Ads.txt & Ads.cert

When working (or like, surfing the web), I’m often shown ads of goodies I’d be interested in swiping my card for. There is little surprise as to how this show-of-the-most-cool-ads happens, as I work in an adtech startup! Nonetheless, when it comes to shopping online, I’m giving no “site” any benefit of the doubt. What I’m trying to say is that I am not willing (or even cuckoo enough) to enter my card details at a random site just because it displays the “computer mouse” I’m in need of. Say for example, I’m on one of the big retailer sites looking for a black Puma* backpack and I see the same bag displayed in an ad (at a discounted rate of course!) by “BuyGoodStuffForCheapHere.com”.

How am I to even know if a third-party, selling goods of a retailer, online, is an approved seller? From my example above, is “Buy Good Stuff For Cheap Here” authorized to actually sell Puma goods? Will I get an original product? Has Puma approved this seller? How would I know? These are a few questions that run around in my head every time attractive ads by various third-party sellers grab my attention.
*The product and company names are trademarks of its respective owners. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

I can also say that the same logic applies to brands buying ads programmatically. But, luckily for them, in late June, the IAB Tech Lab set up a method permitting brands to confirm that a third-party offering space on a publisher’s site is really approved to do so. This is called “Authorized Digital Sellers or ads.txt”. And as the name clearly suggests ads.txt is a simple text file uploaded to a publisher’s site listing the official sellers or resellers of the publisher’s inventory along with the publisher’s ID for buyers to match. Though it might be difficult for a publisher to list the unique IDs its sellers and resellers use to identify its inventory, it has been identified as an efficient means to fight fraud in the marketplace.

Given that ads.txt takes care of the authorization process, entities that are granted permission can access the designated areas. However, if an entity is not properly authenticated it can easily access areas it shouldn’t. Now, say for example, I order a super-duper expensive designer bag from a well-known ecommerce site. There are fraudsters along the way ready to swap my bag for a cheap one without the knowledge of my courier company. And since my transaction is happening online, I will need a way to make sure that that the bag is indeed the one that was sent by the store, i.e. I need to authenticate the source of my bag. What if the store were to send me a unique digital tag number imprinted on the bag and send the same to me via email? That way when I receive the bag I can verify that it came from the right source. Similarly, in the programmatic buying business, advertisers/buyers can now know of the authenticity of an inventory’s source with the help of ads.cert – an authentication initiative by IAB Tech Lab.

Ads.cert is a follow up to ads.txt by IAB Tech Lab and it uses cryptographic security measures to authenticate inventory.

Ads.txt can help authorize inventory sources and ads.cert can help authenticate the same by creating a “signature process”. Publishers can now incorporate cryptographically signed bid requests on showing the path of inventory thereby authenticating the inventory. This process will be able to certify units of inventory coming from verified publishers. This digital signature prevents fraudsters from tampering with the inventory simultaneously letting buyers verify a specific site’s inventory. Ads.cert can block any manipulations done to variables like device, domain, IP address, location to make it look like valuable impressions. Now everyone in the supply is required to provide and signature; this promotes good behavior and is a means of tracking bad behaviour.

I have simplified this further and prepared an infographic that lists why ads.txt and ads.cert is actually important to you if you’re part of the programmatic’s supply chain…

If you’re a publisher or an advertiser give us a ring to take your ad inventory game to the next level, well whaddya waiting for?

 

4 Easy Ways To Monetize Your Mobile App

BPRISE blog_monetize mobile app

I’m active on Tinder* and I’ll admit that I sort of like the ads that come in between all my left swipes (what can I say, I’m shallow, #JudgeMeNot). And more often than I care to admit, I’ve felt the wicked desire to click on the ad to own those high-tops. This is not the only time I’ve had to hold onto my horses though. Surfing the web is like studying while window-shopping. I never get to read an article fully because I’m already opening another article with a catchy title. Right click, open in new tab – we’ve all been there… Don’t you dare be opening a tab on me right now!

It’s either that or the completely ingenious ad strips and videos that somehow bring before me the things I’ve been looking for of late. As a consumer of various goods today and a user of one too many applications, I understand that my “data” is spread all over. I also understand that there are brands “analyzing” such data and deriving “customer insights” from it. I personally have nothing against this because it comes back to me in the form of the most appropriate ads and product suggestions. Who doesn’t like those funky shoe ads anyway?

BPRISE blog_cybersecurity

Another cause of my relief or faith that my data will not be misused by brands/companies are the digital privacy laws out there. This brings me to the data privacy law by the European Union called General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR has some stringent laws in place which will affect how companies big or small, collect and process their customers’ data. Even if your company is not based in the EU, should you have customers in Europe, you are bound by the law. So, if you are a retailer, a publisher, an advertiser or a tech company that collects and analyzes data of individuals across the globe – be mindful of digital privacy laws and adhere to the same.

App users today don’t really fret about data unless of course, they feel an invasion. And with digitally aware netizens growing in numbers (almost 500 million mobile internet users in India!)  the way data is used and processed is under scrutiny. Analytics has crept into all things digital and I’m positive the retailers, publishers, and advertisers are making the most of it.  This is weird but also in a way cool because now I don’t have to go fishing for products online. I do not have to make the time to exclusively surf the web for shopping. With analytics empowering in-app ads, I may as well be booking a flight ticket and be offered a brand-new luggage to go with me. Because, what I’ve been wanting to buy (for example, the luggage), is now offered to me at a discounted price. Another example of adverts winning my attention is when I’m on one of those apps that hide your IP and stuff (again #JudgeMeNot) and see these wonderfully worded ads that speak directly to me!

All of this is very telling of how well a brand probably knows me. It is appealing because I do need what’s shown (in the ads) and it is the fastest way to shop. Ads are a fine way for the app owners to make money although the elite users may very well be able to get their hands on ad-free versions.

Apps are built for generating revenue and here are some more ways you can do that if you’re an app owner, developer or marketer…

  1. Newsletter signups & subscriptions – Allowing users to sign up for newsletters is also a way to get users to engage more deeply with your brand. Getting them to subscribe to unlock all the features of your app helps you monetize the same. For example, consider Tinder Plus and Gold – the difference between the two is the single swipe feature called “Likes You” in the Gold version. And it is about time I tell you that “*The product and company names are trademarks of its respective owners. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.”
  2. In-app purchases – Coolest option for free apps to monetize. Purchases for one-time-use, such as options for users to buy game credit or service adds are examples of consumable and non-consumable in-app purchases, respectively. Beef up your apps with upgrades while giving more to your app users. This way you not only monetize your app, you’re also giving the end user quality services that they’ll be willing to pay for.
  3. Partnerships – Tie up with brands that have a similar customer base by integrating their offering into your app. You not only win the referral fee from the partner but also engage your users better with the integrated offering. Of course, finding the right partner is critical, but need I say that explicitly? I mean I’m on Tinder swiping away photographs of men on their wedding days. IK.
  4. Advertisements – This is the most common way to monetize your app and most profitable. If you have a robust user base for your app, then with the help of analytics and insights serve the most fitting ads for each user. Subtle details like the placement of ads, retargeting users and accessing programmatic demands lead to maximizing your revenue through app advertising.  

If you’re an app owner and you’d like to show ads of relevant products/services to your users, then connect with BPRISE and earn more from your in-app ads. And if you’re anything like Tinder, I’d love to help you up your ad game! After all, girl’s gotta shop good stuff no matter the app! 

 

 

Why Is It Important To Know Your Customers Better?

“I should probably get these shoes…” I think to myself as I stare at those glorious-looking sports shoes in an online advert. And funny enough I wasn’t even browsing for these. In fact, I was reading about “how to prepare for a mini-marathon in 30 days”.

I had read that you first need to find your stride before making the leap when you start out with the training. Although your mind might say push it, your body will sort of want you to stop and stare…and breathe!

Secondly, you’re supposed to stay sober and strive even harder to stay in on Friday nights. Bless the will-power! And beat this, you’re supposed to say no to friends who insist on splurging and downing glasses of *insert the name of your favourite beverage here* unless they’re out there every morning training with you. So long as they’re not motivating you out there on the field, you’re staying home and making a playlist to keep you pumped on the day of the run.

Thirdly, you’re supposed to pick the right running gear, be it your clothes (these must be weather-appropriate) and your shoes (one must never run in a new pair of shoes, big no-no).

And the fourth point to remember for the marathon week is that you must get good rest, take ice baths, fill yourself up with carbs and keep yourself hydrated!

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I had clicked on the third point when the ad of the sports shoes showed up taking me by surprise! I’ll admit that I have been shoe-gazing on numerous websites for a couple of weeks now – my current ones are old and need to be discarded with all due respect, for good. So, you can imagine what happened next? I caved. I gave in and bought the best running shoes on the planet at a discount which was such a steal I could probably buy two on a whim. Good thing is that my account does not permit all my “whims” from taking over my life. So, that’s sorted.

Know what else was sorted, because of the ad? The discomfort when running in my old pair and the fact that I didn’t have to go trying a zillion sports shoes at stores. In fact, I got the exact pair I had my eye on ever since the background score of the video ad (for the same shoes) had caught my attention. I always knew that adverts had to be creative and catchy, but ads today are so much more dynamic and personal. It’s almost as if they know my precise problem as a customer and address that in the most appropriate way possible. Brands/companies should know me well enough and their ads must be timed correctly to make me want to buy what they’re selling instantaneously!

“In 2017, take a holistic view of the customer journey and create a range of assets that matches the right ad to the right moment.” says Google

Customer insights can benefit brands in critical ways if used prudently. Even if it is one of the brands I ardently follow, for them to make me a paying patron, they will have to go the extra mile and get to know me better. No generic ad or fully-stocked shelves will entice consumers anymore. Today, my options as a consumer are plenty and I am not going to stick around for long if a brand does not “get me”. I’m fickle and I know it, so should brands/companies that want to sell. Brands must gather customer information, analyze it and inform its marketing and advertising teams about the customers’ needs and likes.

Google says that within 15 minutes of waking up, over 68% of smartphones users check their phones. And I most definitely am one of them! This means that smartphone users are one swipe or click away from ditching a brand and browsing on another brand’s website/app. The advancement of “digital” in everything around us, has opened a multitude of options for consumers today. Consumers will not restrict themselves to brands that “treat them like everyone else”. They want to feel “special” and appreciate “tailor-made” offers and discounts by coming back to brands that understand them well.

Customer insights can help brands/companies market to specific demographics thereby saving big bucks. Ad budgets can be focused on specific groups of people rather than having a big-budgeted generic advert plan for the whole country. Targeting a well-researched crowd to market to will mean that the crowd will include individuals who are most likely to convert. Imagine the CFO’s joy when the brand marketer comes back saying “Hey, the ad’s a hit and we saved some!”

Imagine the CFO’s joy when the brand marketer comes back saying “Hey, the ad’s a hit and we saved some!”

Brands and companies must note that today’s ever-evolving customer mindsets want exclusive services. Customers today also want what they want right when they want! Although this does not mean that I will stop watching videos online to take myself over to a brand’s website/app just because I remembered something that I needed. On the other hand, if I see a cool ad pop up exactly when I’m looking up something related, I’ll give in. And something tells me that many other consumers like me will appreciate the efforts taken by brands/companies to get to know them better.

gather customer insights_BPRISE

Understand your end users with help of the customer intelligence engines that BPRISE deploys on your mobile and web applications. Generate long-term profitable results and learn what motivates customers to swipe their cards for your personalized recommendations. If you wish to gather relevant customer insights and get down to the nitty-gritty of what influences their purchase decisions, connect with BPRISE today!