Prerequisites for Launching a Programmatic Campaign

Programmatic Advertising Campaigns Need a Strong Foundation

Programmatic advertising campaigns, especially those powered by display ads are built to create awareness and influence consumers throughout the buyer journey not necessarily to drive last-click conversions. Display ads often act as early or mid-funnel touch-points, shaping perception and prompting future engagement.

Because users typically convert through organic search, direct visits, or other paid channels, your SEO, landing pages, and overall digital presence must be ready to capture that demand. When the foundation is strong, programmatic display campaigns become far more effective at generating meaningful, measurable results.

Key Insight: If you run display ads simultaneously, consumers are 20% more likely to click through and convert on a paid search ad.

Why Full-Funnel Marketing Drives Real Growth

Running successful programmatic ad campaigns isn’t just about clicks or last-touch conversions it’s about guiding consumers along a journey from awareness to consideration to action. That’s why full-funnel and programmatic advertising campaigns consistently outperform isolated, last-click tactics. When your brand is showing up across multiple touch-points—display ads, SEO, content, and landing pages you’re not just attracting attention, you're executing a full programmatic advertising strategy.

Take programmatic display ads, for example. These aren’t meant to generate instant clicks—they're designed to build familiarity, credibility, and desire. Think of them like billboards on your morning commute: You see the same brand every day. You notice the offer, the logo, the tagline. You don’t pull over and buy immediately, but the brand sticks. Later, when you're ready to search, you’re 20% more likely to click on a paid search ad from a brand you've already seen in display.

This is how modern consumer behavior works:

That’s why having your digital house in order SEO, content, programmatic landing pages, and brand identity and positioning—isn’t optional. It’s foundational. By aligning your branding, web presence, content, and campaign goals, you’re not just running ads you’re activating a performance-focused programmatic advertising strategy designed for scalable, attributable growth.

Core Elements of Programmatic Campaigns

1. Brand Identity and Positioning

This is where MOST BUSINESSES FAIL, right out of the gate. They don't have a unique enough value proposition.

Common Mistakes:

• Relying only on price as a differentiator
• Generic "cannabis enthusiasts" targeting
• No clear brand story or mission

Success Requirements:

• Clear Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
• Defined target personas (beyond "cannabis users")
• Consistent visual identity
• Compelling brand narrative
• Understand attribution

Strong brand identity and positioning reinforce every step of your programmatic strategy. They build trust, drive recall, and increase conversion rates when the buyer is finally ready to act.

⚙️Example: Don't say "We sell cannabis." Say "We provide artisan-crafted cannabis for wellness-focused professionals seeking natural stress relief."

Check out these Academy lessons to develop your branding and unique value proposition:

• Cannabis Branding
• Cannabis Target Audience
• Cannabis Market Research

2. Digital Presence Audit

Before launching, MediaJel completes a comprehensive digital presence audit to assess your SEO, site structure, content readiness, mobile UX, and CRO elements.

A detailed digital presence audit helps identify friction points that could limit performance in programmatic ad campaigns and ensures all foundational assets are optimized before you scale spend.

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3. Content Marketing Foundation

Requirement:

Robust content that engages and educates 

Why It Matters:

Low-value or outdated content erodes trust and wastes impressions. A solid content marketing foundation supports your campaigns by reinforcing authority, improving search rankings, and engaging mid-funnel leads.

Essential Content Types:

• Product descriptions with benefits
• Educational blog posts
• Customer reviews and testimonials
• About/mission pages
• FAQ sections
• COAs

Creating a reliable content marketing foundation also improves ad relevance scores and landing page quality key components of campaign efficiency.

🚀Visit our Content Marketing academy to learn more.

4. SEO Optimization

On-Page Requirements:

• Optimized for brand terms
• Relevant keyword integration
• Quality meta descriptions
• Mobile-friendly design

Technical Requirements:

• Fast page load speeds
• Proper URL structure
• SSL certificates
• Schema markup

Every successful programmatic advertising strategy benefits from a strong SEO base. Organic discovery and retargeting impressions go hand-in-hand in programmatic campaigns.

🚀Visit our SEO Marketing academy to learn more.

5. Landing Page Excellence

Purpose:

Convert programmatic traffic 

Best Practice:

Dedicated programmatic landing pages for each campaign

Essential Elements:

• Headline matching ad message
• Clear value proposition
• Social proof (reviews)
• Simple conversion path
• Mobile optimization

A high-performing programmatic landing page captures warm leads and ensures seamless user experience from ad click to action.

🚀Visit Mastering Advertising Landing Pages to learn more.

6. Creative Asset Preparation

Your programmatic ad creative must meet strict platform standards and effectively convey your brand.

Standard Dimensions Required:

• 970x250 (Billboard)
• 320x50 (Mobile Banner)
• 300x250 (Medium Rectangle)
• 300x600 (Half Page)
• 728x90 (Leaderboard)

Technical Specifications:

• File size: Under 500KB
• Formats: GIF, PNG, JPG
• Animated GIFs recommended

Investing in high-quality programmatic ad creative improves CTRs, increases engagement, and strengthens brand recall across every channel.

7. Ad Campaign Strategy Development

Define Clear Objectives:

• Brand awareness
• Customer acquisition
• Retention/loyalty
• Market expansion

Budget Allocation Framework:

• Test budget: $5,000-10,000/month
• Scale budget: Based on proven ROAS
• 80/20 rule: Retention vs. acquisition

8. Programmatic Campaign Timeline

Every high-performing campaign starts with a data-driven programmatic advertising strategy.

This approach enables smarter spending and more predictable performance across programmatic campaigns.