Explainer: The AMP

By Carla Rover • April 12, 2011 •

What It Is: An audience management platform combines the elements of a demand-side platform with that of a data-management platform, offering real-time bidding on ad inventory, statistics from online and offline sources and tools for audience segmentation across multiple platforms.

Why it Matters: Data drives strategy and that strategy directs ad spend. Companies that purchase ad inventory based on real-time data analysis need all of their analytical tools at hand when looking at audience segmentation efficacy as well as ad performance indicators. Statistics are more manageable when they can be viewed and placed in context of overall strategy goals through a single dashboard, so AMPs make sense for large companies managing multiple campaigns.

Who Uses it: Most Fortune 1000 companies employ some form of a DMP, and AMPs are simply ramped up versions of DMPs, combining RTB with audience segmentation tools and ad optimization. Some leading AMPs are AudienceScience, Adchemy, Aggregate Knowledge and Involver.

Assessment: AMPs permit users more hands-on management by allowing marketers to track campaign performance, publish content, engage in social listening and interact with ad exchanges without leaving the platform. Although some classic DMPs have simply rebranded as AMPs, a true audience management platform will connect marketers with every aspect of audience outreach and permit campaign management – including ad spending and optimization – from the dashboard. AMPs are a marker on the industry’s road to better campaign management and more streamlined, efficient marketing tools. Marketers still need better analytics and deeper, data-driven insights along with transparent, efficient RTB processes. The rise of AMPS indicate that marketers are demanding that their tools work as hard and innovate as swiftly as the markets that they serve.

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