The digital media landscape is highly fragmented. According to data from October 2014 collected by Pew Research Center, 64 percent of American adults own a smartphone, 42 percent own a tablet, and 32 percent own an e-reader. With so many devices and digital platforms, the cost of creative production prevents brands from expanding to the channels where they can best reach their audience. The emerging trend of native advertising, where the line between content and advertising becomes blurred, is a portent of things to come. One thing that has become clear is that content needs to be specifically designed and tailored to the channels that the user has decided to consume content through -- whenever they want it, on whatever device they are using. In this new digital advertising landscape, a clear understanding of how to execute rich media creative messaging optimized for multiple channels is essential. Here are the three possible routes for publishers and digital advertisers looking to best execute rich media creative for any device channels: Use big creative agencies to build interactive ads. Digital agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi focus on reaching consumers in innovative ways and creating relationships between the brand and the customer. When working with a creative agency, you will first brief them on the product, brand, goal, and more. Then, the agency will create design concepts and build the ads. Interactive ads can definitely meet campaign objectives, but the entire process is expensive and time-consuming. Any changes made to the design or copy will mean even more time and money spent on the ads. In addition, an ad that will run for both print and digital platforms will require more time and money than a print-only campaign. Interactive ads can be a great way to reach your customers, but think critically before contracting a creative agency. Review your campaign goals and your budget to determine if working with a digital creative agency is the right fit. If you don't have the time or the budget to work with a digital creative agency, there are thousands of smaller, low-cost digital ad producers. You can have a digital ad created quickly and cheaply using companies you find through search engines. For example, searching terms such as "quick digital ad production" or "make banner ads" brings results of many companies. Using one of these services, you upload your logo, message, and other information, and the company creates the ad. Using digital ad producers is quick and easy, but you get what you pay for. You're not paying much for the design, and it will show. In addition, banner ads are becoming less and less useful and relevant in the digital advertising game. In fact, data collected by Smart Insights shows that global click-through rates for ads are at 0.06 percent. Banner ads may be cheap, but they are less effective than other ad types. If you want your ad to have the quality of a creative agency, but the production ease of banner ad producers, online platforms might be the right option. With access to online tools like Celtra and Bonzai, you can create your own digital ads even if you have no coding knowledge. The websites lead you through the ad creation process from choosing a format and template to analyzing the ad's success. Of course, the platforms can produce high-quality designs, but costs can get expensive and are very time-intensive. With the wide variety of digital tools, platforms, and agencies, there are creative options to fit the needs and the budget of every company. Spend some time analyzing your needs and goals before determining which digital ad method is the right fit. What do you think? Which method is the best? Keith Ahern is CEO and founder at Oomph. On Twitter? Follow iMedia at @iMediaTweet.
With a highly fragmented landscape, the digital marketing industry is having to concentrate a lot more on content to make sure it is specifically designed and tailored to the channels that the users has decided to consume content through. The result of this strategy is that there are many different types of online advertising channels, which means that you have to be able to target your ads in such a way as to get them to reach