In Europe, in most countries people were able to enjoy an unexpected, premature outbreak of summer at the beginning of April this year. Temperatures climbed to over 30 degrees in some places. But 30 degrees at the beginning of April large parts of Europe? That's not just a crazy freak of nature, that’s climate change.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the past eight years have been the hottest ever recorded throughout history. Since the 1980s, every decade has experienced progressively higher global temperatures. And while that’s probably no news to you, the impact that digital technologies are having on climate change might be.
Online advertising’s carbon footprint is real …
Although not as easily measurable as some other industries, the digital advertising sector significantly contributes to climate change – and programmatic advertising with thousands of automated bids occurring every millisecond is one of the digital contributors. So now that we understood that: What do we need to know? What can we do? Can we do anything at all? Let’s dive in!
… and it’s a pity – but we’ll never be green!
Although there has been more and more talk about green ad tech recently, we want to make one thing clear right at the beginning: Online advertising by definition will never be green. Who’re we kiddin’? Because beyond what is transmitted to the end user’s device, a large number of technologies (targeting, tracking, verification, impact studies, band with, etc) are implemented for the distribution of an ad, involving large amounts of data transmitted between the digital servers – and we have always and will always need electricity to run these servers. That’s what we do. We simply just don’t plant trees that suck carbon out of the atmosphere. Period! Having said that, it’s our obligation to reduce footprint wherever possible. And the good news is: There are quite a few relatively simple practices that we can easily incorporate into our daily routines.
Nevertheless: There are many straight forward steps we should take
When it comes to carbon emission reduction within programmatic advertising we would suggest to focus on certain points as by adding them up they have the potential to have a big impact on our overall carbon footprint.
Creative teams can do the following to effectively reduce emissions in advertising:
Reduce display creatives sizes!
By decreasing the dimensions of display creatives (such as banners or images) creative teams can effectively reduce the file sizes of these elements. Smaller file sizes require less data to be transmitted over networks, resulting in lower energy consumption and reduced emissions associated with data transfer processes.
Reduce the weight of videos!
By using efficient compression techniques and eliminating unnecessary elements, creative teams can lessen the environmental impact of video advertising. Lighter video files consume less bandwidth during streaming, leading to lower energy consumption and emissions during content delivery.
Limit the number of loaded items!
You can minimize the environmental impact of advertising by reducing the number of resources (such as images, scripts, or external content) loaded alongside advertisements. Fewer loaded items result in faster page loading times and reduced energy consumption by users' devices.
Media Teams can do the following to effectively reduce emissions in advertising:
Choose to target smaller devices!
Media teams can strategically target advertising towards devices or formats that consume less energy. For instance, smaller devices like smartphones generally require less power to operate compared to larger ones like Connected TV (CTV). By actively choosing to prioritize advertising on energy-efficient platforms, media teams can contribute to reducing overall emissions.
Use Private Marketplaces over the Open Market!
PMPs have the big advantage that they offer a much more direct path to ad inventory than the Open Market, but offering full programmatic capabilities, therefore outperforming IO. A bid doesn't have to fight it's way through the open auction by using the much more direct path. Less bidding results in lower carbon emissions overall.
Fight invalid traffic (IVT)!
Invalid traffic refers to ad impressions that are either non-visible or generated by bots, leading to wasted resources and ineffective advertising. Media teams can combat IVT by implementing measures to detect and filter out fraudulent traffic. By ensuring that ads are only served to real users on legitimate platforms, the efficiency and effectiveness of advertising campaigns can be maximized while emissions associated with fraudulent or irrelevant impressions are minimized.
Use simple settings for ad quality over ad quantity!
By implementing straightforward settings such as frequency caps or whitelisting media teams can prioritize ad quality over quantity. Frequency caps limit the number of times a particular ad is shown to the same user within a specified time frame, preventing overexposure and reducing unnecessary energy consumption. Whitelisting involves specifying approved websites or platforms where ads can be displayed, ensuring brand safety and targeting relevant audiences efficiently. By focusing on simplicity and quality assurance measures, advertising campaigns can be optimized for effectiveness while emissions associated with excessive or irrelevant ad impressions are minimized.
Publishers can do the following to effectively reduce emissions in advertising:
Take care of the Supply Path Optimization!
Publishers can reduce emissions in advertising by implementing supply path optimization strategies. This involves continuously evaluating the performance of advertising partners and resellers to identify the most efficient and environmentally sustainable paths for ad delivery. By streamlining the supply chain and working with high-performing partners, publishers can minimize unnecessary energy consumption and emissions associated with advertising activities.
Evaluate websites and linked tech infrastructure!
Publishers can assess their websites and associated technological infrastructure to identify opportunities for sustainable improvements. This includes optimizing website performance to reduce energy consumption, implementing efficient coding practices, and evaluating the environmental impact of third-party technologies used for advertising and content delivery. By prioritizing sustainability in website design and infrastructure management, publishers can contribute to reducing emissions associated with online advertising.
Actively combat invalid traffic (IVT)!
Publishers play a crucial role in fighting invalid traffic, which includes bots, ad clutter, and made-for-advertising sites that add no value but consume resources. By implementing measures to detect and prevent IVT, such as advanced fraud detection technologies and strict ad quality standards, publishers can ensure that advertising resources are used efficiently and effectively. This helps minimize emissions associated with fraudulent or irrelevant ad impressions while maintaining a sustainable advertising ecosystem.
Things we all can do to effectively reduce emissions in advertising:
Share findings and data within the industry by communicating!
By openly sharing findings and data related to environmental impact and sustainability efforts, companies within the industry can promote transparency and collaboration. This facilitates knowledge exchange and encourages collective action towards reducing emissions in advertising. Through effective communication channels, such as industry conferences, forums, and publications, valuable insights and best practices can be disseminated to promote environmental stewardship across the advertising sector.
Ask partners and service providers what they do to reduce the impact!
Engaging with partners and service providers to inquire about their sustainability practices demonstrates a commitment to environmental responsibility throughout the supply chain. By encouraging dialogue and collaboration on emission reduction initiatives, companies can foster a culture of accountability and shared responsibility within the industry. This proactive approach enables companies to align with partners who prioritize sustainability and work together towards common environmental goals.
Use green energy providers to run offices, servers etc!
Leveraging green energy providers for office operations and server infrastructure presents a tangible opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate environmental impact. Choosing green energy providers aligns with sustainability objectives and demonstrates a commitment to environmental stewardship, while also supporting the growth of renewable energy industries.
Step by step into a greener future
In a world where global warming poses a significant threat to our planet, it's imperative that every industry, including ours, takes action to mitigate its impact. Although we may not achieve complete sustainability overnight, each step we take in the right direction brings us closer to a greener future and therefore into the right direction forward.
