Cross-Device Support
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Cross-device support lets you target people rather than individual devices.
The DSP's cross-device feature leverages the Tapad Graph, Tapad's probabilistic and deterministic cross-device graph, which is built via machine learning algorithms, using device data such as proximity, IP addresses, and app logins to help classify different devices as belonging to the same user. Approximately 25-35% of users can be found in the graph.
Cross-device support is currently only available for tactics in North America (US, Canada and Mexico).
With the DSP's cross-device support, you can use these features:
- Cross-device frequency capping
- Cross-device audience extension
- Cross-device conversion attribution
- Cross-device reporting
Enabling cross-device doesn't mean that impressions will only be shown to users who have been recognized by the cross-device graph.
For optimum performance and reporting, we recommend enabling Target only trackable devices in the Device tab of the tactic editor when using cross-device support. This option is enabled by default when you turn on cross-device support.
Cross-Device Frequency Capping
If cross-device is enabled, frequency caps reflect the number of times an ad is shown to a single user on all of their devices per tactic.
On tactics that don't enable cross-device support, frequency caps apply to each device, and if a person switches from one device to another, the impressions on the first device don't count toward the frequency cap on the second.
If a tactic has a frequency cap of 3 impressions every day without cross-device support, user A could see up to 3 impressions on her tablet, then switch to her desktop and see up to 3 more impressions from the same tactic.
| Tablet | 3 |
| Desktop | 3 |
| Total | 6 |
With cross-device support, if user A has been recognized, the impressions on her tablet and her desktop would all count toward the same frequency cap. If she views three impressions from a tactic on her tablet and then switches to her desktop, she won't be eligible to see impressions from that tactic until the 12 hours are over.
| Tablet | 3 |
| Desktop | 0 |
| Total | 3 |
Cross-Device Audience Extension
Audience extension includes other devices for users in first-party audiences when showing ads. The audience can be created directly on the DSP or via third-party providers.
For example, say a tactic targets Audience XYZ that was built with cookie IDs on desktop devices. If other devices have been associated with a user, cross-device audience extension shows them the ad on those other devices too.
| User | Device | Cookie ID is on Audience XYZ? |
ID is on cross-device graph? |
Can show impression to device/user? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| User A | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Tablet | No | Yes | Yes | |
| User B | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Tablet | No | No | No |
In this example, user A has been cookied on her desktop, but not on her mobile or tablet. All three of her devices have been identified by the cross-device graph, so with cross-device audience extension, the ads can be shown to her on all three of her devices.
User B also has three devices, but because his new tablet has not been identified by the cross-device graph, he will only see ads on his desktop and mobile.
Cross-Device Conversion Attribution
With cross-device, conversions can be tracked if they occur on a device different from the one in which the ad was served.
For example, say User A sees an impression on her mobile device but makes the purchase on her desktop. Without cross-device support, the DSP wouldn't track that conversion.
With cross-device support enabled, the graph identifies that the mobile and desktop belong to the same user, and the DSP tracks the conversion.
Because the impression was served on a mobile, the conversion is attributed to the mobile device and not the desktop. Cross-device conversions are attributed to the device in which the impression was served, not to the device in which the conversion took place
|
Device in which the impression is served |
Device in which the conversion occurs |
Device the conversion is attributed to |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Without XD |
Desktop |
Desktop |
Desktop |
|
Desktop |
Mobile |
Conversion is not recorded |
|
|
Mobile |
Tablet |
Conversion is not recorded |
|
|
With XD |
Desktop |
Desktop |
Desktop |
|
Desktop |
Mobile |
Desktop |
|
|
Mobile |
Tablet |
Mobile |
Cross-Device and CTV
Cross-device third-party audience data targeting is available for audiences on Connected TV (CTV).
Approximately 60% of connected TV bid requests are matched to a human profile. With connected TV devices, device advertising identifiers (IFAs) are not always reliably available, so we also generate a synthetic ID based on IP address and user agent information. This is a dependable way to identify them because these devices are normally connected to a stable home broadband connection.
In summary, we add third-party audiences to human profiles when there is at least one connected TV device in it:
- All first-party audiences (collected via the DSP) are added to human profiles
- All custom/first-party audiences collected via data management providers are added to human profiles
- Standard third-party audiences when the human has at least one CTV device are added to human profiles
Cross-Device Reporting
Reports let you learn about users' interaction with ads across their devices and how customers are responding to ads in each of their devices. This information can help you improve targeting parameters to reach your desired KPIs. Current cross-device reports include these:
- Cross Device - Reach by Frequency
- Cross Device - Reach by Device Type
- Cross Device - Reach by Audience