Google Tests Audience Buying In ADH, A Big Step From Analytics To Activation – AdExchanger

Googles Ads Data Hub (ADH) started as a pure analytics and measurement service. But Google has been testing audience activation with a beta program for the past six months, according to AdExchanger sources who are in the program.

The beta program includes large brands and agencies, and is currently only open to select clients that have invested heavily in ADH. Display and Video 360, Googles DSP, is the only ad-buying platform that can be connected with ADH audiences for campaigns.

The ADH-based ad campaigns only include non-Google properties. So the beta customers can buy on the open web, but not YouTube or Google Search.

Audience buying is a natural evolution of ADH, according to one brand marketer who is part of the beta.

Youre creating segments within the platform that are ideal for targeting, he said. Instead of only having cookie info a users device, perhaps their location and a limited sense of previous sites theyve visited ADH segments are grounded with stronger audience data, since the segments are informed by a brands CRM or other first-party data and Googles identity graph.

Right now, the ADH ad-buying tests only work well for companies with large first-party data sets in Google Cloud and integrated with ADH, so the marketer first-party data can sync with Googles data set, said another agency exec involved in the beta.

One of the primary use cases for ADH audience activations is frequency management, said Hugo Loriot, managing director of the ad analytics consultancy 55, whos been briefed on the beta program.

Cookies are far from a sure-fire tool for frequency capping, since people use different devices, different internet services and delete cookies, each of which can throw off frequency caps for an individual.

Deepening the Google relationship

Taking advantage of the beta means committing more deeply to the Google platform, said one agency exec.

Since Googles identity data set informs the audience packages, the data can never leave ADH, or advertisers would be able to retarget individuals without consent. The ADH audience segments arent transferred from ADH to DV360 it all happens within the platform.

Thats also why third-party DSPs are not part of the beta program. Ad servers like Sizmek and Flashtalking are ADH partners, because they integrate for analytics and measurement. But no outside DSPs are connected with ADH.

There arent specific policy or privacy restrictions that prohibit Google from syncing ADH campaigns with outside DSPs down the road, according to agency execs. And the same goes for media. YouTube and Search could theoretically be available for ADH-based campaigns,though Google hasn't stated if this will happen.

DV360 is the only DSP I expect ADH will ever integrate with, according to an agency exec whos tested the ADH and DV360 ad campaigns. If exposing cookie-based IDs outside the walls is a nonstarter, Google certainly isnt going to let other DSPs traffic campaigns informed by logged-in user data.

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Google Tests Audience Buying In ADH, A Big Step From Analytics To Activation - AdExchanger