Good morning, and welcome. Today, we will delve into the dynamic and complex ecosystem of applications used for digital advertising. Our objective is to provide a clear, objective, and comprehensive overview of the platforms, tools, and technologies that brands leverage to connect with consumers in the digital age. The landscape is vast, but we can categorize it into several key segments: major advertising platforms, programmatic buying tools, social media networks, specialized and niche applications, and the critical software for measurement and optimization. **I. The Major Platform Ecosystems: Google, Meta, and Amazon** At the foundation of digital advertising lie the walled gardens of major platform companies. These entities offer integrated suites of applications that manage the entire advertising lifecycle, from campaign creation to payment processing. First, we have **Google Ads**. This is arguably the most comprehensive application for search, display, and video advertising. Its primary strength lies in its access to the world's largest search engine, allowing advertisers to place text-based ads in front of users actively searching for specific products, services, or information. This is known as Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Beyond search, the Google Display Network (GDN) enables advertisers to place visual banner ads across millions of websites, apps, and YouTube videos, targeting users based on their browsing behavior, demographics, and interests. The YouTube component within Google Ads provides powerful tools for video advertising, from skippable in-stream ads to non-skippable bumper ads. The application itself is a sophisticated tool for keyword research, bid management, budget allocation, and performance tracking. Second, we have **Meta Business Suite and its advertising component, formerly known as Facebook Ads Manager**. This application is the gateway to advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Meta Audience Network. Its unparalleled strength is in its deep demographic and psychographic targeting capabilities, built upon the vast amount of data users provide on their social profiles. Advertisers can target audiences with incredible precision based on age, location, interests, behaviors, and even connections. The platform supports a wide array of ad formats, including photo ads, video ads, carousel ads showcasing multiple images, and immersive Stories ads. The Meta Business Suite also integrates tools for managing organic social media posts and customer interactions, creating a unified marketing front. Third, we must address **Amazon Advertising**. For any brand operating in the e-commerce space, Amazon's advertising applications are indispensable. They operate on a similar auction-based model to Google but within the Amazon ecosystem. The primary ad formats include Sponsored Products (keyword-targeted ads that appear in search results and on product pages), Sponsored Brands (ads that feature a custom headline, logo, and multiple products), and Sponsored Display ads (which can target audiences both on and off Amazon based on their shopping behaviors). The key advantage of Amazon Ads is the direct link to commercial intent. Users on Amazon are typically in a "buying mode," making these ads highly effective for driving sales and product discovery. **II. The Programmatic Landscape: Demand-Side and Supply-Side Platforms** Beyond the walled gardens, a significant portion of digital advertising is traded programmatically—through automated, real-time auctions. This ecosystem requires a different set of applications. On the buyer's side, we have **Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs)**. Applications like The Trade Desk, Google's Display & Video 360 (DV360), and Amazon's DSP allow advertisers and their agencies to purchase ad inventory from a vast multitude of websites, apps, and connected TV (CTV) platforms through a single interface. Instead of negotiating directly with each publisher, an advertiser uses a DSP to set their targeting parameters, budgets, and bids. The DSP then participates in billions of auctions per day to place the advertiser's message in front of the right user, on the right site, at the right moment. This brings immense efficiency and scale to digital media buying. On the seller's side, we have **Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs)**. Applications like Google Ad Manager, Magnite, and Xandr act on behalf of publishers (website and app owners). Their function is to help publishers maximize the revenue they earn from their ad space (or "inventory"). An SSP connects a publisher's inventory to multiple ad exchanges, DSPs, and networks, ensuring it is exposed to the highest number of potential buyers, which in turn drives up the price through competition. The connection between DSPs and SSPs happens in milliseconds within an **Ad Exchange**, which is the digital marketplace where the auctions take place. **III. The Social Media Constellation: Beyond Meta** While Meta dominates, the social media landscape is diverse, and other platforms offer unique advertising applications tailored to their user base and content format. * **TikTok For Business**, centered on its **TikTok Ads Manager**, provides tools to create immersive, sound-on, full-screen video ads that are native to the platform's creative and entertaining environment. Its targeting often revolves around trends, hashtags, and creator collaborations. * **LinkedIn Campaign Manager** is the application for B2B (business-to-business) advertising. It allows advertisers to target professionals based on criteria unmatched by any other platform: company name, industry, job title, seniority, skills, and professional groups. Ad formats include Sponsored Content, Message Ads sent directly to user inboxes, and Text Ads. * **Pinterest Ads**, accessed through the **Pinterest Business Hub**, is unique in that it targets users based on their aspirations and planned projects. "Pinners" use the platform to discover ideas for travel, home decor, fashion, and recipes. Advertising here is about capturing "future intent" and inspiring purchases. * **Twitter Ads** (or X Ads) is focused on real-time conversation. Its application allows brands to promote their posts, trends, or accounts to users interested in specific topics, events, or keywords, making it powerful for newsjacking and topical engagement. * **Snapchat Ads Manager** is the gateway to reaching a predominantly Gen Z and Millennial audience through vertical video ads, augmented reality (AR) lenses, and filters. Its offerings are deeply integrated with the camera and playful interaction. **IV. Specialized and Niche Applications** The advertising app ecosystem is further enriched by specialized tools that serve specific functions. * **Email Marketing Apps**: Platforms like **Mailchimp**, **Klaviyo**, and **HubSpot** are fundamental for advertising directly to a captured audience. They manage email lists, segment subscribers, design newsletters, and automate complex email sequences (drip campaigns) to nurture leads and drive conversions. * **Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tools**: Applications like **Semrush**, **Ahrefs**, and **Moz** are not direct advertising apps in the paid sense, but they are critical for "earned" visibility. They help advertisers research keywords, analyze competitor strategies, track search rankings, and identify opportunities to improve organic website traffic, which is a powerful complement to paid efforts. * **Retargeting/Remarketing Platforms**: Companies like **Criteo** and **AdRoll** specialize in retargeting. They use pixel-based tracking to serve ads to users who have previously visited an advertiser's website or app but did not make a purchase. Their applications are designed to create custom audience segments and deploy cross-channel retargeting campaigns to re-engage potential customers. **V. Measurement, Analytics, and Creative Management** No modern advertising discussion is complete without addressing the applications that measure success and manage assets. * **Analytics Platforms**: **Google Analytics 4** (GA4) is the industry standard for measuring website and app traffic and user behavior. It is essential for tracking conversions, understanding customer journeys, and attributing sales to specific advertising campaigns. Adobe Analytics is another powerful enterprise-level alternative. * **Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs)**: For app-specific advertising, MMPs like **AppsFlyer** and **Adjust** are critical. They provide independent attribution, tracking which ad clicks led to app installs and subsequent in-app events (like purchases or sign-ups), helping advertisers understand the true return on investment (ROI) of their mobile campaigns. * **Creative Management Platforms (CMPs)**: As advertisers run thousands of ad variations across multiple platforms, managing the creative assets becomes a logistical challenge. CMPs like **Bannerwise** or the creative tools within DSPs help automate the process of resizing, versioning, and deploying display and video ads at scale. **Conclusion and the Path Forward** In summary, the question "What are the apps for advertising?" does not have a singular answer. The modern advertiser's toolkit is a interconnected suite of specialized applications. The choice depends entirely on the campaign's objectives: building brand awareness, driving online sales, generating qualified leads, or engaging a specific community. The key trends shaping the future of these applications are the increasing importance of privacy-focused advertising, the rise of artificial intelligence for optimization and creative generation, and the explosive growth of connected TV (CTV) as a new digital frontier. Advertisers must remain agile, continuously learning about new platforms and technologies, while always grounding their strategies in objective data and a clear understanding of their target audience. Thank you. We will now open the floor for questions.