Advertising has always been one of the most dynamic and creative industries on the planet. In January 2013, ad technology was being pushed forward by new ways to use online intelligence to reach potential customers. These predictions were based on my observations and conversations with other people working in the industry at the time.
The ad industry was charging forward at a rapid pace, and I believed only those strong enough to adapt would survive. During 2012, social technologies had opened new possibilities for advertisers, including Facebook Exchange (FBX) and real-time hashtag targeting.
These were the trends I predicted for 2013:
1. Companies Who Can Prove Actual ROI Will Become Leaders
Advertisers were trying to monitor and measure vast amounts of unstructured data across the open web. Social metrics such as tweets, likes, comments, and mentions showed engagement, but companies had not yet connected those interactions clearly to overall growth. I predicted that companies able to connect engagement with customer acquisition would become leaders in the sector.
2. Consolidation of the Lumascape Through Acquisitions or Attrition
The display-advertising Lumascape showed how crowded the industry had become. The original article also cited Luma Partners and Barclays in support of the expectation that consolidation would follow as strategic acquirers tried to differentiate their offerings.
3. Increased Mobile Engagement Through Introduction of Richer User Interface
With the rise of the smartphone, advertisers were already following consumers onto mobile devices. I expected a new generation of mobile networks to support richer online experiences during 2013 and create more opportunities for advertisers.
By 2013, I had already seen massive changes in digital advertising. My central prediction was that advertisers would keep pushing forward by connecting more intelligently with consumers and demanding insights that could produce measurable growth.
