Today, marketers are being asked to do more with less, get better results with smaller budgets, ultimately drowning in everyday tasks.
To put it into perspective, the pressure to catch shoppers attention within their 3.7 seconds attention span is squeezing the marketing teams.
To deliver dynamic creative ads that would stop shoppers from scrolling, you need partners who can help you optimize your production and deliver attention grabbing creatives, at scale. Thus, finding the best Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) vendor is crucial.
We’ll cover the features the best DCO platforms should have and review the key dynamic creative vendors so you can make an informed decision.
3 main features your Dynamic Creative platform should have
To rule out platforms that are the best fit for you and your team, you need to make a pros and cons list of every possible alternative. However, there are some features that are off the charts as a must for your dynamic creative platform, rather than just a plus.
Let’s dive in.
1. Automated creative production
The ideal DCO platform should be able to automate the production of creatives.
For eCommerce businesses with thousands of products, manual creative production is virtually impossible.
Plus, given how frequently you have to cycle creatives for dynamic creative to work and make sure they are personalized for your target audience, automated creative production is the way to go.
Check to see if the platform can create ads for you. Ideally, it should use your product feed to add personalization and have templates to choose from. When you focus on personalization, you can expect 69% greater odds for purchase according to Deloitte.
Since dynamic video ads are the future, the best dynamic creative optimization platforms have video templates as well.
2. Automated campaign launch + management
Launching and managing a dynamic creative campaign can be tedious since there are so many moving parts. Your DCO vendor should be able to launch campaigns automatically and offer campaign management features.
Say you want to launch ads on multiple platforms. Traditionally, you would have to manually alter the creatives for each of them and if you needed to update a detail, you would have to go back and make changes to all of them manually.
Try doing this at scale and you’ll see why this is an important feature every DCO platform should offer.
Similarly, campaign management is just as crucial. You should have all your campaigns in one centralized location and the ability to scale your best-performing ads and pause underperforming ads.
3. Performance tracking + actionable insights
What is a dynamic creative campaign without being able to track its performance and extract usable data from it?
The best dynamic creative optimization companies help you make data-driven decisions by analyzing the performance of your latest campaigns and turning it into actionable insights in real-time.
You should be able to connect your data sources like Google Analytics and Facebook’s performance insights so you can track the buyer journey, manage your ad budget and get recommendations to improve your campaign’s performance.
How to turn data into actionable insights.
How to choose the best Dynamic Creative platform: step-by-step guide
The features listed above are specific to the platform but it isn’t enough to make a dynamic creative campaign successful. You also want to use a DCO platform that is easy to use, offers reliable support, and has transparent pricing.
Without that, you’ll likely spend your ad budget on campaigns that don’t really work and won’t know how to get the most of the platform.
Step 1: Gauge your needs
Maybe you don’t need intensive tracking and insights or an automated launch. Or perhaps you need more help launching your first campaign. Your individual needs have to be met by the platform so it’s important to know what they are in the first place.
If you end up with a platform that has a whole host of features but you don’t need the fancy bells and whistles, you end up overpaying for the small number of features you do use.
Step 2: Make a list of DCO providers
Use Search, referrals and reviews to come up with a list of dynamic creative optimization platforms that could potentially meet your needs.
Here’s a list of DCO vendors (detailed review below):
- Hunch
- Smartly
- Celtra
- ROI Hunter
- Bannerwise
- Ad-lib.io
- Madgicx
Step 3: Get in touch with support first
Great support is essential but when it comes to dynamic creative, it’s crucial. With changing guidelines and new updates, you want a support team that is useful, reliable and knowledgable.
Chat with support to learn how quickly they respond and gauge the relevance of their replies.
Step 4: Ask for a platform demo
You want to be sure that the features mentioned actually translate into the product. Getting a personalized demo is the best way to make sure your needs can be met by the platform. Ask questions about how the platform works and how it fits in with your existing tech stack.
Step 5: Narrow down your choice
With all your research in place, here’s a checklist to ensure you end up with the right DCO platform:
- Is the platform easy to use?
- Does it provide transparent pricing? (No hidden charges)
- Does it meet your needs?
- Is the support responsive, reliable and knowledgeable?
- Do they have in-house ad experts to help you?
- Can the platform scale with your business?
- Have they served other companies in your industry?
- What are other customers saying about the platform?
- What are the potential drawbacks?
- What does the future roadmap look like?
7 best Dynamic Creative platforms reviewed
To keep this section neutral, we will only use customer reviews to help you make an informed decision.
#1 Hunch
What do users who like Hunch say?
“If you drive traffic from facebook and instagram ads to your web shop and don't use Hunch then you are at a loss. We have been using it for almost 2 years and we do not intend to stop using this app. Revenue from users which come from Facebook and Instagram on our web shop increased by 89% compared to the period when we did not use this application. Customer support is extraordinary and our account manager responds to us in an average of about 2 minutes. I recommended this application to everyone I know who advertises on Facebook and Instagram.”
What do users dislike about Hunch?
“Application works just fine. Only thing I would like to see is a slideshow for products.”
#2 Smartly
What do users who like Smartly say?
“Smartly is more than just a tool to manage and report on your social media campaigns. They are also a strategic partner to your business or agency. They have all the industry insights on best practices and think with you on how to improve your account structure and performance of campaigns. The reporting is superb and the creative features are amazing. Also, the ability to connect Google Analytics to your campaign reporting for last-click performance is a huge quality of life improvement for anyone working in performance marketing.”
The same reviewer also pointed out that there is a steep learning curve to the platform and you’re better off hiring an onboarding specialist.
What do users dislike about Smartly?
- Minimum spend is quite high for growing companies
- Hard to get in touch with support
- Support is only 24x5
- Setup takes a long time
- Bulk uploads are laggy
Read: 3 Best Smartly Alternatives To Create Better Facebook Ads [2022]
#3 Celtra
What do users who like Celtra say?
“The reliability, ease of use and full reporting suite. I also like the ability to duplicate and easily search for line items and creatives within the system. The UI is also user friendly. I also like the color palette, it's easy on the eyes. I like the speed in which celtra is able to query the servers and pull reporting. I also like the support that celtra offers...have never had an issue with contacting reporting. They're speedy and respond clearly and effectively to help troubleshoot issues. I also like their newsletters and the way they communicate out new updates to the platform and roadmap for upcoming features. I like the ability to save and email reports and the campaign graphs and charts that show delivery and best performing creatives...really slick presentations. I also like the way that the platform does not have a lot of down time. I also love the templates that you can download to build out campaigns....it's done really well and has all the right drop downs and features to allow you to quickly build out the order on a spread sheet and upload it back into the system with the trackers. I like the login screen as well, it's simple and clean and does the job.”
What do users dislike about Celtra?
“Celtra is a tad confusing to get used to and does not necessarily help the photoshop efficient. I find having the PSD file is more straightforward than going through Celtra.”
Other users have pointed out some bugs, slow loading times, and slow support.
#4 Bannerwise
What do users who like Bannerwise say?
“-Changes are easy to implement.
-The customer service responds very quickly (only possible via the internet), is helpful and gives useful tips to use the software better. I chat with customer service and they have always been really quick so that's a great feature.
-The preview is nice to see all sizes next to each other, although we have sometimes noticed that various stakeholders see it slightly differently, this has no influence on the end result.
-And of course, Bannerwise is generally easy to use compared to Adobe, so it's faster.”
What do users dislike about Bannerwise?
“There are still some basic editing features missing with the consequence that you lose some of your time fiddling around, which you otherwise would gain through the time-saving features of the service in other areas.”
#5 Ad-lib.io
What do users who like Ad-lib.io say?
“As a media agency, creative asset delivery is a constant challenge for us. The Ad-lib product allows us to leave a lot of the management of our dynamic creative assets to them. They are well integrated with the Google Marketing Platform stack, which is a huge plus for us. They have been extremely flexible with our requirements, as we have required some unique reporting, which has not been an issue for them. And finally the customer service is first class!”
What do users dislike about Ad-lib.io?
“Less suitable for smaller or tactical advertisers - Saas pricing is more geared for large brands or multi market.”
#6 ROI Hunter
What do users who like ROI Hunter say?
“ROI Hunter is a great and easy-to-use tool. Once you start using it, you do not want to return to an ordinary Facebook Business Manager. The main upside of using ROI Hunter is connecting data from Google Analytics which enables you to get more comprehensive data and improve your product sets. Secondly, the graphic depiction, metric selection, ads cloning all make one´s work much faster, clearer, and more organized. Last but not least is the Template Manager. Thanks to it, you can play more with your creatives and differentiate your ads from the competition. Highly recommend.”
What do users dislike about ROI Hunter?
“It is accessible and money-wise to use only to "big players" and companies that spend a significant amount of money on Facebook ads.”
“I think the tool still has a plastered and a little confusing layout. Could modernize usability."
#7 Madgicx
What do users who like Madgicx say?
“Its flexibility is phenomenal, allows you to deep dive into the traffic on your facebook ads in so much detail. The support systems are great for new users and the ability to have zoom calls with experts is a excellent, particulary when you are getting to know the system. I have worked with Camille and she has been so patient and given some great advice and tips. I saw results within 24 hours os going live. I would highly recommend Madgicx as a small business owner it will save time, money and give me a competitive advantage."
What do users dislike about Madgicx?
“Don't rely on customer service and spend lots of time learning the tool before you start. Maybe not great for people new to facebook ads.”
Which is the best DCO platform for you?
There is no right answer to this question. You should look for a platform that meets your needs, budget and is future-proof.
A DCO platform should be your extended hand, helping you deliver more without overburdening your team.
Also, it is important to see the platforms’ creative production capabilities, and see how such platforms can help your agency scale dynamic creative.
Choose Hunch if you need more than a DCO tool
If you’re on the lookout for more than just an average DCO, and you need a partner to help you win more clients, you’re searching for Hunch. Partnering with Hunch means getting the front-row seats for the latest trends and innovations in social advertising, and being introduced to the beta features, such as Product Level Video.
Standing out means ticking all the boxes your competition does and then going one step further. As a technology built for innovation, Hunch enables you to stay ahead of the curve and develop innovative cases, all without losing your sleep time.
Get in touch with one of the experts at Hunch to talk strategy and see if it’s a good fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does DCO really work?
The best answer for this question is an example of successful DCO campaigns. Go through our case studies and discover how DCO can help you to reach your business goals.
2. What results can I expect from using dynamic creative?
With dynamic creative you can deliver personalized ads faster and easier without managing a big team. Highly personalized ads lead you to more engaging campaigns that will bring higher revenue.
