Once upon a time, in the not-too-distant past, the world of advertising was like a school sports day. The big guys - your large enterprises - took home all the prizes, while the smaller competitors - our beloved small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) - were left huffing and puffing in the background. Today, thanks to advertising technology (Ad Tech), we're seeing David and Goliath go head-to-head on a more level playing field. And guess what? David's not doing half bad!
It's a simple fact: SMBs are nimble. They can pivot faster than a salsa dancer on a dance floor. But when it comes to advertising, having all the right moves isn't enough. Thankfully, ad tech is changing the game.
In 2022, SMBs ramped up their tech adoption, investing in advanced cybersecurity, AI, and other emerging technologies to meet long-term organizational goals1. The endgame? Growing revenue, market share, and employee productivity1. They're thinking about the marathon, not just the sprint, my friends.
But, it’s not all smooth sailing. Just as a novice sailor might get a touch seasick, a substantial 61% of U.S. SMBs experienced buyer's remorse over a tech purchase in the past year1. Now, that's a party no one wants to attend. The reasons? Lackluster support services, unexpected costs, and difficulty proving ROI1.
So, here we are at a crossroads. SMBs want to be the hare, but sometimes they end up feeling more like the tortoise. They're eager to try out shiny new ad tech toys, but they also need to ensure these tools can integrate seamlessly with their existing tech stacks, and that the costs won't have their finance departments seeing red1.
Despite these hurdles, the benefits of ad tech for SMBs are too compelling to ignore. Ad tech allows SMBs to gain insights into their customer base, optimize their marketing spend, and level the playing field with larger competitors. In the global market, ad tech application is growing among SMBs across regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East and Africa2.
In the game of advertising, ad tech is turning out to be the secret weapon for our underdogs, the SMBs. So, as the stakes get higher, the question remains: Are you ready to embrace the power of ad tech and join the ranks of the victors? It's a brave new world out there, and with ad tech at your side, the odds might be more in your favor than you think.
Authored by: Adam Ortman, Kinetic319 | Founder & President