Programmatic Advertising

Term from Marketing industry explained for recruiters

Programmatic Advertising is a modern way of buying and selling digital ads using computer software instead of the traditional manual process. Think of it like a smart shopping system that automatically buys advertising space across websites, mobile apps, and social media. It uses data to make quick decisions about which ads to show to specific audiences, similar to how Netflix recommends shows based on viewing habits. This approach has largely replaced the old way of manually negotiating ad placements, making advertising more efficient and targeted.

Examples in Resumes

Managed $2M budget for Programmatic Advertising campaigns across multiple platforms

Increased ROI by 40% through optimized Programmatic media buying strategies

Led team of 3 specialists in implementing Programmatic Ad campaigns for Fortune 500 clients

Typical job title: "Programmatic Advertising Specialists"

Also try searching for:

Programmatic Media Buyer Programmatic Trading Manager Digital Media Specialist Programmatic Operations Manager Ad Operations Specialist Digital Marketing Manager Media Buying Specialist

Where to Find Programmatic Advertising Specialists

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you develop a programmatic advertising strategy for a company with multiple brands?

Expected Answer: Should discuss audience segmentation, budget allocation across brands, choosing appropriate ad exchanges, measuring cross-brand performance, and implementing data management strategies that benefit all brands while avoiding audience overlap.

Q: How do you handle brand safety in programmatic campaigns?

Expected Answer: Should explain methods for protecting brand reputation, including whitelist/blacklist strategies, content verification tools, and working with premium inventory sources. Should also mention real-time monitoring and quick response procedures for any brand safety issues.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What metrics do you use to measure programmatic campaign success?

Expected Answer: Should discuss key performance indicators like CTR, conversion rate, viewability, ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), and how to adjust campaigns based on these metrics. Should also mention the importance of setting appropriate goals for different campaign types.

Q: How do you optimize a programmatic campaign that isn't performing well?

Expected Answer: Should explain checking audience targeting, bid strategies, creative performance, and inventory quality. Should mention A/B testing and the process of making data-driven adjustments to improve performance.

Junior Level Questions

Q: Can you explain what a DSP is and how it's used?

Expected Answer: Should explain that a Demand Side Platform (DSP) is a tool used to buy digital ad space automatically, and describe basic functions like audience targeting, bid management, and campaign setup.

Q: What's the difference between programmatic and traditional media buying?

Expected Answer: Should explain how programmatic uses automation and real-time bidding versus traditional manual ad buying, highlighting benefits like efficiency, targeting capabilities, and real-time optimization.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic campaign setup and monitoring
  • Understanding of digital advertising metrics
  • Knowledge of major ad platforms
  • Basic audience targeting

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Campaign optimization strategies
  • Advanced targeting and retargeting
  • Budget management across platforms
  • Performance analysis and reporting

Senior (5+ years)

  • Cross-channel campaign strategy
  • Advanced budget optimization
  • Team leadership and training
  • Vendor and partner management

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No understanding of basic digital advertising metrics
  • Lack of experience with major DSP platforms
  • Unable to explain how targeting and optimization work
  • No knowledge of brand safety measures
  • Limited understanding of data privacy regulations