The open internet reflects the ideas of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and it is now woven into the fabric of our daily lives. It is a place where big and small enterprises may be heard, seen, and discovered. This implies that new and existing independent content creators and small publishers can share their ideas and content, small business owners and emerging DTC brands can draw customers to their website, and users can access content freely and without restriction.
Consumers’ online experiences would be constrained without the open internet, including what they read, where they shop, how they buy, and so many other factors that could shape societal evolution in ways we do not yet understand. I do not see any boundaries when I think about the future of the internet. It’s a source for open connection that’s defined by people. It is an open internet built on the foundation of consumers’ choices.
It has never been more critical to keep the internet open. As society navigates Web3 and the metaverse, as well as shifting views toward data privacy, making daily decisions that promote a vibrant open internet is becoming increasingly important.
Investing in the open internet
To ensure that the open internet thrives, consumers and marketers must invest in it — and in the case of commerce, that investment involves their time and attention. This is something that consumers are currently doing. For example, in our latest Criteo Consumer Sentiment Index poll, seven out of ten (68 percent) consumers worldwide said they frequently read informative articles on the open internet before buying things they have never bought or important products.
A full 43% of shoppers trust reviews on independent review sites more than those they see on Amazon, compared to 20% who say the . When consumers seek answers, they turn to the open internet – a trend that we expect to continue in the future.
Aside from maintaining a level playing field, it is just a logical business move for advertisers. According to a 2020 survey by The Harris Poll, most of the consumers’ online time (66 percent) is spent on the open internet. Yet, marketers’ ad expenditure dedicated to the open internet is 37%, with the remaining 63% going to walled
This discrepancy may be due to the fact that the open internet isn’t always as efficient for marketers as closed systems in walled gardens. The open internet might make it appear like a more difficult path forward when there are so many scattered partners and solutions. However, the best option is not always the simplest. Marketers need to advertise on the open internet in order to fight for the open internet’s future — and to interact with their customers in environments they trust and spend time in.
Improving the open internet
We aim to support the open internet and improve it for marketers and consumers alike. By connecting demand and supply across the Commerce Media Platform, the aim is to make advertising on the open internet the right and easiest choice for marketers. Streamlining advertising on the open internet in an addressable and privacy-safe way will help marketers and media owners create better experiences for every consumer.
The time for all of us to be open internet activists is now — in 2023 and beyond — and we will keep that resolution in the forefront of our minds as we continue to promote an internet where consumers can go anywhere they want, buy wherever they want and interact with whomever they want. Nobody can predict the future, but we can all take charge of the internet we believe in.
Source:
1Criteo Consumer Sentiment Index, Global (Australia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, UK, US), November 2021, N=3805
2The Harris Poll and OpenX, “The open web vs. the walled garden”, 2020
(The author is Mr. Taranjeet Singh, Managing Director SEA and India and the views expressed in this article are his own)
