagram and TikTok both offering sponsored search ad inventory; and social commerce is on the rise with the launch of TikTok Shop. As shoppable CTV ads and interactive ad units become more widely used, we’ll see further blurring of lines in 2024." - Alex Guardado, Paid Social Manager AI in Advertising Everyone’s talking about AI going into 2024 – how to use generative AI to create content and brainstorm ideas, how to use large language models (LLMs) to process data, and how to make our media buying choices more quickly and efficiently. 2024 will see a major expansion and clarification of use cases for this technology in paid media. We’re also watching the development of multinational government regulation of AI companies and services. ​​Customer service is a huge area for AI in marketing. AI-powered chatbots can screen out a lot of customers’ questions or concerns, standardizing the answers and providing correct information every time (how many times has one customer service pro told you one thing, and their colleague told you the exact opposite?) Efficient chatbots can maintain the brand experience across channels and clear up human-powered customer service lines for lower wait times. Chatbots can also be built into interactive ad experiences! In 2023, we partnered with PadSquad to build an AI-powered chatbot recipe-picker for John Soules Foods. The campaign harnessed the convenience of AI tools and applied it to product recommendations. Read all about the campaign in this Digiday feature. “We'll see AI being used to enhance predictive personalization in e-commerce marketplaces. For example, AI can be used to recommend future products or services to consumers based on their past purchases, demographics, and preferences – that’s enormously beneficial technology for retail media networks and appealing to consumers looking to make their next purchase.” - Hillary Kupferberg, VP of Performance Marketing Advertisers can also utilize AI to personalize ad messaging to the individual viewer, determine the best channel or placement for the ad based on consumer behavior, and automatically adjust prices to follow market fluctuations. Stay tuned for more about how to utilize AI in e-commerce. AR Marketing Campaigns Augmented reality (AR), rich media, and other technological advances have become popular media trends on the creative side of advertising. Many clothing and accessory brands now offer AR tools on their website or apps to let a shopper “try on” a product overlaying their photo before purchasing. Our own media planning team for Stella & Chewy’s raw pet food collaborated with ad tech provider PadSquad to build an AR ad unit in which pet owners could upload their favorite pet photos and add AR frames/decorations - it was a really effective campaign! Get inspired to build your own mobile AR campaign in this Adweek feature about ours. “Interactive, high-tech elements are becoming increasingly important for ad campaigns to stand out from the usual static images and videos.” - Anna Elema, Media Director Evolution of Paid Search Marketing Search engines like Google and Bing are transitioning to AI-driven models that behave more like chatbots than boxes and links. A person seeking information only needs one or two really good answers, so being chosen by a search engine as “the answer” requires the highest-quality content and a conversational tone. These large-language models don’t yet have widespread ad inventory available for search advertising, but it’s on the way. To learn how to prepare your paid search marketing strategy ahead of the change, read this guest article we published in Adweek. “The proliferation of AI-generated ads will mean that your ads will look very similar to your competitors using the same AI program. AI copy will level the playing field, only further increasing the importance of an optimized landing page experience to gain an advantage over the competition. Paid search ad copy will decrease in importance as landing page experience increases in importance.” - Ryan Schuster, Director of Paid Search Data Privacy in Marketing Google has (once again) confirmed the oncoming demise of third-party cookies and transition to Privacy Sandbox next year, which affects marketing and advertising significantly. Larger companies with robust sets of zero- or first-party data will be just fine, but for the rest of us, a shift toward marketing strategies that bring the aforementioned data in-house is crucial. It’s imperative to respect your users’ preferences and be clear about your data collection practices. Only use legally obtained user data and only use it to make the ad experience more relevant. People are familiar with data collection practices and know it to be a necessary price for using different services/social media platforms at no cost. As advertisers, the best thing we can do is respect the data we have and use it to curate highly relevant experiences. “More and more, we're seeing sites have already implemented logins, which means visitors have knowingly or unknowingly [depending if they read the terms and conditions] opted in to share their data.” - Ian Clark, Media Director Brands can demonstrate their concern for customers’ data privacy by utilizing tools that have existed for years like one-time passwords, two-factor authentication, and double opt-in subscriptions. Adding a line to the signup confirmation box or website lightbox saying “We’ll never sell your data”, “User data is end-to-end encrypted”, or whatever applies could make a consumer feel more comfortable doing business with you. Offer choices in terms of the quantity and type of communications the consumer could expect to receive as a result of signing up. Learn how we successfully collected an abundance of zero-party data with consumers’ enthusiastic consent in a clever media plan for Stella & Chewy’s. For more advertising trends and industry analysis, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter.

Company culture awards based upon anonymous employee satisfaction surveys Independent media agency Exverus Media of Hollywood, CA has been named one of Southern California's Best Workplaces in 2023 by the LA Times B2B Publishing team. Awards were given out to 65 organizations, divided into two size categories, based upon the results of anonymous employee satisfaction surveys administered by third-party firm DataJoe LLC. The list was published in a special Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Forum magazine because, "when factors such as diversity, equity, inclusion, communication and transparency from leadership and true growth opportunities are present at a workplace, great things are bound to happen." "Creating an agency where employees feel supported being themselves and doing meaningful work has been our priority since day one", says Bill Durrant, Exverus president and co-founder. "We're grateful to be recognized by our city among such respectable organizations." Exverus has had women and people of color in founding and executive leadership positions since its inception in 2014 – we were built on a vision of inclusion and belonging way before they became popular buzzwords. Of our 40+ employees, a majority identify as people of color and/or LGBTQIA+; also, easily a quarter of Exverians are working parents, with whom we provide the flexibility and compensation needed to integrate work and family life in an expensive city. Our retention rate for the last year was an outstanding 92%, and we have not done any layoffs. For all press inquiries, please contact Michelle Andrade at michelle.andrade@exverus.com.

Exverus Media, Inc. hired Hillary Kupferberg as the new VP of Performance Marketing, overseeing its robust retail media and e-commerce department. Kupferberg brings over a decade of experience in digital and creative strategy at prestigious media agencies. She starts Monday, November 27, 2023. The agency also hired Assistant Media Planners Tiffany Liang and Kris Chen to join the Honey Stinger and New Belgium & Bell's Brewery teams, respectively. For all press inquiries, contact: Michelle.Andrade@exverus.com

Collaboration with ad tech partner PadSquad proves lucrative for the pet food brand. While the decision to invest in mobile advertising may be easy, creatively devising ways to stand out and make a lasting impression is far more challenging. Integrating technological advances like AR in advertising campaigns can help your message stand out from the crowd of static or video social ads. Media strategy agency Exverus Media teamed up with PadSquad, the high-impact advertising experiences leader, to develop a new mobile ad experience for Stella & Chewy’s, the raw natural pet food for dogs and cats. Together, we built an interactive AR experience in which pet parents were encouraged to upload photos with their pets, decorate them with AR frames and filters, and upload them to social media. Try it yourself here! Our interactive programmatic mobile experience helped make Stella & Chewy’s a category leader in just a few months. Nearly a quarter-million users engaged with this campaign, leading to a 702% higher engagement rate than standard benchmarks. Stella & Chewy’s experienced an incremental 2% lift in brand awareness from just this one tactic with a <$500K budget. And the campaign won the 2023 MediaPost OMMA Award for Best Mobile Marketing campaign of the year! “This is the sort of participatory advertising that brands dream of,” said Anna Elema, Media Director at Exverus. “Stella & Chewy’s is now a category competitor with a deeper connection to a growing segment of brand loyalists.” Utilizing technology like AR in advertising campaigns requires a strong ad tech partner, a data-driven media strategy, and personal connections with the target audience. In this case, we tapped into the emotional connection people have with their pets and allowed them to be creative with the ad unit, to make something uniquely their own, and to share photos of their pets, which pet owners already love to do. The case study was featured by Adweek here.

Worried about third-party cookies going away and need zero party data? Our VP, Tasha Day, gave a stellar talk at the MediaPost Brand Insider Summit: CPG in Santa Barbara, CA spilling the beans on how to get ahead of the game. She uses the example of a multichannel media campaign we did in 2023 for Stella & Chewy's in which target pet owners were directed to their local pet store with location data ad tech, invited to scan a QR code and enter info to win a real-life billboard photo of them with their pet! The campaign successfully drove in-store foot traffic, collected thousands of email addresses for Stella & Chewy's CRM, and cultivated long-term customer loyalty all at once. Triple win! Learn the secrets of how Tasha's team accomplished this in the video above, and subscribe to Exverus' YouTube channel for more media strategy ideas and effective marketing campaign examples. Or, if you're more of a reader, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter here.

Using AI-powered tools can keep shoppers coming back with product recs, sales copy, personalized ads, and more. Imagine you see your favorite social influencer wearing THE perfect pair of pants, comfortable yet chic, the kind you've been looking for everywhere. You click on the shoppable ad, link to the brand's in-app store, choose your size and color, and then use a store locator to find out where to go pick up your new pants in person TODAY. Congratulations, you're having an omnichannel shopping experience! The above story probably isn't unfamiliar -- shoppers are doing some variation of it every day. Today’s consumers expect a brand’s social channels, website or app, and brick-and-mortar store to feel like one consistent experience, with the same look, feel, and vibe throughout. Brand marketers (or, in our agency’s case, media buyers) from each channel have to be aligned on the brand’s voice, messaging, and target audience to achieve the omnichannel experience. Choose Your Channel Recommendations Personalization CX Supply chain & inventory Sales Copy Example Choose your channel Know which channels are reaching which segments of your target audience, and reformat your advertising and communication strategies to “speak their language.” Let’s say, for example, you’re a retailer to sells to multiple generations of consumers. If your data tells you the younger segment shops online more frequently than in-store, then it wouldn’t make sense to prioritize TikTok for in-store-only promotions – it would be wiser to use TikTok (or retail media networks) for online or in-app promotions and reach your older demographic in whichever channels they frequent. Recommendations AI can be used to recommend products or services to consumers based on their past purchases, demographics, or inputted preferences. That’s enormously beneficial technology for retail media networks, which deliver sponsored product recommendations paid for by brands. Personalization Advertisers can utilize AI to personalize ad messaging or creative to the individual viewer, determine the best channel or placement for the ad based on consumer behavior, and automatically adjust prices to follow market fluctuations. Customer experience Customer service is another huge area for AI in marketing. AI-powered chatbots can screen out a lot of customers’ questions or concerns, standardizing the answers and providing correct information every time (how many times has one customer service pro told you one thing, and their colleague told you the exact opposite?) Efficient chatbots can maintain the brand experience across channels and clear up human-powered customer service lines for lower wait times. Supply chain & inventory Who better to learn ecom tricks from than one of the world's most successful omnichannel retailers? Walmart is preparing for the 2023 holiday shopping season by using its proprietary, AI-powered supply chain and inventory software. According to Reuters, its machine-learning algorithm relies on weather patterns and each store's past sales data to predict the inventory needs of its more than 4,700 U.S. locations. Avoiding under- or overproduction and supply chain jams is crucial for brands to protect their profit margins, the planet, and customer experience. Generative AI in Ecommerce Many small businesses can't afford teams of professional copywriters to write compelling product descriptions like Fortune 500 brands do. So Amazon, eBay, and Shopify have all released generative AI tools for ecommerce sellers to write product descriptions and sales copy that get noticed by search algorithms. Take advantage of these tools to give your brand a boost. AI CX in Action Our media planning team at Exverus recently launched an omnichannel, master-brand campaign with John Soules Foods (as featured in Digiday) using an interactive ad unit to generate personalized product recommendations. We partnered with ad tech provider PadSquad to create an AI chatbot Recipe-Picker for our target audience of busy families. The chatbot asks a series of questions about the cook’s preferences (beef/chicken, healthy/indulgent, cook time, etc.) and, based on the answers, generates a personalized list of recipe options using JSF's products. Try the demo here (it's fun!) The AI chatbot was part of a larger campaign that integrated AI in ecommerce, programmatic advertising, paid search, and paid social media. The potential use cases for AI in ecommerce are still infinite. If you'd like to brainstorm creative ideas for your retail media campaign, leave us a comment or DM and put this paradigm-shifting technology to work for you. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter for free here.

Why podcasts, streaming ads, and even AM/FM radio are essential marketing channels in 2023 Last week, we discussed the importance of creative visuals in ad campaigns for authentic brand-building. Creative diversification is imperative for telling stories in a manner best received by the target audience and preventing ad fatigue. But equally important is the way your advertisement SOUNDS. TV commercials, radio spots, social and video ads can worm their way into a listener's ears (if they weren't paying attention before!) and stay in their memory long afterward. (How easily could you recall the "Nationwide is on your side" jingle?) In fact, 60% of listeners' ad engagement carries over from the audio content heard immediately before, according to 2023's Sonic Science Volume 2 study. Creating excellent audio ads is part of building your brand's identity as well as selling your product. Learn more about the effectiveness and impact of audio advertising below. Why is audio advertising effective? How can audio ads build a brand? What are best practices for audio advertising? Why is audio advertising effective? Audio ads have the ability to capture and hold the listener's attention. When people are engaged in audio content, such as streaming music, podcasts, or radio, they are more likely to pay attention to the ads that play during those moments. Well-crafted jingles, voiceovers, and music can evoke strong feelings and associations, making the ad more memorable. Another reason audio advertising is effective is the ability to reach well-targeted audiences. With the rise of streaming services and digital radio, advertisers can target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, ensuring that their message reaches the right audience at the right time. This precision targeting can lead to higher conversion rates. On the backend of campaigns, digital audio platforms often provide detailed analytics, allowing advertisers to track the performance of their ads. This data can help refine targeting, messaging, and overall ad strategy for better results. How can audio ads build a brand? Audio ads can thoroughly convey a brand's message, values, and identity. Repeated exposure to a consistent audio branding strategy helps reinforce brand recognition and recall. When consumers encounter the brand later, they are more likely to remember it due to the familiarity established through audio advertising. There's a reason brands pay top dollar for podcast host-read ads. By associating itself with a listener's favorite podcast hosts, musical artists, or radio shows, a brand can gain credibility and relevance among its intended demographic. Omnichannel is everything: Audio advertising can be part of a larger multichannel marketing strategy, reinforcing the brand's messaging across various platforms and touchpoints, such as social media, video, and print. What are best practices for audio advertising? Don't just list your product's features; tell your story. Audio ads can tell compelling stories that resonate with listeners. Narratives can illustrate the brand's values, history, or mission, making it more relatable and humanizing the brand. Google recommends using a consistent tone and tempo. For 30-second ads, aim for 55-75 words. And be conversational! A friendly tone helps listeners smoothly transition between entertainment content and ads. Finally, Spotify Audio Ads recommends employing "a combination of background music and sound effects [to] instantly conjure a mood and give context to your core message." The professional media buyers at Exverus do audio advertising for brands directly through platforms like Spotify and programmatically every day. If you have questions or thoughts about how best to get a brand into consumers' ears, drop us a comment below. We'd love to hear from you! This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here.

What is creative diversification? 5 strategies for upgrading your ad creative As media planners, we spend a lot of time thinking about placements and formats. Which platforms does our target audience use most? Should we appear in contextual environments or in social feeds? While these questions are important, there's something even more fundamental to consider: creative diversification. In the fast-evolving landscape of digital advertising, the spotlight is now firmly on creativity. As marketers navigate the terrain of AI-powered ad tools, a critical insight has emerged: creative is the next frontier for achieving unparalleled ad performance. Ads with diversified creatives report up to 32% improvement in CPA and 9% enhancement in incremental reach. What is creative diversification? The challenge for marketers is stark: attention spans are dwindling, with Gen Z clocking out from ads after a mere 1.3 seconds. How can you create content that captures their elusive interest and combats creative fatigue? Henry Kelly, Head of e-Commerce at Meta, offers a beacon of hope. According to Kelly, "Creative is targeting." It's the gateway to crafting narratives that resonate uniquely with specific audiences. Creative diversification, the art of embracing a variety of ad formats and concepts, emerges as the catalyst for reaching new audiences, rejuvenating engagement, and spurring action. One such example is Meta's Advantage+ solutions and their impact on campaign efficiencies. It's creativity that holds the power to drive results and business outcomes. The statistics bear witness to the power of diversification. Ads with diversified creatives report up to a 32% improvement in CPA and a 9% enhancement in incremental reach. It's more than just eye-catching visuals; it's about telling the right story to the right audience. Kelly aptly underscores, "Creative is the vehicle to authentically engage with your audience." So, what can marketers glean from this creative awakening? 63% of 18–34-year-olds trust what influencers say about a brand more than the brand itself. 5 strategies for upgrading your ad creative: Visual Distinctiveness: To attract a broader audience, consider visualizations that resonate with less-reached demographics. Tailor your creative with diverse imagery and messaging. Humanized Content: In an era where relatability reigns supreme, embrace user-generated content (UGC) and "lo-fi" creative alongside polished brand assets. Being not only true-to-brand but True-to-Life speaks volumes in a world bored of polished perfection. Collaborate with Creators: Harness the trust creators have already built with their audiences. 63% of 18–34-year-olds trust what influencers say about a brand more than the brand itself. Their unique perspectives can breathe life into your brand narratives, expanding your reach and deepening affinity. Experiment with Placements: Customize creatives for different placements, tailoring them to audience behavior and platform-specific best practices to maximize your brand's exposure. Embrace AI: In this age of AI, relinquishing some control over brand assets can yield remarkable results. AI can optimize and personalize ad content at scale, tailoring messages to individual preferences. Embrace AI-driven creative strategies, allowing the algorithms to identify the most effective messaging, visuals, and placements to engage your audience. The message is clear: the era of creativity has dawned on advertising. By embracing creative diversification, influencers, and AI, you can navigate the dynamic digital landscape and gain a competitive edge. It's not just about catching eyes; it's about captivating hearts and minds. As you embark on your advertising journey, remember: in this realm, creative is indeed the new black. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here.

You're probably missing out on the upper funnel benefits retail media has to offer. When we hear "retail media network" (RMN), we often think of the final touchpoint. It's that last "shout" to consumers before checkout with their groceries, electronics, or their most recent wardrobe addition. And that makes sense! Traditionally, retail media networks have been limited to campaigns designed specifically for the end-of-the-funnel—a way to nudge the consumer one last time before they purchase. However, this approach limits the efficacy of retail media networks. By hyper-focusing on the point of sale, you rely on impulse rather than proving value. When we shift our perspective and start viewing retail media as a full-funnel marketing strategy, we can harness the power of these networks to drive awareness, purchase consideration, and ultimately, conversions. The Full-Funnel Benefits of Retail Media 1. Brands can leverage the RMN's first-person buyer data to create personalized messaging for segmented audiences. For example, if you know your audience shops at a particular chain of stores, you could run an exclusive opt-in campaign via QR codes or SMS offers to pull future buyers into your funnel. 2. From there, you can start retargeting campaigns or mid-funnel nurture sequences while gaining invaluable insights into who your shoppers are and what they want. 3. And to maximize your reach, you can build lookalike audiences with RMNs or on other platforms, with the data you collect from your top-of-funnel tactics. It's time to draw upon the same concepts and ideas we've been using in digital marketing and apply them to retail media networks! By thinking of RMNs as whole-funnel solutions, brands can create more meaningful connections with their audiences from discovery to purchase. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here.

How to best utilize location data ad tech to reach your campaign goals Do you know where your customers are? Do you know when they shop, or what they buy in person? It's one thing to make an educated guess about buyer behavior -- the stores they frequent, the products they want, and their spending habits -- but it's another to get the real-time data necessary to make effective marketing decisions. That's where location intelligence comes in. By leveraging ad tech that provides location data (the who, what, and when), we can extrapolate the how and why for our advertising campaigns. Why Location Data is Useful Enter Ad Tech Why Location Data is Useful Placer.ai recently published data on the high-end grocery store Erewhon which revealed that weekday afternoons saw the most foot traffic for high-income shoppers. With this data, advertisers for premium-priced items could target these stores at the right time, to ensure their message was reaching the right people. Location intelligence can provide businesses with the insights they need to optimize campaigns for local stores and venues, increasing ROI by reaching a more concentrated audience. This is particularly important for retail media strategies because detailed information about shoppers' whereabouts allows marketers to adjust messaging and channel placements accordingly. By accessing location data in real-time, you can make sure your campaigns are always up to date and capitalize on any changes in the market. This type of technology can even create virtual boundaries around particular locations to track visits and conversions for campaigns that target specific geographic areas. Enter Ad Tech Platforms like the aforementioned Placer.ai, Unacast, Foursquare, and Advan provide comprehensive location intelligence and foot traffic data that can help marketers more accurately plan their campaigns. Sure, the presence of high-income shoppers at Erewhon is an easy assumption to make (not everyone can afford a $25.50 jar of mushroom bolognese), but the data these tools offer goes deeper than surface-level hypotheses. Connect the dots between your solution and your buyers' pain points. In Texas, grocery chain H-E-B started offering advertising space for Thumbtack to help its customers find pet grooming services. In doing so, they are helping their customers cross more off their to-do lists while shopping at their locations. In its simplest form, location intelligence can help you choose your placements. But when you combine this data with what you already know about your customers, you begin to position your brand, product, or service as a solution to timely problems. Instead of a luxury, you become part of their routine. Learn more about how Exverus utilizes location ad tech in our media strategies for clients like convenience store chain Kum & Go by dropping a question below! This article originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For the most up-to-date news and tips to improve your media strategy, subscribe for free here.