Q: ZoomInfo started using the Rubicon Project in 2007 to optimize display ads. What were you doing for advertising before, and what was the challenge?
A: Traffic on ZoomInfo was growing very quickly. Because we were just starting to sell ads directly, a lot of revenues came from networks but, as anyone in this business knows, you need a lot of networks to ensure your inventory gets full coverage and ensure your fill rate is optimized. Managing the eight or nine networks we had was becoming extremely tedious. Our director of ad sales was spending a huge percentage of his day optimizing this group when I wanted him on the phone selling ads directly.
Q: What about Rubicon specifically resonated with ZoomInfo?
A: Rubicon had a pitch, which fit very well with our needs: “Let us manage optimization of all networks.” Its products give us visibility into the value of all our networks and automate a lot of what Lee [Byrne, ad sales director of ZoomInfo] was doing. What that translates into is earning more money on remnant inventory as well as freeing up Lee’s time to go out and sell directly. It lets us use our resources as effectively as possible. When you do network relationships manually, you have to manage it all the time every day; every minute that goes by when your ads are not optimized is lost dollars. As soon as you get something like Rubicon in place, you have a great, immediate understanding of what’s working and what’s not.
Q: What were some of the changes ZoomInfo saw after it implemented Rubicon?
A: Cost per thousand across networks increased by 20%, and default ads decreased by 15%. These results combined with added efficiency for significant ROI. It improves results for advertisers because they’re getting better customer service and more attention. From our end, there’s been an increase in the number of accounts Lee can talk to. When users of ZoomInfo.com see default ads that aren’t relevant to the content they’re looking for, it decreases the user experience. Although you might not see direct effects on revenue, a better experience will bring more online users will back and your site will be more well regarded.
