This post was originally featured on Search Engine Watch.

With less than a week to go until SES London, this Q&A with Thomson Reuters' head of programmatic Emily Palmer will give you a peak at what's in store at the conference and what she has to say about real-time bidding and programmatic buying.

Search Engine Watch (SEW): Your session at SES London focuses on real-time bidding (RTB) and programmatic buying. In your opinion, how are businesses adapting to this kind of technique and is there much education to be had?

Emily Palmer (EP): There are a lot of companies playing catch-up on the basics, while most long-active programmatic buyers and sellers know there is more they can do in terms of ad formats and data. Ongoing education and dialogue with industry peers is essential, otherwise you don't know what you don't know.

SEW: Can you give us some examples of how a company might use programmatic to capture and engage with new audiences?

EP: Taking advantage of publisher first-party data, as well as third-party data, is a good prospecting tactic. Data has gotten sophisticated, so marketers should ask what options are available to them, and keep in mind some companies offer customized programs to help you build out first-party data or look-alike targeting. Communicate with your publisher partners regarding data that you overlay, making sure it complements any targeting they are using for your PMP deals.

SEW: What are some of the most creative campaigns you've seen using RTB/programmatic and why do they shine for you?

EP: Programmatic advertising is about the technical pipes and work flow around setting rules, transacting deals, and milking data. Ideally, you can't tell when a creative asset came through programmatic pipes; however there is great opportunity for mass versioning to personalize your message to the millions of people viewing your ads.

SEW: Give us three things delegates will take away from your session that will make them better marketers.

EP:

  • Insight into different strategies publishers are employing.
  • Benefits of PMP vs. OMP buying.
  • Questions to ask your media agency or the in-house programmatic buyer you are looking to hire.