Programmatic Media Buying Agency
Display advertising can cover a range of formats such as a banner ad on a news site, a sponsored article that reads like the piece next to it, or an offer inside a mobile game.
We plan and buy these campaigns, bidding for the right ad space in real time rather than negotiating with individual publishers one by one. That’s the same approach whether a campaign is running as standard banner advertising across the open web, native ads that blend into content, or ads placed inside mobile apps and games.
Why programmatic display matters
Buying media space the traditional way means negotiating with each publisher individually, agreeing a fixed placement, and hoping the right people see it. Programmatic media buying flips that. Instead of choosing a site or app and hoping the audience is there, campaigns target the audience directly, wherever they happen to be.
That shift matters most in reach and efficiency. A single campaign can run across thousands of sites and apps at once, rather than being limited to direct publisher deals, and the budget can move toward what’s working rather than waiting until a booking ends to make a change.
Programmatic display advertising formats
Programmatic display doesn’t stop at one screen or site. There is endless opportunity to reach your audience across the web.
Display advertising
Standard programmatic display is the classic banner and rich-media ad, shown on websites across the open ad exchange. Think of a leaderboard banner across the top of The Guardian, or a rectangle ad in the sidebar of a blog, both bought and placed automatically based on who’s reading.
Native advertising
Native ads are built to match the look and feel of the content around them, rather than standing out as a separate ad unit. A sponsored article recommendation at the bottom of a news page is a native placement. It’s the same audience-led buying, in a format that reads as part of the page rather than an interruption.
In-app advertising
In-app advertising places ads inside mobile apps rather than on websites. Common formats include banner ads within an app’s interface, interstitial ads that appear between screens, and video ads a user watches in exchange for something in the app.
In-game advertising
In-game advertising places ads inside games themselves, from mobile to console games with ad-supported inventory. Formats include rewarded video between levels, playable ads, and in-world placements built into the game environment. It suits brands specifically looking to reach gaming audiences.
How we deliver programmatic display campaigns
Our audience-led process scales reach without adding complexity.
1. Audience planning
2. Format and placement selection
3. Creative asset production
4. Real-time bidding
5. Reporting and optimisation
What programmatic media advertising costs
Programmatic display is typically priced on a cost per mille (CPM) basis through real-time bidding, rather than a fixed rate card.
- Broad, open-exchange audiences: roughly £1.60 to £12 CPM.
- B2B segments or highly specific inventory: roughly £8 to £20 CPM.
- Seasonality such as holiday surges can typically inflate CPMs by 20 to 40%.
- Campaigns generally start from around £2,500 to £5,000 per month in media spend.
The right budget for a specific campaign depends on the formats, audience and inventory involved, so a tailored quote gives a more accurate figure than the ranges alone.
Why work with a programmatic media partner?
The SEO Works has worked in performance marketing for 17 years, with a team of 80+ specialists. Applied to programmatic display, that means display, native, in-app and in-game campaigns are planned by one team rather than juggling a different specialist for each format.
Every campaign has a single point of contact and one set of reporting across every format involved, whichever combination a plan needs. See our programmatic advertising services for how this fits alongside our Connected TV and DOOH advertising.
Get started with programmatic display advertising
Programmatic display puts a campaign in front of the right audience across the open web, in apps and in games, planned and bought by one team rather. If you want to see what that that looks like for your audience and budget, get in touch with our team.
FAQs about programmatic display ads
What’s the difference between display and native advertising?
Display advertising uses standard banner and rich-media ad units that sit visibly apart from the page content. Native advertising is built to match the look and feel of the content around it, such as a sponsored article recommendation, so it reads as part of the page rather than a separate ad.
Can you run app and game advertising as part of the same campaign as display?
Yes. Because all of these formats are bought programmatically through the same audience-led approach, a single campaign can combine display, native, in-app and in-game placements based on where a target audience actually spends time.
How much does programmatic display advertising cost?
Programmatic display is priced on a CPM basis, generally £1.60 to £12 for broad open-exchange audiences and £8 to £20 for B2B or highly specific inventory. Most campaigns start from around £2,500 to £5,000 per month in media spend, though the right budget depends on the formats and audience involved.
Do I need a different strategy for in-app versus in-game advertising?
The two overlap but aren’t identical. In-app advertising covers the full range of mobile apps and uses formats like banners and interstitials, while in-game advertising is specific to games and often uses formats like rewarded video and playable ads. A campaign can target one, the other, or both depending on where the audience is.
Is programmatic display measurable?
Yes. Campaigns are tracked on impressions, clicks and conversions across every format in one place, giving a consistent view of performance rather than separate, disconnected reports per format.