- October 17, 2019

Programmatic Playbook: Demographic Segments

Rachel Gantz
Rachel Gantz
Managing Director
Proximic by Comscore

Growth in programmatic buying has exploded over the last decade, and with it has come the emergence of countless data providers, each with their own bold claims and jargon. As a media or programmatic buyer, it can be hard to tell the good from the bad. Yet with ROI and client relationships on the line, selecting the right targeting partner has never been more important.

As a leading, independent provider of advertising solutions, Comscore frequently finds itself discussing these challenges with clients. We understand that in a crowded, complex programmatic ecosystem, choosing the right segments can be daunting for today’s media buyer.

Comscore’s Programmatic Playbook series offers quick and easy steps and identifies other factors to consider that will help media buyers better evaluate, choose and activate segments. Today’s column focuses on demographic segments.

Crowded programmatic exchanges can make demographic segments look like commodities – but looks can be deceiving. When it comes to demographics, even the smallest of differences in composition, scalability, and quality can have a significant impact on a campaign’s ability to break-through (or not).

With these nuances in mind, here are our four factors to consider when targeting specific demographics:

  • Data Sources. It is important to understand how a data provider assigns demographics and what data sources power their segments. Work with providers that provide transparency into their methodology and that have a massive starting data set.
  • Check scale and ID figures. Most providers boast of having a massive scale, but the proof is in the match rate and ID numbers. Segment listings in DSPs and DMPs often include an estimated number of available IDs. Checking this number prior to campaign activation is a quick and easy step that a buyer should take to ensure that campaigns can deliver on the reach and frequency needed to drive impact.
  • Ensure multi-platform support. As digital and TV realms continue to blend, it’s important to use consistent marketing data for planning, targeting and measurement. When vetting partners and options, buyers should select segments that can be leveraged across multiple platforms – including desktop, mobile and connected TV – to ensure impactful performance regardless of a given client's or buyer’s preferred medium.
  • Proven results. Ask the provider if they have any case studies they can share that prove their segments drive higher in-target rates. Most providers will look to test the accuracy of their segments and should be willing to share the results with your team.

Comscore offers a robust suite of audience and contextual segments, including demographic segments. To learn more, visit here or contact us.

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