From ordering your coffee to check in for a flight, self-service experiences have become a regular part of our daily lives. But it’s not just consumers benefiting from this shift – advertisers are seeing the power of self-service too. A wave of new platforms is giving businesses the tools they need to create, manage, and fine-tune their advertising campaigns on their own.
In this article, we’ll explore how self-service technology is improving the user experience for advertisers, while also giving publishers the competitive edge they need to succeed.
Power in their hands: why advertisers are embracing self-service
In this fast-paced digital world, people expect convenience, control, and seamless interactions – and that includes advertisers. As a publisher, one of the most innovative ways to meet these expectations is through self-service advertising platforms.
As well as streamlining the ad ordering process, these innovative solutions can significantly enhance the user experience – and here’s how:
- More room for experimenting – Self-service advertising tools make it easy to quickly tweak settings, change up creative designs, and track performance with detailed analytics. Businesses can test out different ads, target new groups of people, and find the channels that work best for them. With built-in A/B testing, advertisers can also experiment and figure out what gets the best results. This control helps make sure ads connect with the right audience, leading to better engagement and more conversions.
- Flexibility and convenience – Self-service advertising platforms give advertisers the ability to manage their campaigns 24/7 without the need to wait to talk to a salesperson. It means they can book, edit or cancel bookings at a time that suits them. This kind of flexibility is especially important as people shift away from the traditional 9-5 working pattern. It also allows organizations to be operational 24/7, which is particularly helpful if customers span various time zones.
- Eliminates the ‘hard sale’ through user-driven customization – Most people want to buy, but they dislike being ‘sold’ to. In a survey by McKinsey, 86% of respondents said they prefer using self-service tools rather than talking to a sales representative. Self-service eliminates the hard sale and puts the customer in the driving seat. In many cases, people happily upsell themselves if they’re given the ability to do so. By upselling themselves, advertisers can also clearly define and communicate their needs and desires. This enables them to make choices that align with their goals and aspirations, rather than passively accepting what’s being offered to them.
- Saves time – This technology has come a long way over the last few years. Innovations like Amazon’s ‘One Click’ buying functionality have removed friction from the process, making it easier than ever for people to part with their money. The same applies to self-service in the media industry. Advances in technology mean advertisers can quickly and easily create personalized ads themselves, eliminating the need for potentially time-consuming sales calls.
All of these factors combine to improve the overall user experience by making advertising more efficient, relevant and personalized. It’s no wonder self-service solutions are rapidly becoming the industry standard!
Give advertisers what they want – and boost your bottom line
Self-service tools can greatly improve the customer experience you offer your advertisers. But publishers can benefit too. In fact, research suggests that organizations that prioritize customer experience are 60% more profitable than those that don’t – meaning that offering a seamless, user-friendly self-service platform isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a strategic advantage.
Crucially, enabling advertisers to book ads on their own and upsell themselves can make your operations more streamlined and efficient. Plus, your sales teams will have more time to focus on generating new revenue from larger, more complex and more profitable ad campaigns. In a climate of falling ad sales, this is a major benefit.
Not convinced? Read our blog post – Five Signs You Need A Self-Service Ad Portal – for more information on why it’s time your organization adopted a self-service solution.
Unlock the power of self-service with Ad2order
It’s clear that self-service tools are a game-changer for publishers and advertisers alike. Thankfully, Adpoint – our all-in-one-media sales solution – offers advanced order management functionality and a fully customizable self-service platform called ‘Ad2order’.
Designed to automate the entire ad process – from booking to delivery to payment – Ad2order makes it easier than ever for advertisers to do business with you. It allows them to book an order, build the content, and process payment directly via a user-friendly web portal that’s fully integrated with their wider Adpoint system.
Plus, your advertisers have real-time access to account information and discounts from within the system. Along with a host of templates, ad customization, automated layout resizing, upsell, and flexible package options. This helps them tailor their order to their specific requirements.
The results speak for themselves. Between 2019 and early 2023, Tagesspiegel’s memorials revenue growth was in steady decline because of their outdated self-service portals. From March to September 2023, when Tagesspiegel was using Ad2order, revenue from memorials skyrocketed. Today, they have achieved a 93% revenue increase from 2020.
If you’re ready to ramp up your customer experience and your advertising revenue, we can help. Get in touch to learn more about Ad2order today.
