EP: 37 A Taking Inventory Classic: Eric Seufert on the future of ads, ecom, the walled gardens, and more
Dec 25, 2023
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Media strategist and author, Eric Seufert, discusses the concept of everything as an ad network, the value of first-party data, and the rise of on-platform commerce. He also explores the concept of a content fortress and shares his interest in macroeconomics and reading habits.
The increasing privacy restrictions in the digital advertising space limit data availability for targeted ads, emphasizing the importance of intent-based data and context-specific relevancy.
Audience extensions present opportunities for expanding reach and targeting, but their long-term viability depends on adapting to changing data collection and privacy practices.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Digital Advertising and the Concept of Everything as an Ad Network
The podcast episode explores the concept of everything as an ad network and its origins. The guest, Eric Suford, discusses the two lenses through which the idea can be viewed. He credits the genesis of the idea to an anonymous FinTweeter called modest proposal, who highlighted the attractiveness of introducing ads to a large audience. Eric's take on everything as an ad network relates to the evolution of the digital advertising space and the impact of privacy policies on data flow between platforms. He explains how the increasingly restrictive privacy environment limits data available for targeting ads, highlighting the importance of intent-based data and context-specific relevancy. Eric also discusses the emergence of retail media networks and on-platform commerce experiences as attempts to leverage first-party data in the face of privacy regulations. The conversation delves into the challenges posed by regulatory environments and platform policies, as well as the potential future directions of ad tech and martech.
The Role of Cappy and Audience Extensions in the Changing Landscape
The conversation touches upon the role of customer data platforms (CDPs) and audience extensions in the evolving advertising landscape. Eric shares his perspective on the risks and challenges associated with audience extensions, particularly in light of regulatory environments and platform policies. He emphasizes the uncertainties surrounding universal ID cookie replacements and cautions about the future proofness of certain approaches. While audience extensions present opportunities for expanding reach and targeting, their long-term viability depends on adapting to changing data collection and privacy practices.
Shifts in Advertising Revenue and the Rise of Subscription Services
The podcast explores the shifts in advertising revenue and the growing prominence of subscription services. Eric discusses how platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat, have been diversifying their revenue streams to reduce reliance on ad-driven models. He highlights the increasing focus on verification, subscriptions, and commerce experiences as alternative revenue generators. The conversation touches on Apple's success in the subscription services space and the potential directions for their advertising platform. Eric provides his insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by these shifts and emphasizes the need for companies to adapt to changing monetization models.
The Future of Ad Tech and the Significance of Macro Analysis
In closing, the podcast delves into the future of ad tech and Eric's personal interests beyond the advertising industry. Eric expresses his passion for macro analysis and econ-based perspectives. He discusses his deep interest in understanding and resolving data points within the macroeconomic landscape. While he primarily focuses on digital advertising, Eric mentions that he spends a significant amount of time consuming macro-related content and finding connections between the macro environment and market trends.
Eric is a media strategist, quantitative marketer, and author who has spent his career working for transformative consumer technology and media companies. Eric founded Agamemnon, a start-up that built a mobile marketing analytics platform, which was acquired in 2017. Following the acquisition Eric launched Heracles Capital, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on the mobile ecosystem. Eric also runs Mobile Dev Memo, a mobile advertising and freemium monetization trade blog, and QuantMar, a knowledge-sharing platform for quantitative marketers. Eric has been featured and quoted in The Information, Business Insider, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and more.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eric_seufert
MobileDevMemo: https://mobiledevmemo.com/
Links:
The profound, unintended consequence of ATT: content fortresses
Eric’s Book Freemium Economics: https://www.amazon.com/Freemium-Economics-Leveraging-Analytics-Segmentation/dp/0124166903
Theseus Growth, open-source cohort analysis and general marketing performance analysis: https://github.com/ESeufert/theseus_growth
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