Partnership Series: Unified ID 2.0 Explained

Audience first strategy, cookie-deprecation, zero-party/first-party audiences… we’ve all been hearing these buzzwords for at least the past two years. As a pioneer of the audience-first strategy, Rise’s goal is to educate on and produce the most holistic marketing strategies for our clients. To do so, we continuously take on the latest product releases from existing tech partners and engage new ones to help fill in any gaps. 

Now, we’re breaking down the details on an initiative that addresses the targeting challenges all digital marketers are currently facing. It’s called Unified ID 2.0 (UID 2.0), initially developed by our partners at The Trade Desk. We are not only sharing what it is, but also how you should think about it for your own audience strategies.  

Rise’s Programmatic team partners closely with The Trade Desk, a global demand-side platform designed for media buying on the open web, to understand the latest solutions to position brands most effectively in front of their target audience. UID 2.0 is one of the latest and most innovative solutions available.

What is UID 2.0?

UID 2.0 is an industry wide solution that doesn’t rely on other technologies, such as third-party cookies. Advertisers, publishers, and consumers can use it to establish user identity across devices and platforms. The open-source framework is built to replicate the same cross-site targeting as legacy identifiers, with improved consent processes and controls to ensure data privacy and transparency, enabling a connective tissue across differing devices and ecosystems. 

The identifiers are created based on a secure email address or phone number that is shared with the express consent of the user. This compliments other environments, such as mobile apps and Connected TV (CTV), where a login may already be required, improving addressability across these channels. In order to have the most robust and secure framework, UID 2.0 is made of an ecosystem with members from leading DSPs, SSPs, measurement partners, publishers, television networks and industry leaders. 

How does UID 2.0 work?

UID 2.0 uses hashed, salted, and encrypted email-based IDs, from the user’s email address, to maintain the value exchange all while:

Advertisers can then start transacting on impressions using the identifier along with their first party data and incorporate it into their bids. Essentially, Unified ID is used in the ‘bidding stage’ to connect the opted-in consumer all the way across the digital media ecosystem.

UID 2.0 in Action 

How does UID 2.0 fit into the overall marketing funnel & audience strategy?

As mentioned in our latest blog on future proofing your audience strategy, leveraging a solution like UID 2.0 can be aligned to all parts of the funnel! It helps advertisers expand beyond their known customer targeting into more effective acquisition and retargeting efforts. 

What Do I Do Now?

Even with Google’s latest delay of the third party cookie-deprecation until 2024, advertising on web-based media will change dramatically in the coming year. Staying ahead of inevitable changes in the world of digital marketing and employing the latest strategies is an integral part of a successful marketer’s approach. That’s why Rise is constantly dialed into the current status and what’s to come to help our clients exceed their goals. 

Want to know more about how to future proof your audience strategy including incorporating UID 2.0? Reach out to Rise today!