Our world has become more conscious of the environmental impact and the digital ecosystem is no exception to this rule. Even though it might seem like reducing the carbon footprint and going more sustainable isn’t possible when it comes to the programmatic advertising realm, actually, it has never been closer to reality. This shift to the green and conscious approach is completely reshaping the online world and more agencies are making their respective transformations. Let’s take a closer look at why green practices matter in programmatic advertising and what the best practices are for reducing the carbon footprint of digital campaigns.
Why is sustainability on the rise in programmatic advertising?
It’s crucial to understand that even the digital advertising ecosystem generates a significant environmental impact. How? We still use plenty of energy to power the servers, and data centers, and we need energy to enable the ad delivery process.
As the user demand gets more sophisticated, they require companies they interact with to be more conscious about their environmental impact and take responsibility for their actions. That’s why the growing number of companies incorporate sustainability into their advertising strategy to meet the users’ rising expectations.
Programmatic advertising, with its high level of automation and data-driven technologies, offer vast opportunities to optimize ad delivery in more eco-friendly ways. By prioritizing sustainable practices, advertisers can minimize waste, improve efficiency, and attract environmentally conscious audiences.
Effective strategies to go sustainable and reduce carbon footprint: [programmatic campaign edition]
Here is what advertisers can do to go sustainable:
Dealing with wasted ad impressions is the number one priority when it comes to going green. It’s not sustainable to deliver ads to users who are not likely to engage with the ad which results in unnecessary energy consumption and wasted resources. Focus on high-quality audiences who are highly likely to convert. It will help to reduce wasted impressions, enhance performance, and decrease energy footprint.
Nothing annoys one more than repeatedly seeing an intrusive or irrelevant advertisement. Frequency capping is an amazing programmatic feature that allows marketers to limit the number of times an individual sees a certain ad. This simple adjustment might reduce energy consumption and ensure campaigns are more effective, user- and eco-friendly.
If you are in search of a programmatic advertising platform such as DSP, you should opt for a partner that is also focused on sustainability, offers carbon initiatives, uses renewable energy-powered servers, and implements sustainable data processing practices. Partnering with the green company means you significantly reduce the impact of programmatic advertising on our environment.
How to know for sure that your programmatic partner adheres to the sustainability initiatives? Request proof which include green credentials such as certifications, renewable energy usage, or commitments to carbon offsetting.
Evaluating them ensures that they are not only talking about sustainability but also taking actionable steps toward it. Also, it’s possible to request carbon footprint reports.
Did you know that high-resolution ads of large formats consume more energy as more data processing is required? Thus, consider optimizing your ad format and size as well as minimizing the number of tracking pixels to reduce energy consumption and decrease the environmental impact.
Another very effective strategy that minimizes waste is repurposing and reusing existing assets rather than producing new creatives for each campaign. It will save you from additional resource expenditure and will save energy while extending the life of your ad content.
In order to go sustainable, it’s also important to narrow down your target audience. Broader audiences can increase the reach but usually result in wasted impressions and lower engagement. Try out more sophisticated and precise targeting that will certainly improve your conversion rate but will also make your campaigns energy-efficient.
Open programmatic marketplaces can involve multiple intermediaries, leading to increased energy usage. Direct deals and private marketplaces are more advisable as they make ad delivery more straightforward and efficient. They also offer more control over ad placement, allowing for better optimization.
Final thoughts
We enter an era when sustainability is not just an option for companies to stand out but a vital necessity that demonstrates their social and environmental responsibility. The industry of programmatic advertising constantly evolves and so do the green practices which are not just useful to reduce carbon footprint but also can improve campaign performance. By implementing the strategies described above, it’s possible to make an impactful contribution to a more conscious and sustainable digital advertising landscape.
