Garrett Gray’s Post

“How is your solution different from [Tool XYZ]?" I get this question all the time, and I totally get it.  So many tools over promise and under deliver. Here's one subtle thing we do in the initial setup that delivers compounding success for our clients. It's a bit technical, but I'll keep it short and sweet so you can get back to scrolling 😏 When you first set up a tagging server, it typically starts on a domain provided by the cloud provider. However, using the default endpoint means your data runs in a third-party context. To unlock the full benefits of first-party context, like more durable cookies, both your tagging server and your website need to run on the same domain. The table (screenshot below) illustrates different ways you can host a tagging server when the parent website is hosted on -www.example.com: We set things up using 'Same Origin (best practice)' (highlighted in screenshot below) Other tools set up on the sub-domain. What's the difference?   Why does it matter? Because using the sub domain even in this instance the cookie gets deleted within 24 hours. TLDR: The ability to store and maintain first-party data for the longest duration is what will separate the winners from the rest. 

Competitive advantage is built upon a superior ability to predict Ad platforms need data in order make predictions on who is best to show your ads to The performance of your ads is directly impacted by the quality & quantity of data that you feed back to ad platforms If you're not effectively leveraging your first-party data, you're setting yourself up for perpetual underperformance.

What Can a Flywheel Teach Us About Digital Ad Performance? Just like a flywheel stores and conserves energy for continuous motion, your data flywheel is the engine driving sustained success and momentum in your ad performance. The Challenge In today’s privacy-first, cookieless world, the steady stream of data that once powered ad platforms has been disrupted. This has led to erratic, roller coaster-like ad performance. Your data flywheel is broken, and only you can fix it. The Solution To regain control and rebuild your data flywheel, you must implement robust first-party data systems. Enter audienceOS. . . At audienceOS, we specialize in creating powerful first-party data infrastructures designed to reignite your data flywheel. By leveraging state-of-the-art data operations, we empower you to maintain optimal ad performance in today’s complex digital advertising landscape. Why Choose Us? Simply put, we are first-party data ops specialists. > Expert Implementation: We help you establish comprehensive first-party data systems that provide a continuous flow of high-quality data to fuel your ad campaigns. > Sustained Performance: Our solutions ensure that your data flywheel not only gets back on track but also maintains its momentum for long-term success. ~ Don’t Let a Broken Data Flywheel Hold You Back ~ Transform your ad performance by partnering with audienceOS. Let us equip you with the systems and know-how needed to thrive in the future of digital advertising.

LEVERAGING FIRST-PARTY DATA FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE In the rapidly evolving landscape of marketing, first-party data has emerged as a game-changer for businesses seeking to create immediate value and foster deep customer relationships. THE VALUE OF FIRST-PARTY DATA Deloitte Digital found that businesses that Invest in tailored, data-driven experiences based on first-party data saw improved performance across the following: - Reduced Acquisition Costs: By 18% - Increased Conversion Rate: By 27% - Higher Spend Per Customer: Increased by 20% - Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Improved by 23% BUILDING A RESILIENT MARKETING STRATEGY In an ever-changing marketing landscape, adaptability is key. Marketers who continuously test new strategies and uncover what works for their businesses are more likely to succeed. A strong starting point is to examine and strengthen your first-party data strategy, ensuring your marketing efforts are future-proof & resilient. UNDERSTANDING & MAXIMIZING UNKNOWN USER DATA The majority of your first-party data is categorized as unknown users—approximately 98% of your website traffic. This vast data set remains largely untapped by traditional tools, which are primarily focused on leveraging known user data. Ad platforms are eager to utilize your first-party data; however, if your current systems only capitalize on known users, you’re missing out on a significant portion of valuable data. Resulting in potential insights and opportunities slipping through the cracks. With audienceOS, you can not only capture and unify data from unknown users but also reactivate these users directly within your ad platforms. This ensures you fully maximize the potential of your entire first-party data ecosystem, driving better engagement and more effective marketing strategies. IMPLEMENTING A STRONG FIRST-PARTY DATA STRATEGY To build a robust first-party data strategy, focus on the following steps: - Centralize and Unify Data: Integrate data from various touchpoints to create a holistic view of each customer. - Personalize Customer Experiences: Use the unified data to deliver personalized messages and experiences across all customer journey stages. - Measure and Optimize: Continuously measure the impact of your strategies and optimize them based on data-driven insights BEST-IN-CLASS FIRST-PARTY DATA OPS Leading organizations approach their first-party data strategies with a focus on: - Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ensuring various departments collaborate for a unified data approach. - Data Integration: Implementing systems and technologies that enable seamless data integration and activation TLDR: Those who master the full utilization of their first-party data will be the winners. For expert guidance on becoming 'best-in-class' in first-party data ops, trust audienceOS. We specialize in implementing proven systems that elevate your organization & maximize the use of your first-party data

Media buyers I feel your pain - Testing countless different creatives to find a winner - 'Cost Caps' are great    'Cost Caps' are 💩 - Keeping up with platform changes. - Managing client expectations It's a lot. . . But wait. . .  there's more! In this era of privacy-first and cookieless digital advertising, being able to legally leverage data is vital for media buyers. The future of digital ads success is through proper utilization of your first-party data, but when do you have time to learn & setup these systems? That's where we come in. Think of us as the Q to your James Bond. We're experts in setting up killer first-party data systems that supercharge you marketing and growth efforts. We handle everything & simply empower you as the media buyer to perform at the highest levels If you're struggling with inconsistent ad performance & need a proven first-party data strategy, reach out today. Let's make sure that all your hard work is being optimized to its fullest potential.

What can hockey teach us about the future of digital advertising? Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals was last night & it got me thinking about the famous quote from Wayne Gretzky: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been." Meta & Google have made it clear where the puck is going in terms of targeting and first-party data. Marketers who establish robust first-party data delivery systems are skating to where the puck is going to be & will emerge as the winners. Conversely, those who delay in maximizing their first-party data will struggle to keep up & will continue to unnecessarily waste ad dollars. Comment below, & let me know how you are currently leveraging your first-party data to drive results?

Digital advertising is constantly evolving & leveraging your first-party data is no longer a "nice-to-have" but a requirement for optimized ad campaigns. First-party data ops is the future

In 1948, the Chicago Tribune infamously printed "Dewey Defeats Truman" headlines before the final votes were counted in the U.S. presidential election. They were confident in their prediction, relying on polls that showed Dewey consistently in the lead. However, when the votes were tallied, Truman emerged the victor. The pollsters and newspapers had egg on their faces. They thought they had enough data. But they failed to account for ALL the data. They didn’t account for the preferences of working-class and rural voters, who largely supported Truman. Today, Facebook marketers are facing their own "Dewey Defeats Truman" moment. They pour their heart and soul into crafting the perfect campaign, and tirelessly refine ad after ad in hopes of boosting sales Despite their best efforts all of this is not enough to overcome the lack of data being fed back to Meta post iOS. Facebook’s tracking, similar to polls in the past, used to be accurate, but changes in privacy laws, technology, and consumer behavior have hindered its ability to track site visitors effectively. Incomplete data presents a significant obstacle to the optimization of ad accounts. Incomplete data leads to incomplete optimizations. Incomplete optimizations leads to missed opportunities, and wasted ad spend. Post iOS 14.5, Meta has increasingly relied on modeling in order to manufacture targeting for your campaigns, making first-party data collection, storage, and reactivation pivotal for campaign success. Implementing robust first-party data delivery systems is no longer optional if you want to produce:      ✅ Retargeting campaigns that work ✅ Campaigns that scale ✅ Lower CPAs while increasing ROAS Don’t be the Facebook marketer left with egg on your face because you procrastinated on implementing first-party data systems. 

Why Your Prospect Should Pick You When it comes to convincing folks to choose your stuff over the competition, your value proposition is the secret sauce. Crafting a Tailored Message The key to a killer value proposition? Tailoring your message to speak to your prospect's needs. I'm not saying anything new here but sometimes it is necessary to be reminded of these principles and why they work: 1) Specificity converts. A specific offer to the specific person will outperform the general offer to the general person. 2) Personalization is key: In today's marketing world, it's all about speaking directly to your audience's hearts—not just throwing buzzwords around. The Personalization Journey 1) Start simple: Before diving into the deep end of personalization, get the basics down by segmenting your audience and targeting them with tailored offers. 2) Aim for practical specificity in your content and campaigns. You may not be able to customize every message, but targeting key segments can still pack a punch. The Future of Personalization As marketers continue to adapt in a post iOS 14+ & cookieless environment, personalization will naturally become more of a challenge. Your 1st-party data holds the key to marketing personalization which is why you need to be leveraging it. For those less familiar with the classifications of data 1st-party data is more than your customer list, it's known and unknown users on your website By embracing specificity and personalization, you can create messaging that hits home and drives results. And as you fine-tune your approach and harness the power of your first-party data, your ability to connect with your audience will only get stronger. Not sure if your effectively leveraging your first-party data? Shoot me a message & I'm happy to outline how we can help you do just that 🤝