As time passes, brands must proactively consider brand safety and the topic near which their content appears. This has led to businesses seriously assessing their brand suitability.
The digital marketing industry has experienced a lot of brand safety trials and tribulations over the last few years. Companies have navigated through a pandemic, changed how they participate in social and cultural advancements and position themselves, and are continually on the lookout for last-minute changes and messaging.
For better or worse, the new world developments offered various ways to communicate brand posture and outlook. Brands increased their expectations around brand safety because of the risk of simply appearing near particular topics online. However, the distinctions between what is desirable and not desirable are becoming hazier. It is getting harder and far less strategic to just decide whether or not certain platforms or topics are acceptable. This sets the groundwork for brand suitability, the next evolution of brand safety.
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Here is a look at what is motivating brand safety initiatives and effective ways to implement them:
Brand Placement and Engagement
Brand safety is really about identifying risk areas for brands. For instance, brands can rank a set of content categories in varied levels of acceptability when setting up a campaign, and they can identify and apply those categories. The publishers are then informed of the brand suitability criteria. The publishing partner is in charge of placing marketing content in the approved areas.
However, the challenges posed by brand engagement and placement are still evolving. Every day, new media platforms and inventory types appear. While many publishers can be categorized according to the subject matter, some of the biggest platforms—particularly social media platforms—cannot properly vet content. It is more likely due to the volatility of the user-generated content that makes up social media platforms than anything else. Nevertheless, given that they receive the majority of advertising dollars, this is a significant issue.
It is more crucial than ever for companies to be clever about how and where they are present because the world has recently experienced numerous critical moments that have significantly impacted consumer behaviors and outlooks.
Brand Suitability Measures
In order to reduce this risk and improve placement situations, the digital marketing industry created a new parameter. This is accomplished with brand suitability measures. This approach turns the traditional notion of brand safety on its head. Brand suitability is much more about the environment in which a brand wants to run marketing content and advertisements than it is about identifying the areas where it does not.
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Although it seems like a simple idea, it gives brands more assurance in where their marketing and advertising dollars are spent and how audience engagement happens. Brand suitability offers a nuanced approach to pinpoint precisely which content is more relevant and more aligned.
Combining Brand Safety and Brand Suitability
In the current market, combining brand safety and brand suitability is the key to maximizing brand safety. Additionally, businesses must adhere to the industry standards established by the IAB, ensure they are asking their publisher partners for the appropriate content or environments, and work internally to self-regulate. This strategy meets all brand safety requirements while also being future-proof, especially as new channels and inventory options appear.
Since brands understand their customer and know what content is most suitable for them from a marketing standpoint, these approaches enable them to more effectively target and engage audiences in the safest possible manner. Brands can meet the essential brand safety requirements demanded by their partners and the wider digital marketing industry by closely observing emerging trends and rigorously managing inventory options.
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