Sometimes big is not always best and advertising is no exception. When marketing budgets are limited, it is easy to stick with the most obvious and convenient advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook and feel you have done the best you can to reach your target audience.
But take time to explore the world of ‘branded self-serve advertising platforms’ and you will find a wealth of quality editorial environments offering unique targeting options which can deliver a much more relevant audience for your service or product.
What do we mean by ‘branded self-serve advertising platforms’? These are generally online household named brands and media companies, who allow advertising on their websites. They provide advertisers with an automated self-service option for small to medium advertisers to manage and book their own advertising on the brand’s website – pretty much in the same way as Google Ads or Facebook, but with much better targeting features and an environment you are already familiar with.
We love branded self-serve advertising platforms at DanAds (it’s our business) and think you will too. So to get you started we have selected our top picks that will deliver you 5 great alternatives to yet another dull Google Ads campaign.
1.Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor is the world’s largest travel advice brand and dedicated to helping people decide where they want to go for their next holiday or short break and which hotel, restaurant or activity they want to spend their money on. There is no better site for targeting travel consumers if you have a related product or service.
Coverage
Worldwide 491million unique monthly users, 190 countries and 27 languages.
Platform
Mobile or Desktop available. At the moment, if you want both you will need to book them individually, but this will change in January as they are set to launch a cross platform product.
Targeting
It’s all about the location. You can target consumers by the destination they are interested in as well as their own location. The platform lets you get down to City level and also allows retargeting…so you can follow your target audience around as they browse on the site.
Advertising Cost
There is a minimum spend of $500 or the equivalent in your currency The lowest cost per thousand rate card price is $12 CPM.
Check out Tripadvisor Media Manager https://tripadvisormediamanager.com/
2. REACH UK National and Regional Newspaper Websites
REACH is the UK’s No1 news publisher with a portfolio of trusted national newspaper and magazine brands including the Daily Mirror and OK! Magazine. Plus some of the best regional brands that combine to cover the whole of the UK.
The REACH self-service advertising platform allows you to book campaigns across the whole network.
Coverage
UK national and regional news media. 42 million users every month – that’s a staggering 81% of the total UK digital population.
Platform
Combined mobile, tablet and desktop.
Targeting
With huge audience numbers across the whole REACH network in the UK, it is no surprise that the platform is able to provide very focused geographical targeting as well as demographic targeting. But where REACH really excels is in its ability to offer advertisers ‘contextual’ targeting – where you can advertise alongside related content, making your advertising so much more relevant to the target audience. Categories of contextual targeting include: Film, Celebs and Showbiz, News, Sport and many others.
Advertising Cost
There is a minimum spend of £100. The lowest cost per thousand rate card price is £5 CPM.
Check out the REACH Ad Manager here https://reachadmanager.com/
3. MailOnline, Metro and i Media
Built specifically to allow SME companies to access some of the best media brands in the UK. The Mail Metro Media self serve advertising platform gives an SME access to the combined advertising reach of the UKs No1 news brands – Mail Online, Metro and i news media – in one place.
Coverage
Combining the strong audiences of MailOnline, Metro and i news media brands, Mail Metro Media reaches over 30 million users every month. Giving you access to more than 1 in 5 of the UK population every day.
Platform
Combined mobile, tablet and desktop.
Targeting
This unique self-serve platform allows you to target users in three ways:
1. Audience Targeting: Target potential customers by selecting characteristics such as age, gender, interests and location.
2. Content Targeting: Select types of content you’d like your ads to appear next to. Pick from options such as News, Money, Sport and Entertainment. Should you wish, you’ll also be able to define the locations your campaign will be shown, ensuring you only reach places relevant to your business.
3. Video Targeting: Create a video campaign that will appear as pre-roll inventory across all our sites. Pre-roll means Mail Metro Media will broadcast your ad in front of video content being viewed on all their sites. This product also allows you to target your potential customers by selecting characteristics such as age, gender, interests and location.
Advertising Cost
There is no minimum spend. The lowest cost per thousand rate card price is £3.80 CPM.
Check out Mail Metro Media Advertising Manager here: https://manager.mailmetromedia.co.uk
4. HEARST Magazines
Hearst is one of the world’s largest publishers with a powerful portfolio of brands from iconic industry-leading fashion and lifestyle properties to some of the fastest-growing voices in food and commerce. Hearst publishes more than 300 magazines around the world including Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Men’s Health and Bicycling.
Coverage
Global. Hearst portfolio of magazines can be bought as a network or as individual magazine brands.
Platform
Mobile, tablet and desktop.
Targeting
As a publisher, Hearst appreciates that advertisers want relevant audiences
and the Hearst self-service advertising platform provides total flexibility for the advertiser. You can target by magazine brand (ie Elle) or by geography, you can even upload your own audience data for Hearst to create a bespoke target audience for you. But perhaps one of the most interesting target audience features is the 20 audience sectors that Hearst has put together across it’s network which allow you to target by editorial subject – such as automotive or fashion.
Advertising Cost
Rates and minimum spends vary across the portfolio with starting cost per thousands at around $15 CPM.
Check out the Hearst self-service advertising platform here https://audienceselect.hearst.com/
5. Bloomberg Media
Bloomberg Media Group is part of the world’s largest business news organization. The network of channels delivers business and financial news across every platform and every time zone. Network includes: Bloomberg Terminal, Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg Radio, Bloomberg Mobile, Bloomberg Businessweek.
Coverage
Global digital business network via Bloomberg.com. Over 70 countries.
Platform
Mobile, tablet and desktop.
Targeting
The Bloomberg.com digital network delivers an already highly focused business audience. Through the self-serve platform advertisers can further refine their targeting by geo location to city level and by editorial category, for example, Technology, Business News, Politics and Luxury.
Advertising Cost
Rates and minimum spends vary across the portfolio with starting cost per thousands at around $25 CPM.
Check out the Bloomberg Media self-service advertising platform here https://www.bloombergmedia.com/self-service/
Hopefully now you will be encouraged to explore the many alternative advertising options that are available with branded self-service advertising platforms. Building a digital advertising campaign outside of Google and Facebook, doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming when you use these self-service sites and you will reap a host of targeting benefits that can make a difference between a good campaign and a great campaign.
Eoin McGregor
Head of Customer Success
