Future PLC Launches First-Party Audience Data Platform

Marketers can now easily reach 350 million high-intent users across 130+ digital brands

LONDON and NEW YORK — Future plc, the global platform for specialist media, announces the launch of a new first-party audience data platform that will enable marketers to reach high-intent audience segments as the industry moves away from reliance on third-party cookies.

Future’s audience platform taps into key proprietary technology innovations from its web platform (Vanilla), ad-tech stack (Hybrid) and its powerful ecommerce engine (Hawk) collating first party data from 350M online monthly users1 across 130+ digital brands in the most popular consumer verticals.

“Our platform opens up powerful performance capabilities to create impact for advertisers using intent data, predictive modelling, and rich keyword segmentation. Our incredibly diverse editorial reach means we are able to go beyond verticals to composite complex interests and signals from our audience to deliver highly contextual and relevant display media and creative solutions,” said Mike Peralta, Global Chief Revenue Officer at Future plc. “At the core it’s trust and reciprocity. Through leading sites such as Tom’s Guide, woman&home and Cinemablend, we create reliable and expert content. Our editors are trained to deliver SEO results and we are a clear source of truth in a very noisy consumer environment. Our audience platform leverages our leadership in content, community and commerce and unlocks our first-party data to deliver potent results for marketers and a better user experience for our readers.”

“Marketers will be able to take advantage of this platform by tapping into the audience segmentation created by our technology,” said Nick Flood, Global Commercial Operations Director at Future plc. “Using first-party signals users are grouped based on the content they’ve consumed. With refined interest, engagement and intent segments we’re able to align campaign objectives with better efficacy. Future’s first party data amplifies media and targeting so clients can benefit from our premium audiences wherever they are in their user journey.”

A brand level focus on specialist interests enables Future to reach more unique audiences than other publishers. Its stable of editorial brands cover everything in tech, gaming, music, home, science, entertainment, sports, lifestyle and more. Because of this, the platform is able to build nuanced segments inclusive of non-endemic brands to increase effectiveness and fulfillment.

“People’s interests are layered and complex. Context is king. Our data gives us deeper insight into actions, behaviours, frequency and consideration. We use these inputs to map relevancy for the user and present the best audience experience we can through our platform,” said James Nieves, Director of Product Marketing at Future PLC. “70% of our traffic comes from Google Search1 and through our content programming, we’ve qualified users’ intent and interests before they ever load the page. Once they arrive, the platform is able to connect advertisers with intent driven audiences through trusted content and equitable brand safe environments.”

In 2020, Future has seen incredible growth as more and more users flock to its web properties to discover, buy and enjoy. Future reaches 1 in 3 in the US and UK.2 Over the past two years Future has seen 438% growth in US audience traffic, and over 280% audience growth in the UK2.

About Future

Future is a global platform business for specialist media with diversified revenue streams. Its content reaches over 1 in 3 adults online in both the UK and the US.

The Media division is high-growth with three complementary revenue streams: eCommerce, events and digital advertising including advertising within newsletters. It operates in a number of sectors including technology, games & entertainment, music, home & gardens, sports, TV & film, real life, women’s lifestyle and B2B. Its brands include TechRadar, PC Gamer, Tom’s Guide, Android Central, Truly, Digital Camera World, Homebuilding & Renovating Show, GamesRadar+, The Photography Show, Top Ten Reviews, Marie Claire, Live Science, Guitar World, MusicRadar, Space.com, What to Watch, Gardening Etc, Adventure and Tom’s Hardware.

The Magazine division focuses on publishing specialist content, with a combined global circulation of over 3 million delivered through more than 115 magazines, and 410 bookazines published a year. The portfolio spans technology, games & entertainment, sports, music, photography & design, homes & garden, country lifestyle, TV & film and B2B. Its titles include Country Life, Wallpaper, Woman & Home, Classic Rock, Decanter, Guitar Player, FourFourTwo, Homebuilding & Renovating, Digital Camera, Guitarist, How It Works, Total Film, What Hi-Fi? and Music Week.

Source: Google Analytics Global Online Users (Including Forums,) November  20201

Source: comScore Media Metrix, Total Audience % Reach, Oct 2018 – October 2020 –  Future Plc, Unique Visitors; UK desktop age 6+, total mobile 18+.Source: comScore Media Metrix, Total Audience % Reach, Oct 2018 – October 2020 –  Future Plc, Unique Visitors; US desktop age 2+, total mobile 18+3