eXelate Upgraded Platform Helps Publisher's Ad Campaigns

MarkZagorski

Data management platforms (DMPs) are fast becoming a strategy for companies to drive profits, as ad campaigns increasingly rely on raw bits and bytes from search retargeting and dynamic display platforms, in addition to tags and cookies. The trends prompt eXelate to debut upgrades to its data management platform, DataLinX for online publishers.

Ad transactions run on data. Think of DMPs as a cross between ad servers and customer relationship management platforms. Until now, data owners or third-party publishers have had little control over who accesses the data. Through the tool, publishers can manage access, create a secure connection with third parties, such as demand-side platforms, monitor site access, centralize privacy and monetize audience data through private marketplaces or through the eXelate marketplace.

The data and features work in concert to serve up the perfect ad, prompting site visitors to fill out and submit a form, download a white paper, or make a purchase. The platform integrates eXelate's DataShield technology to centralize data management and monitor site latency and creates connections without cookies.

DataLinX also allows publishers to segment audiences and control access to keep unauthorized companies from "stealing" data through third-party applications that might drop cookies on the Web site, according to eXelate Chief Executive Officer Mark Zagorski. "It protects the site and the audience," he says. "It also lets publishers give agencies direct access, setting up terms and conditions to keep the data safe."

Don't think of audience targeting as just targeting by behavior, says Zagorski. He points to industry numbers that estimate audience targeting will reach $5.2 billion in 2014, up from $2.2 billion in 2010. He says audience targeting -- not just behavioral -- is all-encompassing, defining it as the ability to target, based on demographics and other non-behavioral criteria, as well as interests or purchase intent.

eMarketer numbers released in December 2010 reflect that behavioral targeting alone could experience slow growth. The share of the total Internet ad spend for behavioral will reach 5.4% of $32.6 billion in 2012 -- up from 4.7% of $28.5 this year, according to the analyst firm. The behavioral targeting share of Internet display-ad dollars spent will reach 14.5% of $12.1 billion in 2012, up from 13.3% of $10.1 billion.

The undisclosed investment in eXelate's data management platform upgrade for DataLinX aims to help publishers profit from managing data. The company powers 20 billion real-time, privacy-compliant data connections per month for more than 200 publishers. It has data integration partnerships with more than 50 buying organizations, such as ad networks, media trading desks and DSPs, ad exchanges and video ad networks.

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