How to Get Started With Programmatic Advertising Step by Step
Programmatic advertising can support brand awareness, engagement, and performance across devices. It offers automated buying that helps advertisers reach audiences at scale. To set up your first programmatic campaign, it helps to follow a clear and structured process. RMG Advertising uses a proven approach that supports clients through planning, activation, and optimisation.
The steps below outline the full workflow for launching a programmatic campaign.
Step 1: Identify Your Campaign Goal
Start by defining what you want to achieve. Programmatic campaigns work well for:
- Awareness and reach
- Website traffic
- Conversions such as bookings or purchases
- App installs
- Lead generation
- Retargeting
A clear goal determines which tactics, formats, and measurement models you will use.
Step 2: Define Your Audience
Audience definition is a key part of programmatic success. You can build audiences using:
- First-party data
- Contextual signals
- Location based data for real-world movement patterns
- Predictive Targeting for performance-driven scoring
- Standard demographic targeting
Each audience type supports different stages of the consumer journey.
RMG Advertising helps brands convert existing insights into practical targeting strategies.
Step 3: Select the Right Platforms
Most programmatic buying happens through a demand-side platform. A DSP connects you to inventory across the open internet. You can run ads on desktop, mobile, connected TV, audio, video, and more.
RMG Advertising manages DSP access and handles inventory selection to ensure your campaign aligns with your goals.
Step 4: Choose Ad Formats
Programmatic advertising supports many formats. These include:
- Digital banners
- Video
- Connected TV
- Digital out-of-home
- Digital audio
- Rich media units
RMG Advertising helps select formats based on the goal. For example, connected TV supports awareness. Banner ads support reach and retargeting. Video helps with engagement and storytelling.
Step 5: Prepare Creative Assets
Each format requires the right creative. Programmatic creative must meet size and format specifications. RMG Advertising can create custom assets using in-house creative support. Rich media options help drive stronger engagement.
Step 6: Launch the Campaign
After building your audience, selecting formats, and preparing creative, the campaign can launch. The DSP runs real-time auctions and activates your ads across selected environments.
Step 7: Measure Results and Optimise
Programmatic advertising generates detailed reporting. You can see metrics such as impressions, clicks, view-through conversions, and attribution results. Attribution models help track the impact of media on conversions.
RMG Advertising provides ongoing optimisation. Optimisation can include adjusting bids, refining audiences, shifting budgets, and improving creative.
Internal Links
- Explore programmatic campaign options
- Review what kind of budgets you might want for programmatic advertising
- Learn about CTV advertising as part of your programmatic targeting