Richer contextual signals in the bidstream help agencies and publishers alike

Joseph Meehan, Chief Exchange and Supply Officer, Seedtag

Programmatic buying has long relied on a combination of identity-based and contextual signals to guide decisions. Identity has been central to that model, particularly as first-party data strategies have matured and deterministic approaches have become more widely adopted. Contextual signals have also been part of the mix, but they have often been applied more narrowly, supporting brand safety, suitability or filling gaps where identity is not available.

That division of roles has worked, but it has also limited how contextual data is used. In many cases, it has been applied at a high level, grouping content into broad categories that are easy to manage but not always precise enough to reflect what is actually happening in the moment. As a result, buyers and sellers are often making decisions based on signals that only tell part of the story.

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