Page 87 - AdNews magazine Mar-Apr-May 2023

CTV, generative AI...are we now starting to realise the true value of search?
Krish Raja
Managing Director Australia, Captify
We’re in a bit of an en-vogue moment for search right now, especially with the emergence and increased adoption
of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT. There is a new, deeper understanding of the power of search, and how
we as consumers can leverage it to make decisions that matter to us.
That said, much of the focus seems to be on how AI tools are changing the interface we use and the nature of the results. Little is made of what happens when the actual search takes place, and the insight - or ‘intent’ - that
lies behind it. That hasn’t changed - search engines and ChatGPT are very good at predicting what the consumer is looking for, and then delivering it.
What is changing is where - and how - this intent can be leveraged. At Captify, we’ve been bubbling away for many years as the go-to Search Intelligence platform for the open web. We know that a wealth of behaviour, action and information exist outside of walled gardens and beyond search engines - being able to leverage onsite search across different channels has been a real game changer for brands, agencies and publishers alike.
Alongside generative AI, another area of our industry
that is enjoying increased popularity is CTV. The way TV advertising is bought and sold is undergoing a renaissance with the move away from cookies, which in turn has expedited the adoption of emerging formats like CTV.
This is where I see the next evolution of Search Intelligence - leveraging search data to deliver relevant content to engaged audiences, across advertising’s most coveted channel.
Our ability to build predictive models and extract intent- based insights from search data has always made sense to marketers as a proxy for real business outcomes, and we’re now able to bring that intelligence to advertising on the big screen. TV and search have long been staples of a marketer’s diet for very different reasons, but until now marketers have not been able to bring them together in
a meaningful way. We are keeping our opportunity pretty laser focused on helping marketers with fresh, cookieless insight and measurement that has genuine meaning across their entire plan.
Captify is the largest holder of onsite search data outside of the walled gardens. For years we have been using this data to drive valuable, intent-driven insights, allowing advertisers to connect with relevant audiences at the right moments. Now we’re bringing this capability to CTV, advertisers can leverage real consumer intent across marketing’s most reliable and trustworthy advertising channel.
AI is showing the world just how powerful search results can be. The exciting part for me is what happens when the intent behind the results is put to use elsewhere. I’m excited to see where CTV goes from here.
www.captifytechnologies.com