Programmatic advertising has seen tremendous growth in recent years, and marketers are increasingly leveraging it across multiple channels throughout the sales funnel. StackAdapt’s 2023 report, “The Case for Multi-Channel Programmatic Advertising,” offers an in-depth exploration of this topic, backed by a survey conducted in partnership with the ad industry business intelligence firm Advertiser Perceptions.

Unraveling the State of Multi-Channel Programmatic Advertising

The report reveals that 72% of respondents anticipate an increase in their programmatic advertising spend over the next 12 months. The reasons for this increase vary, with the expansion of campaigns, increased budgets, and improved ROI/performance being the top motivators.

This progression towards programmatic advertising is facilitated by agencies, as 95% of marketers use agencies to manage at least some programmatic buys. This underscores the crucial role partnerships play in implementing a successful multi-channel advertising strategy.

Harnessing the Power of Multi-Channel Advertising

Multi-channel advertising is a strategy that utilizes multiple channels to connect with consumers, and it’s proven to be highly effective. Half of the advertisers surveyed believe that multi-channel advertising is extremely important for achieving both upper- and lower-funnel goals, while 40% view it as extremely important for mid-funnel goals.

The most widely used channels for multi-channel campaigns include social media, digital display, and digital video, with agencies using almost all media types in their campaigns.

Reaping the Benefits of a Multi-Channel Approach

The report identifies several benefits of multi-channel advertising. Over half of the respondents see extended reach, increased brand awareness, and ad engagement, along with the ability to reach consumers on their preferred channel, as the top advantages.

Furthermore, 62% of marketers believe that multi-channel campaigns achieve or exceed their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) at least most of the time, highlighting the effectiveness of this approach.

However, running multi-channel ad campaigns is not without challenges. Measuring goals across multiple channels, managing campaigns across various platforms, and the need for different creatives for each channel are some of the hurdles faced by advertisers.

Exploring Top Channels for Multi-Channel Advertising

The report highlights four top channels for multi-channel advertising – Video, Connected TV, In-Game Advertising, and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH).

Video plays a crucial role in driving awareness and creating emotional connections with consumers. The report found strong optimism towards Connected TV, with 62% of advertisers planning to increase their spend on this channel.

In-Game Advertising is another avenue gaining traction, offering 100% viewable, non-skippable ads and longer exposure times. DOOH, meanwhile, provides audience reach or scale, high-impact ad formats, and consumer engagement as its top benefits.

Key Takeaways for Digital Marketers

The report concludes with some key takeaways for integrating multi-channel advertising into your digital strategy:

1. Plan a Multi-Channel Mix: Using a mix of complementary channels increases the audience reach and helps craft a cohesive brand story throughout the customer journey.
2. Target Full Funnel: Multi-channel campaigns allow advertisers to capture users throughout the entire marketing funnel, building awareness, consideration, and purchase intent simultaneously.
3. Repurpose Content: One way to overcome the challenge of developing different creative assets for each channel is to repurpose content across channels.
4. Work With a Partner: Partnering with a programmatic platform that supports multi-channel campaigns can help overcome measurement and management challenges.