The key question in the era of the AI boom is how to stay relevant, and not get drowned in the pile of generic content.
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.
This is one of our top-ranking articles, and we want to bring nothing but the freshest info about DCO vendors. So, what does DCO look like in 2024?
We’ll cover the features the best DCO platforms should have and 2024 review the key dynamic creative vendors so you can make an informed decision.
4 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 a high number of SKUs, manual creative production is 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.
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 have full control over executing your campaigns.
3. AI capabilities to help you stay ahead of the curve
If you can't beat them, join them! As AI emerges as a great competitor for every marketer, the smart move is to leverage it to your advantage.
In fact, the AI capabilities of DCO platforms can be incredibly valuable for eliminating redundant tasks that consume your day, freeing you up for more creative and strategic thinking.
A prime example of effectively using AI is a tool for background removal, which tackles one of the most tedious yet unavoidable tasks for designers.
4. 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, AppsFlyer, or Adjust 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
- Madgicx
- Creatopy
- Storyteq
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 knowledgeable.
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?
“Hunch made our campaign strategies more relevant and personal for the target audience. Everything we wanted to create had been made possible thanks to the super-fast customer support. Once you know which strategy is behind the campaigns the implementation is relatively easy.”
“ Hunch has revolutionized the way we approach advertising. The platform's automation capabilities have propelled our advertising efforts to new heights. We no longer have to spend countless hours manually creating each creative piece or managing media placements. Hunch Ads handles it all effortlessly, utilizing cutting-edge technology to generate and distribute captivating creatives across media channels.
Just imagine the potential when you can redirect your time and energy towards strategic planning and decision-making rather than being bogged down by repetitive tasks. Hunch Ads empowers us to allocate our resources where they make a difference, driving our business forward with unparalleled efficiency. It's a game-changer that enables us to achieve remarkable results and stay ahead of the competition.”
What do users dislike about Hunch?
Currently, we haven't encountered any aspects of Hunch that we dislike. This could be attributed to our limited exploration of the tool's full capabilities. However, we trust that the specialists at Hunch are readily available to provide solutions should any issues arise in the future.
#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
#3 Celtra
What do users who like Celtra say?
“Being someone who leads projects and teams, I think Celtra is very useful. It's especially helpful when it comes to how mobile rich media works well on phones and tablets. The user interface (UI) is easy to use, which makes working with creative stuff much easier. I really like the customer service they offer; their help and teaching have been very important in making special sets that truly get noticed.”
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?
“Bannerwise is a great tool to create creative banners easily. We use Bannerwise to Display banners on Google Ads, which works perfectly. If you develop one format, it is very easy to duplicate it to another size. Sometimes you have to change the banner slightly, but you will have all your settings and timings. For me Bannerwise is an easy tool to create en develop banners.”
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 ROI Hunter
G2 review:
Note: ROI Hunter doesn’t have reviews from 2024.
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."
#6 Madgicx
G2 review:
Note: The last Madgicx review was in 2022.
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.”
#7 Creatopy
What do users who like Creatopy say?
“Creatopy makes it easy for non-designers to create ads and other creative pieces. As a Marketer who is not great with Photoshop and doesn't have a great creative eye, i'm able to use their easy to use templates to create ads that look great.”
What do users dislike about Creatopy?
“Needs to add more templates every month to keep designs fresh.”
#8 Storyteq
What do you like best about Storyteq?
“With Storyteq you can easily create animated banners and video's. There is a template builder which works on versions so if you accidentally make some mistakes you can always go back to a previous version. It is easy to create a batch of banners with an excell file or the online editor. You can download the files and forward them easily to social media channels.”
What do you dislike about Storyteq?
“- There are some bugs while editing, you would then need to contact the support and need to wait till the issue is resolved. This would take time.
- If you have multiple templates, the editor can become a bit slow.”
Which is the best DCO platform for you?
You should look for a platform that meets your needs, and budget and is future-proof. Also, the most important thing is that a new platform simplifies your processes, and not adding more steps into your routine.
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 as an end-to-end DCO tool
If you’re on the lookout for more than just an average DCO, and you need a partner to help you stay ahead of the game you’re searching for Hunch. Partnering with Hunch means getting the front-row seats for the latest trends and innovations in social advertising, and streamlining the creative and media processes in a single platform.
Yes, the whole communication between designers, and performance marketers can now be in one place, the same place where you get tons of personalized creatives in Creative Studio, and where you publish your campaigns.
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.
