• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, December 5, 2023

The addition of artificial intelligence (AI) into Yahoo's demand-side platform (DSP) aims to improve forecasting, optimization, predictive audiences, and data visualization. 

The tool, Blueprint, can identify potential customers that match the predicted value of a brand's existing customers using first-party data. It enables advertisers to forecast incremental reach of connected television (CTV) advertisers against linear audiences, through Omniscope, Yahoo's algorithmic forecasting tool. 

Omniscope, a core algorithmic forecasting tool in Yahoo Blueprint, enables advertisers to plan and compare projected reach and performance across various targeting parameters, channels, formats, and exchanges. It allows for mid-campaign optimization or planning, and it accesses how changes in targeting parameters can impact scale, predicted spend, and winnable impressions.

Blueprint can surface algorithmic recommendations for multiple campaigns within the dashboard. It relies on first-party behavioral data pulled from Yahoo’s owned-and-operated sites, about 335 million logged in users, as well as purchase and location data collected from logged-in users with Yahoo email addresses. 

Yahoo Blueprint has launched with Fortune 500 brand partners and agencies, including Keurig Dr Pepper, Novus Media, and Red Moon Marketing, among many other.

Beginning Tuesday, Yahoo Blueprint is available to all advertisers in the Yahoo DSP.

The first phase of implementation includes new data visualizations and audience insights, integration of an existing campaign forecasting tool, predictive audience modeling and customer lifetime value features.

In February, Yahoo laid off 20% of its workforce and shut down its native ad platform Gemini. At the time the company said it would focus on its DSP, which it renamed Yahoo Advertising.

It shuttered its supply-side platform (SSP) rather than sell it because of wanting to avoid being locked into a post-sale agreement where it would be forced to use its SSP exclusively.