Meeting the digital demand
A leading provider of real estate marketing solutions in Australia, Domain Group connects renters and buyers to agents and sellers across a range of print and digital properties. Domain’s innovative platform helps advertisers connect with high-value potential customers.
By late 2016, more than 70% of Domain’s customers were engaging with the business on its digital properties, especially on mobile. As traffic increased, Domain utilized their digital information to develop a multi-faceted perspective of visitors on their site. Domain’s marketing team then turned that information into a customer segmentation advertisers could use to engage those in the market for real estate and other related consumer services. Domain also uncovered significant visitor insights.
“A lot of people who come to our site read content that goes beyond buying a home,” says Shannon Fitzpatrick, operations and performance director at Domain Group. “So we created content verticals around lifestyle, communities, travel, DIY tips, advice, and news.”
With insights for more than a hundred segments — including first-time home buyers, investors, and urban professionals looking to rent — Domain could offer advertisers better opportunities for engaging with their audiences. They needed ads that would not only serve the interests of Domain’s segmentation, but also seamlessly weave into the topic-specific content. They needed a programmatic native solution.
A first for Australia
Around then, Google Ad Manager approached Domain about being the first Australian publisher to offer programmatic native advertising.
“Advertisers were crying out for new native programmatic solutions,” recalls Shannon. “When Google Ad Manager invited us to be one of the first to use native ads, we jumped at the opportunity.”
Google Ad Manager gives Domain the ability to run native ads that scale and adapt to the surrounding environment on all formats, layouts, and devices. Instead of requiring static, pre-defined ad creative, advertisers simply give Domain creative components, such as images, headlines, and copy. Google Ad Manager assembles the creative from these elements, displaying an ad that’s more relevant to the vertical, and seamlessly merges with the user experience. The result: native ads that create a better experience as well as drive engagement and revenue for Domain.
A compelling opportunity
Advertisers are seeing significant benefits from working with Domain. “Programmatic native allows us to offer a truly differentiated product to our advertisers,” says Shannon. “They’ve significantly reduced the complexity and time required for our production team to code and compile individual creatives. And they’re driving significant positive results.”
With native advertising on Google Ad Manager, Domain has seen a 12% increase in revenue, as well as a 38% increase in viewable impressions.
The shift to digital has fundamentally changed advertising and the value publishers can offer advertisers. Thanks to native ads on Google Ad Manager, Domain is grabbing the attention of its advertisers and their consumers, and connecting brands with relevant audiences. Most importantly, Domain’s customers are encountering content and ads seamlessly woven together for a more engaging, more satisfying experience.