Why publishers remain a beacon of quality

As digital consumers, we may expect the websites we visit to be trustworthy and credible. However, with the state of flux of today’s digital advertising, users are not solely treated to high-quality experiences. Unfortunately, they come across the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Also, we may think that advertisers – since they operate from within the industry – know exactly the lay of the land. But this is not always the case. The amount of opportunities and new audiences digital opens up for brands is undeniable, but with the demise of third-party trackers, a complex programmatic supply chain, and some potentially dubious cookie alternatives, advertisers are scrambling to get the transparency or quality they need. 

Thankfully, publishers find themselves in a unique position to ride onto the scene as the good guys of the advertising supply chain. 
 

Taking back control with first-party data solutions

One reason that 'the bad' has bubbled to the surface in digital environments is due to the historical lack of control publishers had over their audience data. Since its inception, digital advertising on the web has been built upon third-party cookies – a mechanism to store online users’ information and track them across websites. With publishers not in control, audience data would be passed endlessly up and down the advertising supply chain, losing accuracy every time it changed hands, and devaluing specific publisher audiences.

It's clear that, while the cookie being phased out has made advertisers search for a privacy-focused alternative, it was never a perfect targeting tool. First-party data-based solutions are already a more effective solution, allowing brands to target audiences while still protecting their privacy and reaching them with far greater accuracy. Ultimately, while  1% of Google Chrome users are now unaddressable via third-party cookies – around 30 million people – the internet is a much bigger place, and half of it is already unaddressable via third-party identifiers. First-party data solutions make these users reachable again and offer two major advantages already – they maximise the value of first-party data and allow publishers to take control.

New audience-defining solutions that work across publishers without third-party cookies can help brands advertise at scale without compromising on quality placements and user privacy. By creating a standard segment taxonomy that is the same across a network of opted-in publishers, advertisers have segment targeting consistency across the board. By opting in to these solutions, publishers can complement their direct deals with programmatically-sold inventory that leverages their first-party data, ensuring ads are of increased relevance to their audience while putting them in control.  


Curated ad environments that improve quality

Increasingly, both publishers and advertisers are looking towards Private Marketplace (PMP) deals. Although not a new concept, these are once again gaining popularity. For publishers, PMPs can enable greater control over which partners are advertising on their sites thereby enhancing control over their supply.

While curating deals often involve publishers selling directly to advertisers, publishers can also choose to work with reputable PMP partners who include their inventory in highly curated multi-publisher deals. This helps solve a number of issues for advertisers, from efficiency to scalability, and, not least, the quality of inventory. Advertisers can rely on the fact that their spend is heading towards high-quality environments, while still taking advantage of the benefits of programmatic purchasing. In open programmatic auctions, spend simply heads towards the placements offering the right price – but this doesn’t always mean high quality. Programmatic PMPs mean advertisers can better avoid fraudulent ad impressions – for example, the growing trend of AI-generated made-for-advertising (MFA) websites.

In these more secure environments, advertisers are also better able to access first-party data from publishers in a privacy-secure way. This ultimately leads to more effective targeting by advertisers – and helps deliver ROI.

Improving trust – & results – through quality

With the advertising landscape in constant flux, publishers remain a beacon of quality that advertisers can count on. Their commitment to authentic content and established audiences will offer reliability even in the midst of industry fluctuations.

Publishers already prioritise audience building, creating engaging content, and maintaining top-tier websites, which naturally fosters a high-quality ad environment. MFA sites, for example, can seem appealing due to their high performance in certain metrics for the price point. But in truth, these sites have little impact on driving actual customer interaction and more importantly, driving sales.

Publishers' dedicated efforts in maintaining high levels of quality allow advertisers to leverage their deeply engaged audiences for tangible benefits. This positions them as a reliable choice in the changing advertising environment; offering not just visibility but genuine impact with target audiences, making them a preferred choice for advertisers seeking value and effectiveness in their campaigns.

On top of all that, by investing their ad spend directly with publishers, advertisers play a pivotal role in supporting and developing quality journalism. This support not only benefits advertisers but also enhances the online ecosystem for all users, fostering a more informed and reliable digital environment. 

The truth that the advertising industry is avoiding is that third-party cookies are already second best. And with the power of first-party solutions becoming ever more apparent, publishers are the heroes that the advertising industry needs. Advertisers looking to effectively leverage first-party data need to build bridges with publishers in order to have access to the goldmine of insights that they hold. This increased trust between all players in the advertising ecosystem not only ensures a healthier landscape but will drive results for all parties.