When we founded Voiro (in 2014), it was a far more linear world. The Ad Tech market was still at a nascent stage and businesses were not as reliant on technology to drive solutions.
In the last nine years, the industry has undergone a massive transformation in terms of perceptions of how to run profitable businesses and engage with audiences. And technology has been at the core of driving this change. Whether it’s shopping or watching movies – how we engage with content and our expectations of what constitutes a good experience has changed.
When we started out, businesses were coming to terms with the role data and technology play in driving growth at scale. The focus was on automation and making processes more efficient. Today, more and more businesses are thinking about velocity and how they can use data technology to drive results. The need for automation has become a given.
We have not only seen this transformation but been a part of the change. We have also evolved and adapted over the years to ensure that we continue to use technology and innovation to deliver the best value to our customers. We have worked closely with some of the largest publishers across sectors and learned a few things on the way. Following are some of them:
Learning 1: One Size Does Not Fit All
Over the years, the one thing we have learned through our journey is that one size does not fit all. Launching and scaling an ad monetisation business in a dynamic ecosystem requires a multifaceted approach. Every publisher’s unique ad tech stack demands tailored solutions. This is exactly what makes this industry dynamic and challenging and fuels its innovation and growth.
Learning 2: Embrace Complexity As An Opportunity
Our journey has taught us that treating complexity as an opportunity rather than a hurdle is essential for growth. Cleaning up data and facilitating seamless communication between different ad tech components empower publishers to comprehend the state of their monetisation business in real time.
How each publisher accomplishes this is purely driven by the talent and tech at hand. Embracing this challenge and the complexity emerging out of this uniqueness has allowed us to work closely with monetisation leaders, fostering innovation alongside their endeavours.
Learning 3: Pay Attention to Data
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege to work with our clients very closely – understanding and solving their daily business challenges. And the one commonality we found across teams and verticals is that how you interpret and use data can be the difference between being profitable and staying afloat. A company’s daily interaction with data and how they use it in making strategic decisions can unlock untapped monetisation opportunities. So, pay attention to the stories a data set tells you.
Learning 4: Be Agile, Stay Competitive
As India’s media, entertainment, and e-commerce industries underwent transformative changes over the decade, we stood witness to various disruptions and economic fluctuations. Our experiences have taught us that ad monetisation success hinges on the ability to adapt during bull and bear markets alike.
Seizing opportunities during bullish periods and maintaining sustainable businesses during dull economies require flexibility and a forward-thinking approach. The emergence of game-changing technologies, such as Jio’s low-cost 4G internet, created new avenues for monetisation. Thriving amidst such transformations calls for agile strategies and staying ahead of the curve.
Learning 5: Lead and Evolve With Tech
The role of monetisation leaders has undergone a profound transformation, influenced by the advent of ad tech solutions and AI. A growth leader today does not solely depend on relationships or industry experience to drive momentum.
The importance of analysing historical performance, identifying top-performing advertisers, and optimising inventory has reshaped the ad monetisation process, and with it, the role of a monetisation leader. This evolution has empowered leaders to embrace technology to unlock hidden opportunities, drive profitability, and adapt to the ever-changing monetisation landscape.
Conclusion
Today, the world of ad monetisation has undergone a tectonic shift, where companies are interested in going beyond the surface and looking under the hood to truly understand monetisation and the innumerable parameters that fuel it.
The role of data technology to drive business goals has evolved and grown. Innovation, agility, collaboration and customisation will continue to drive the business leaders of tomorrow in the ever-evolving world of ad monetisation.
