Data File vs. "Instant Audience"

A significant component of any digital campaign is the target audience. We often utilize the "customer list" targeting option at Majority Strategies, which allows us to target specific individuals based on certain criteria.

When we choose to target this way, we have two options:

1. Use a data file we created.
2. Utilize the information already available to us to create an "Instant Audience" within an advertising platform.

Data File

Data files are fitting to use when we have a list of specific voters we want to target for a particular campaign or candidate.

The Data Operations team will have the ability to create data files, which can then be attached to new IO form submissions.

Depending on the platform, these data files can take some time to populate. Facebook can take up to a couple of days to populate the list, and The Trade Desk can take up to 7-10 days.

The match rate for these data files will mostly be between 25% and 35%. For example, if you submit a data file of 20,000 people, only 7,000 or less will be in the audience to serve ads to.

If the data file ends up matching less than the platform minimum requirement of 5,000, Ad Ops may need to supplement the audience with part of the Pacing Waterfall, which may end up diluting your audience. Alternatively, you'll need to work with Data Ops, Causeway, or whoever provided the data file to retrieve a larger list based on the desired targeting parameters, resulting in additional delays.

Instant Audience - The Preferred Method

If we're using a data file that does not contain a specific voter list, we highly recommend using an "Instant Audience" instead of a specific file.

Unlike with data files, there is no delay regarding the configuration of your audience list. If the goal is to get your advertisements to deliver impressions as soon as possible, this is the way to do it. 

The Ad Operations team will have the ability to utilize advanced information and data to create the audience that best suits the needs and goals of the campaign.

No concerns with match rates: all of the information is already in the system, meaning no platform will have to try and match users to information.

A good use-case example for using an "Instant Audience" over a Data File is to ask Ad Ops to "target republicans in Jacksonville, Florida," instead of asking Data Ops to "create a data file of republicans in Jacksonville, Florida." The former will yield much better results in a much faster timeframe.

If your goal is to get ads live as quickly as possible, with the best data available, don't use a data file, and instead take advantage of the Instant Audience approach.