Advertisers are growing more concerned about their ads appearing in brand-safe environments, according to a study from advertising and media company Oath.
The survey on over 300 advertising decision makers in the US found that 99% expressed concern about their ads appearing in brand-safe environments, while 58% were more worried this year than in 2017.
Brand safety has been a longing issue within the digital advertising world, particularly for advertisers working with the likes of YouTube and Facebook who’ve both had some troublesome issues in regards to brand and user safety online.
According to the survey, nearly half (45%) said that social media platforms were doing a poor job in addressing concerns while 42% agreed that user-generated content websites were not doing enough to address brand safety.
However, 70% agreed that tech vendors, including demand-side platforms and exchanges, were setting a good example when it comes to overcoming their concerns around brand safety.
Programmatic adjustments
In response to overcoming brand safety concerns, advertisers are making adjustments to their programmatic buying strategies, with 50% applying more pressure to partners to screen for better brand safety.
In terms of actions, 47% are implementing third-party technologies while 45% are shifting their ad spend to more premium websites with better reputations to stay protective.
Furthermore, advertisers said they will either blacklist (44%) or whitelist (40%) programmatic partners while 29% are set to enable more granular site targeting.
