Top 10 Data Management Platforms
Have you ever wondered why data can be so hard to manage? Nearly every action we take online leads to some form of data. From a marketing perspective, it’s a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, we have more data about our customers (and even those who don’t become customers) than ever. On the other hand, all of this data goes to waste if we don’t know how to manage it.
With this in mind, we want to introduce the idea of a DMP (data management platform). After first explaining what these platforms do, we’re going to examine the benefits of using a DMP. Then, we’ll bring attention to ten of the best options in this niche right now.
What’s a DMP?
As the name suggests, a DMP will manage all the data you collect over a given period of time. After first collecting the data, the software will organize it. As well as handling campaign data, a DMP will also organize and house customer data, which can include mobile identifiers, cookie IDs, and more.
The reason this is so valuable for marketers is that it allows us to build customer segments and assess the performance of ad campaigns. As well as basing segments on demographic data, a DMP can also assess factors such as device, location, and past browsing behavior.
Benefits of Implementing a DMP
A data management platform for ads will gather all of your data and keep it under one roof. Rather than not knowing how to control data and letting potentially useful insights go by, you will have all the information you need in one place.
If you’ve ever used lookalike audiences, you know why having ‘everything in one place’ is so useful. With platforms like Facebook’s Lookalike Audiences, you can find customers who might have an interest in your brand or products based on the people who already use your service. Suddenly, having everything on the DMP can lead to discovering new prospective customers and growth for our business.
The benefits of a DMP appear to be endless. Rather than creating a report and never using the platform again, you can make it a reliable partner for the long run. Over time, the DMP will contribute to your long-term strategy through continuous reporting.
10 Brilliant Data Management Platforms
1. Adobe Audience Manager
One reason to choose Adobe is because they provide unique audience profiles that highlight the most valuable segments of our audience. What’s more, publishers can build targeted audiences and sell them to advertisers. All in all, it’s a great way to put all your data to good use. As we learn more about our audience, we can use this information to target them more effectively while also finding others like them.
2. Simpli.fi
With Simpli.fi, we’re still focused on audience insights. The platform allows you to custom build audiences using individual data elements,. Rather than reaching out to the wrong people, Simpli.fi ensures that you’re hitting the audience with the most potential. Eventually, you end up with a self-fulfilling system where you gather more and more valuable data and consumer insights that continually optimize campaigns.
3. Lotame
One of the most popular solutions in the market, Lotame collects data from a variety of sources, including:
- Blogs
- Mobile apps
- Campaigns
- Social media
- CRM tools
As you can see, Lotame is a brilliant tool for getting a bird’s eye view of your business. It’s not only one of the best tools for collecting email and social media, but also one of the best data management platforms for ads. When you choose Lotame, you also get a number of tools for optimization. While some are manual, others are automated and will boost engagement and efficiency.
While there are many benefits to it, one caveat we have with Lotame is that there’s no live reporting. Some users have also complained about the loading speed.
4. OnAudience
If you’re looking to build an audience profile, OnAudience is a great way to get started. Plenty of businesses have used it for segmentation based on online behavior, gender, age, interests, and more. OnAudience is a user-focused platform that pays attention to customer feedback. As a result of this feedback, the service continues to grow.
According to the company, they have access to 12 billion profiles. Therefore, finding new customers and developing new audiences should be achievable in no time.
5. Synthio
With data collection, one concern that’s often forgotten is duplication. Fortunately, Synthio promises to ‘deduplicate’ when bringing free-form or non-standard data into one usable dataset. Because of this, you know that the insights and results will be accurate. Synthio also helps in other areas, such as strategic augmentation and standardization. Even if you just want an overview of the health of your data, Synthio will deliver.
6. Nielsen
If you’ve never heard of Nielsen before, we highly recommend doing some research after reading this guide. Over the years, the company has developed extensive data analytics and measurement software, and Nielsen DMP is a strong part of this. When you get started, you will choose between 60,000 different audience segments. After this, the software will collect, manage, and customize audience data.
Of course, collecting and organizing data is useless if the information isn’t going to get used. Nielsen helps brands provide content and ads that resonate with their audience. When it comes to data management platforms for ads, it doesn’t get much better. In fact, advertisers can even assess analytics regarding every step of the customer journey for tailored advertising.
7. Salesforce DMP
Just like Nielsen, Salesforce is a name with a great reputation for marketers. We all know about the CRM software, but fewer marketers are aware of the data management software. Previously known as Krux, it helps to unify data across various touchpoints. With access to both machine learning and AI, users will have full customer profiles to attract multi-channel engagement. We’ve spoken about using data to acquire new customers, but we can’t forget the importance of looking after existing customers. Cue Salesforce DMP.
8. SAS Data Management
If you’re looking to collect data from Hadoop and legacy systems, SAS Data Management is the platform for you. As the largest independent vendor in this category, SAS continues to make a name with advertisers and businesses alike. The advanced software allows users to update their data, change processes, and perform their own analysis. Despite the many benefits this platform offers, the one drawback we would point to is the pricing. For some small businesses, it might be difficult to invest the amount they’re asking.
9. Oracle BlueKai DMP
Back in 2017, we would be writing about how Oracle DMP was the most popular and most used DMP in the market. Although it has slipped slightly since then, we still think it deserves our attention. Now called Oracle BlueKai, marketers have everything they need to learn about the customer journey with this service. It can offer you not only improved targeting, but also more precise marketing campaigns.
In particular, we feel this is one of the best platforms for understanding the composition of an audience by device. Of course, this improves engagement and helps you reach out to people in the right way (and of course, at the right times!).
Read More: How to Find the Best Audiences on Facebook, Google, and Twitter
10. Mapp
Finally, our last suggestion is Mapp, a simple solution that brings all of your data into one place. If you want to turn prospects and strangers into long-term customers, you need to understand them. Once you understand them, marketing becomes easier and they feel valued that you took the time to reach out in the right way. With Mapp, all of this is possible.
We like to look for differentiating factors, and what differentiates Mapp is its lookalike model. As we’ve discussed, this feature considers the characteristics of your profitable customers, and then finds a new audience of similar people. If they share characteristics with your loyal customers, there’s a chance they might be interested in your service too.
Choosing a Data Management Platform
Now that you know the merits of a data management platform (and have learned some of the biggest names), all that’s left is to talk with your team and choose the one that will lead you to glory. Whichever you choose, don’t forget the most important step: using the insights and information. Collecting and organizing data is one thing, using it to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of your marketing campaigns is another. Good luck!
