With in-house programmatic advertising growing so rapidly, now might be the right time for brands to start considering the future of their own programmatic strategies.
In-house programmatic advertising refers to a brand conducting its marketing activities internally, utilizing its own organization’s talent and resources instead of outsourcing to an agency. Specifically, in the context of programmatic advertising, this entails choosing to handle programmatic ad-buying internally rather than through a traditional agency.
This programmatic advertising method gives marketers more control over their advertising strategy and greater ownership over security, compliance, creativity, and customer journeys. In-house marketing is currently growing and expanding as brands take responsibility for biddable digital marketing, including paid search, social media, and programmatic advertising.
In addition to managing biddable digital marketing, such as paid search and social media, brands are increasingly interested in bringing all biddable media in-house, including programmatic advertising.
With so many marketers looking at ways to save money and increase security, now is the time to start thinking forward.
The good and bad in-house programmatic
There are many important benefits to in-house marketing. For one, in-house marketing can be a cost-saving option for companies as it eliminates the need for paying agency commissions. It also gives marketers greater control over each stage of the marketing process, enabling them to optimize resources and facilitate adjustments with a streamlined chain of command.
By marketing in-house, brands also are able to take advantage of the institutional knowledge of their own team, after all, no one knows your company better than your own team.
But there are also drawbacks. With in-house marketing can come a decrease in objectivity. Occasionally, internal teams may be too familiar with the brand to consider alternative viewpoints.
There can also be an issue with restricted talent since solely relying on internal talent restricts the potential pool of candidates.
These issues can be offset by utilizing freelancers, in order to take advantage of fresh talent and perspective.
In-house programmatic is trending upwards
Furthermore, based on a study conducted by the WFA, it was found that 90% of respondents are currently reevaluating their approach to programmatic advertising, indicating that in-house ad operations are expected to further increase in popularity.
According to a 2023 report by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), 26% of respondents stated that they handle media planning and/or buying in-house. This percentage is quickly approaching the popularity of search engine marketing (SEM), which remains steady at 30% in the same report.
So what does all of this mean? It means the now is the optimal time to consider bringing your own programmatic advertising in-house and explore the potential growth that comes with this creative control and adaptability.
You know the saying: “keep up or get left behind.” Marketing is competitive and staying ahead of the curve is crucial to keeping a brand relevant; this doesn’t just mean staying on top of social trends, it means staying on top of new tools and business practices.
In-house programmatic advertising provides contemporary marketers with new opportunities to reach audiences and make a splash in the market. While agencies held the keys to programmatic spaces in the past, that isn’t the case any longer.
Exploring this new potential is the only way that advertisers can go forward certain of their own methodology and their own potential.
In-house programmatic FAQs
What does in-house mean?
In-house means a brand conducts its marketing activities internally, using the talent and resources of its own organization rather than hiring an agency.
Why are brands bringing programmatic in-house?
Brands are bringing programmatic advertising in-house in order to have more control and greater transparency in their media buying. It also gives them more control over their data.
What companies have brought their programmatic advertising in-house?
A large number of organizations have already brought their programmatic advertising in-house, including Marriott, Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Bayer, EA Games, Wayfair, American Express, Unilever, Anheuser-Busch, Netflix, Target, Deutsche Telekom, and Ally Financial.
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