Audience Library - Audience types concerns..

[#1]

Hi,
I'm wondering if someone could help me understand Audiences behaviour. Let's imagine I'd like to have an XT Activity in Target, where I'm using Audiences from Marketing Cloud.
For the sake of simplicity I'm gonna build XT just for one Audience based on Analytics variables.
I see two options:

1. Build segment in Analytics based on historical data and share to Marketing Cloud.
2. Create Marketing Cloud Audience based on Analytics reporting suite.

What I know is that in the first option, the created Audience that is shared, is visible in Audiences Library so I can use it to build my Target activity. However, the data are under collection process (up to 48h as far as I remember).
So simply after that collection period, the Audiences have build collection of MCIDs. So, when visitor visits the page (page supports Visitor ID), then my Target Activity immediately resolve proper Audience (thanks to the MCID) and proper Offer will be served.

As for the second option, I'm not actually sure because of three reasons.

1. I understood from many Adobe documentations that I read, MC Audiences are likely real-time audiences. So, it would suggest that if visitor visits my page, then the Audience should be resolved immediately and proper Offer will be served.
2. My understanding is also that, if Audience is build using Raw Analytics Data it would suggest it's going to be resolved only on the call to SiteCat. By that I mean:
   1. mbox call is at the Top of Page, whilst Analytics image call at the bottom of page
   2. so mbox will be the first call, no variables yet so the vistior will not be identified as my Audience (I'm assuming visit of new visitor)
   3. Analytics image call will be the last one, variables will be process by the MC and MCID will be assigned to my Audience, it means only next visit on the page will serve my proper Offer
3. I'm also confused with the information available when creating MC Audience using Raw Analytics Data. After saving it still shows 'Collecting Data', does it mean it's doing similar collection as with the Audiences shared from Analytics ?

Does anyone could help me with understanding of that concepts ? First impression is that both types of Audiences could be infact 100% equivalents of each other.

Thanks a lot

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Sorry we missed your question!  I'll make sure it's moved to the Audiences forum.

For option #1, you are correct.

What I know is that in the first option, the created Audience that is shared, is visible in Audiences Library so I can use it to build my Target activity. However, the data are under collection process (up to 48h as far as I remember).
So simply after that collection period, the Audiences have build collection of MCIDs. So, when visitor visits the page (page supports Visitor ID), then my Target Activity immediately resolve proper Audience (thanks to the MCID) and proper Offer will be served.

When the visitor returns to the page after the MCIDs have been processed, Adobe Target should see that audience information and place them in the appropriate activity.

Now, about the Marketing Cloud Audiences option:

1. Audiences created in the Marketing Cloud are usually real-time or near real-time, depending on implementation, which we'll address in #2.
2. If the audience is built using raw analytics data, that data is only available after the Adobe Analytics image request has been made.  It's forwarded to the Marketing Cloud and segmentation occurs in real time.  In a case where mbox is at the top of the page and AppMeasurement or s_code is at the bottom, that segmentation decision will be available to Adobe Target the next time mbox is called (usually the next page)
3. "Collecting Data" is a generic moniker used for all types of Audiences shared to (or created in) the Marketing Cloud that have not yet reported audience sizes.  Reporting doesn't refresh very often (every morning), so it's normal for "collecting data" to persist for a few days after the audience is created or shared.  If it persists for longer than that, there may be some issue in populating the Audience.

Some customers have created "composite audiences" consisting of audiences shared from Analytics and an identical Marketing Cloud audience based on raw analytics data.  This way, they get the advantages of real-time segmentation as well as the historical backfill provided by the Analytics Audience. Example screenshot attached

Screen Shot 2016-04-26 at 3.43.48 PM.png ‏210 KB

[#3]

Thanks a lot for clarifications.