Walled gardens and the open internet both offer unique benefits. Walled gardens allow advertisers to connect intimately with large user bases and leverage closed network targeting capabilities. On the other hand, the open internet provides access to more shoppers across retailer sites, publishing platforms, blogs, apps, and more—enabling advertisers to reach consumers across their entire shopping journey.
While walled garden advertising can be an attractive option, there are several reasons why expanding your advertising efforts to the open internet is beneficial for businesses looking to further maximize customer growth.
1. Broaden your audience reach
One of the biggest advantages of advertising on the open internet is that it allows businesses to reach a wide-open frontier of audiences. According to Criteo research, 7 in 10 people read articles on the open internet before buying important or first-time purchases.¹ The open internet offers businesses the opportunity to reach this vast audience and connect with a wider network of customers.
2. Go where shoppers are spending most of their time
Consumers are spending more time online than ever before, and the number is growing rapidly. People spend 66% of their time online on the open internet.² By continuously engaging people throughout their entire shopper journey, businesses are more likely to create lasting, result-yielding impressions on new and existing customers.
3. Leverage transparency to optimize your ads
Another advantage of advertising on the open internet is the transparency and control that it offers. Because walled gardens are closed ecosystems, it can be difficult for advertisers to know exactly where their ads are being placed and who is seeing them.
On the open internet, however, businesses have more control over where their ads are displayed and can track their performance more easily. This transparency allows them to identify what works and make data-driven decisions to optimize their campaigns for improved results.
4. Improve brand visibility
Advertising on the open internet can help businesses increase their visibility and exposure to potential customers by telling their brand story on a wide range of websites and platforms.
With the ability to control where their ads are displayed, brands can also avoid having their ads appear next to controversial content and better ensure that they’re shown in safe and appropriate contexts.
Reach shoppers across the open internet with Commerce Growth
While advertising on walled gardens has its benefits, businesses that want to expand their customer growth potential should expand beyond their usual tactics.
By taking advantage of the vast audience reach, variety of ad formats, transparency, and brand-building potential offered by the open internet, advertisers can generate more customer acquisition and retention growth.
To learn more, talk to a Criteo expert:
Sources:
¹Criteo Shopper, Shopper Story 2022: Consumer Trends & The Future of Commerce
²Harris Poll, The Open Web vs. Walled Gardens: Consumers Preferences & The Opportunity for Brand Marketers
