What is the first step in planning a DCO campaign?

The first step in planning a Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) campaign, or any advertising campaign, is to understand the media buy and campaign goals. This foundational step dictates all subsequent decisions, including creative strategy, audience targeting, and measurement. Without a clear understanding of what the campaign aims to achieve and how it will be distributed, effective planning is impossible. Creating relevant audiences, creating the campaign, and creating a media plan are all crucial steps, but they occur after the initial understanding of the campaign's objectives and media strategy. You cannot effectively create audiences or a media plan without first knowing the overarching goals and media buy parameters.