In 2018, people will start to ask the same questions of data.
A recent Forrester report found 85% of marketers lack visibility into data used to define audiences, which means they can’t be confident about the source of data or how reliable it is when buying audience segments via a DSP.
"There’s currently very little clarity on who is in the supply chain and the margin they are taking"
Forrester’s report also shows there’s a hefty financial incentive for advertisers to begin demanding this transparency, revealing that $10.9bn will be wasted on low- or no-quality display ads if data quality and transparency issues aren’t addressed.
It’s not just a lack of transparency into where the data comes from. There’s currently very little clarity on who is in the supply chain and the margin they are taking. With DSPs, for instance, their stated margin on data has been known to be dramatically contradicted by their own financial accounts.
Transparency will become key from a consumer perspective as well. As the year that GDPR becomes enforceable, 2018 will require brands to become more transparent over how they use consumer data and offer the kind of advertising experiences that will make consumers more willing to share it in the first place.
A more transparent approach to data can restore trust between brands, agencies and consumers and will secure the health of digital advertising in 2018.